Development Manager

New Museum; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Rhizome is seeking a Development Manager in New York City. This full-time, hybrid role works with the Executive Director and various teams to fortify Rhizome’s fundraising and supporter engagement.

You will craft proposals, manage donor records, and coordinate with program, operations, and editor teams. The position reports to the Executive Director, with an anticipated 10am–6pm ET schedule, three days per week in the office, and occasional evening donor events.

Qualifications

• Two or more years of nonprofit development experience (grants and membership/annual giving).
• Passion for Rhizome’s mission and digital culture.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; persuasive proposals.
• Strong organizational skills with multiple deadlines.
• Rigorous attention to detail and documentation.
• Self-starter who builds systems in a growing development function.

Responsibilities

• Maintain grants calendar and pipeline for foundation, government, and institutional opportunities.
• Draft grant proposals, interim updates, and reports in coordination with program PIs and Editor.
• Manage donor and member records in the CRM and support reporting.
• Prepare development reports, briefings, and meeting materials for the Executive Director and Board.
• Support corporate sponsorship proposals and communications.
• Coordinate member events and Council engagement.

Skills

Nonprofit development experience

Written and verbal communication

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

CRM proficiency

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

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Development Manager

Full-time Regular

5 days ago Requisition ID: 1081

Salary Range: $80,000.00 To $85,000.00 Annually

Job title: Rhizome Development Manager

Employment Status: Full-time

FLSA Status: Exempt
Location: New York City (Hybrid / 3 days per week onsite)
Reports to:Rhizome's Executive Director
Salary:$80,000–$85,000

Position Overview

We are looking for a frontline fundraiser with an aptitude for systems to help strengthen Rhizome’s foundation of support as we begin our fourth decade as an essential memory institution for digital art. This is a new role, and the only position at Rhizome dedicated entirely to development. As such, it offers the opportunity to make a big impact on the organization’s next chapter.

The Development Manager’s primary goal is to ensure meaningful engagement with our supporters and stakeholders, as well as broadening our patron base. This will involve writing proposals and reports, synthesizing input from colleagues, drafting email updates, updating decks, and managing donor and member records. Through this work, the Development Manager will meet people around the world who are shaping culture and society: foundation program officers, collectors and patrons, tech and corporate leaders, community organizations, and artists.

Reporting to the Executive Director, who sets fundraising priorities and leads senior funder and donor relationships, the Development Manager works closely with the Operations Director on development operations; with the Program Manager on the program calendar, events, and member programming; with the Editor on proposals, appeals, and campaigns; and with the Infrastructure Specialist on the CRM’s setup.

The anticipated schedule is Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm ET, with occasional evening commitments for donor and member events. The NYC team operates out of our office at the New Museum in New York City; the Development Manager is expected to be in office three days per week unless otherwise arranged.

About Rhizome

Rhizome champions born-digital art and culture through commissions, exhibitions, publishing, and digital preservation. Founded by artist Mark Tribe in 1996 as an email list connecting some of the first artists working online, Rhizome has played a defining role in the history of art and technology for three decades.

The organization has been an affiliate of the New Museum in New York City since 2003, where it remains an independent nonprofit, and currently works out of the NEW INC workspace, where we serve as track partner for Art & Code.

Rhizome’s programs include the ArtBase, an archive of more than 2,000 born-digital artworks cared for by its digital preservation program; 7x7, the signature conference pairing leading artists with technologists to create new work together; commissions and exhibitions that support emerging artists working with networked technologies; and an online journal of criticism and commentary on digital culture. Rhizome’s preservation team also builds open‑source tools that are changing how digital culture is archived and accessed.

As Rhizome marks our 30th anniversary, it is investing in the people and infrastructure needed to sustain and grow this work, beginning with a new position dedicated fully to development.

Primary Responsibilities

Grants

• Maintain the grants calendar and pipeline of foundation, government, and institutional opportunities, ensuring application and reporting deadlines are met.
• Research new funding opportunities and make recommendations to the Executive Director.
• Draft grant proposals, interim updates, and reports in coordination with program PIs and the Editor; coordinate outside grant writing support as needed.
• Support the Operations Director and bookkeeper in assembling financial reporting.
• Manage Rhizome’s membership & Council program day to day, including onboarding, renewals, and member benefit coordination.
• Help develop and execute strategies for member & Council acquisition, retention, and engagement.
• Coordinate members & Council events and touchpoints with the Program Manager and Operations Director.
• Track membership and participation metrics.
• Manage donor outreach and stewardship communications in partnership with the ED and Board, and maintain accurate records.
• Prepare prospect research, briefings, and solicitation materials to support the Executive Director’s major gift cultivation.
• Support fundraising for Rhizome’s annual Benefit, including table and ticket sales tracking, donor communications, and auction coordination.
• Track Board giving and prepare materials that help Board members make introductions and asks.

Corporate Sponsorship Proposals & Communications

• Draft sponsorship proposals, pitch materials, and benefit packages for the Benefit, 7x7, and other programs, in support of the Executive Director.
• Coordinate sponsor communications, including updates, impact reports, and renewal materials, in collaboration with the Operations Director, who manages sponsor agreements and the delivery of contracted benefits.

Development Operations & Reporting

• Maintain the grants calendar and pipeline of foundation, government, and institutional opportunities, ensuring application and reporting deadlines are met.
• Maintain funder, donor, and member records in the CRM, including new entry, record hygiene, segmentation, and reporting; the Infrastructure Specialist administers the CRM’s technical setup.
• Prepare development reports, briefings, and meeting materials for the Executive Director and Board members engaged in fundraising.

Qualifications

Required Skills and Experience

• Two or more years of experience in nonprofit development, including grants and membership or annual giving.
• A passion for Rhizome’s mission and a commitment to supporting digital culture.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including persuasive proposals and appeals.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and stakeholders at once.
• Rigorous attention to detail and strong documentation practices.
• A self-starter who is energized by building systems and processes in a growing development function.

Preferred Experience

• Proficiency with CRM and donor management systems.
• Familiarity with arts and cultural nonprofit funding landscapes.
• Experience preparing corporate sponsorship proposals.
• Experience supporting fundraising events such as benefits or conferences.

Rhizome offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Health Reimbursement Program through the Difference Card, Commuter Benefits Program through the Difference Card, Voluntary Short Term Disability Plan and Long-Term Disability, Life Insurance, Retirement Savings Plan, and other voluntary benefits.

We offer full-time employees 15 days of paid time off, 8 sick days off and 13 holidays off as

applicable through the fiscal year.

Rhizome believes that all persons are entitled to Equal Employment Opportunity and we do not discriminate against our staff members or applicants for employment because of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, gender identity and expression, sex, age, disability, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, genetic information, or veteran or citizenship status provided they are qualified and meet the requirements for the job.