Advancement Specialist

Smithsonian Institution; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 84,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Join the Smithsonian Institution as an Advancement Specialist to support donor relations and implement strategies for successful fundraising. You will manage donor events, prepare communications, and analyze data to enhance relationships with contributors. This is a full-time role at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC.

Benefits

Health, Dental & Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Transitional Benefits

403b Retirement Plan

Child Care Assistance

Qualifications

• Knowledge of fundraising strategies and techniques.
• Skill in establishing effective working relationships.
• Skill in gathering and interpreting fundraising data.

Responsibilities

• Plans and manages special events for donor stewardship.
• Prepares correspondence and materials needed for donor engagement.
• Tracks and evaluates success of advancement efforts.

Skills

Fundraising strategies

Relationship management

Data evaluation

Job description

Advancement Specialist

Application Deadline: 12 June 2025

Department: National Portrait Gallery

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Washington, DC

Reporting To: Lindsay Gabryszak

Compensation: $84,601 - $109,975 / year

Description

OPEN DATE: May 29, 2025

CLOSING DATE: June 12, 2025

POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund

APPOINTMENT TYPE: Temp/NTE 2 Yrs.

SCHEDULE: Full Time

DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC

Position sensitivity and risk

Example: Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Open to all qualified applicants

What are Trust Fund Positions?

Trust Fund positions are unique to the Smithsonian. They are paid for from a variety of sources, including the Smithsonian endowment, revenue from our business activities, donations, grants and contracts. Trust employees are not part of the civil service, nor does trust fund employment lead to Federal status. The salary ranges for trust positions are generally the same as for federal positions and in many cases trust and federal employees work side by side. Trust employees have their own benefit program, which may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Credit Union, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (Child Care), Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care).

Conditions of Employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Check and Subsequent Background Investigation for position designated.
• Complete a Probationary Period.
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer.
• The position is open to all candidates eligible to work in the United States. Proof of eligibility to work in U.S. is not required to apply.
• Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

OVERVIEW

Come join a dedicated and creative team at an exceptional time for the Smithsonian, an institution with a bold vision for the future: to build a better tomorrow for all. Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III and the institution’s leadership are launching a campaign to support this vision. The Smithsonian Campaign for Our Shared Future will secure funds for all Smithsonian museums and centers as the institution reimagines its mission to find solutions for collective challenges in a rapidly changing world. The campaign will provide a foundation for critical research to ensure people and nature thrive together, build unparalleled education programs with families and partners, collect the world’s most precious objects, document the present while reflecting on the past, and reimagine the visitor experience both in-person and online. We are bringing the Smithsonian off the National Mall and across the country through dynamic programming and affiliate partnerships, creating access for all. The Smithsonian is also developing two new museums—the National Museum of the American Latino and the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum. These museums will share the experiences and perspectives of Latinos and women across history and deepen our shared understanding of what it means to be American.

The National Portrait Gallery was authorized and founded by Congress in 1962 with the mission to acquire and display portraits of "men and women who have made significant contributions to the history, development, and culture of the people of the United States." Today, the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery attracts over 2 million visitors onsite and 4 million online and continues to narrate the multi-faceted and ever-changing story of America through the individuals who have shaped its culture. Through the visual arts, performing arts, and new media, the Portrait Gallery presents poets and presidents, visionaries and villains, actors and activists whose lives form our national identity.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery (NPG) seeks an enthusiastic and detail-focused Advancement Specialist to provide support to the Advancement team and assist and coordinate all aspects of NPG donor relations, communication, and events and major gifts stewardship including:

• Plans, manages and executes special events for donor stewardship and cultivation
• Coordinates and attends meetings associated with events, coordinating directly with vendors and donors up until the conclusion of events.
• Prepares correspondence, reports and materials needed for donor engagement, solicitation and stewardship in consultation with supervisor.
• Assists with annual giving program to prepare donor communications including solicitations, renewals, and acknowledgements; tracks and reports on annual giving; manages direct mail appeals; create compelling marketing materials and coordinates membership events.
• Contributes to development of metrics and other measurements to evaluate success of advancement efforts by tracking and evaluating data, and preparing analysis that require graphs and charts for use.
• Manages, prepares and tracks approval of gift agreements and other gift-related documentation; composes correspondence and reports for stewardship of major donors.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

· Knowledge of fundraising strategies, principles and techniques for promoting the organization’s programs and developing prospects into donors.

· Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with people having different interests.

· Skill in gathering, evaluating, and interpreting complex fundraising data.

Any false statement in your application may result in rejection of your application and may also result in termination after employment begins.

Join us in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery."

Resumes should include a description of your paid and non-paid work experience that is related to this job; starting and ending dates of job (month and year); and average number of hours worked per week.

What To Expect Next: Once the vacancy announcement closes, a review of your resume will be compared against the qualification and experience requirements related to this job. After review of applicant resumes is complete, qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager.

Relocation expenses are not paid.

The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact the point-of-contact listed in the “How To Apply” section above. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures.

The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To review The Smithsonian's EEO program information, please click the following: https://www.si.edu/oeesd.