Associate Director, Patron Programs

Whitney Museum of American Art; New York (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Parking

Mass transit benefits

Museum admissions

Pet insurance

Citibike discount

Job summary

The Whitney Museum of American Art seeks an Associate Director of Patron Programs to lead a team of four and drive revenue across Patron Groups, including Artist’s Council and Director’s Council. You will steward gifts and collaborations with Advancement and Curatorial teams to strengthen the donor pipeline and deliver mission-aligned experiences.

You will set strategy, monitor progress toward goals, and collaborate across museum divisions to identify high-potential donors and deepen engagement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree required.
• 8–10 years’ nonprofit advancement experience.
• Proven success raising five-figure gifts or greater.
• Experience managing a team.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Data-driven fundraiser with comfort leveraging Raiser's Edge or related software.
• Self-starter with the ability to multi-task and prioritize requests.
• Ability to work nights and travel as needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of four staffers.
• Cultivate and maintain a donor portfolio.
• Steward gifts between $25,000 and $50,000.
• Set goals and oversee the Patron Programs team.
• Develop strategies to deepen engagement and advance patrons.
• Oversee Patron Programs' direction and outcomes.
• Collaborate across museum divisions to support donor engagement.
• Ensure high standard of donor stewardship across programs.
• Identify opportunities to evolve Patron Programs.
• Attend Whitney donor events as needed (some travel).
• Oversee Patron Programs calendar and records.
• Utilize giving data to inform portfolio decisions.
• Monitor and report fundraising progress.

Skills

Donor cultivation

Team management

Fundraising strategy

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Tools

Raiser's Edge

Job description

The Associate Director of Patron Programs is responsible for meeting the Whitney Museum’s annual revenue Patron Program targets and operating goals by leading a team responsible for the engagement, cultivation, and stewardship of donors within the Whitney’s Patron Groups (Artist’s Council, Director’s Council, American Fellows, Education Committee, Studio Forum, National Committee), overseeing the Chairman’s Council, and collaborating across the Advancement and Curatorial Teams to support management of five Acquisitions Committees. This role will set strategy and drive revenue across Patron Programs, while playing a critical role in strengthening and expanding the donor pipeline. The Associate Director will sustain Whitney’s high standard of donor cultivation while advancing patrons to increased levels of philanthropic support.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of four experienced staffers
• Cultivate and maintain a portfolio
• Stewardgifts between $25,000 and $50,000
• Set clear goals and expectations for the Patron Programs team
• In partnership with the Development Operations, identify high-capacity, high-affinity patrons and develop strategies to deepen engagement and advance them within the giving pipeline
• Oversee the strategic direction and performance of Patron Programs
• Collaborate cross-functionally with colleagues across the Museum (e.g., Curatorial, Education, Programs) to support donor engagement and deliver meaningful, mission-aligned experiences
• Ensure a high standard of donor stewardship and cultivation across all Patron Programs
• Identify opportunities to enhance or evolve Patron Programs
• Assist in implementing and/or attending Whitney donor events as needed (some travel required)
• Oversee Patron Programs calendar
• Maintainaccurateandtimelyrecords of all donor interactions
• Utilizeprospect research and giving data to inform strategy and portfolio decisions.
• Monitor and report on personal fundraising activity and progress toward goals

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree

• At least 8-10 years' experience in nonprofit advancement
• Proven success raising five-figure gifts or greater
• Strategic planning and budget management experience
• At least 3 years’ experience in managing a team
• Comfort managing and stewarding high-net-worth donors
• Expert written and oral communication skills
• Experience managing and coaching others toward success
• Data-driven fundraiser with comfortleveragingRaiser’s Edge or related software
• Self-starter with the ability to multi-task and prioritize requests
• Strong organizational skills
• Commitment to the value of arts in our society
• Ability to worknights and weekendsand travel as needed

Experience and Qualifications

• Exceptional management, leadership, presentation, written, and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to work effectivelyand manage many projects at the same time
• Knowledge and understanding of the New York funding community; poise to communicate the institution's mission and interests to a broad audience
• Understanding of cultural fundraising and the NYC donor/philanthropic landscape (a plus)
• Strong passion for contemporary art and familiarity with the art and cultural world
• Experience with Raiser's Edge database or similar fundraising software (important)
• Fixed compensation of $150,000-160,000per annum
• Commuter benefits - parking and mass transit
• Admission to world-renowned museums across the city and nationally
• Pet insurance and discounted membership for Citibike

About the Whitney

The Whitney Museum of American Art, founded in 1930 by the artist and philanthropist Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, houses the foremost collection of American art from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. From her vision arose the Whitney Museum of American Art, which has been championing the most innovative art of the United States for 86 years. The core of the Whitney’s mission is to collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit American art of our time and serve a wide variety of audiences in celebration of the complexity and diversity of art and culture in the United States. Through this mission and a steadfast commitment to artists themselves, the Whitney has long been a powerful force in support of modern and contemporary art and continues to help define what is innovative and influential in American art today. Its signature exhibition, the Biennial, is the country's leading survey of the most recent developments in American art.

EEO Statement

The Whitney Museum of American Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Museum does not discriminate because of age, sex, religion, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, pregnancy, partnership status, caregiver status, veteran status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, genetic information, predisposition, or carrier status, arrest or conviction record to the extent required by applicable law, credit history, domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking victim status, or any other factor prohibited by law. The Museum hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled. The Museum encourages all qualified candidates to apply for vacant positions at all levels.