Individual Giving Assistant

Brooklyn Museum; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision and life

401(k) Savings Plan and Pension

Paid time off and holidays

Disability coverage

FSAs & HSAs

Employee Assistance Program

Museum admission

Staff discounts

Hybrid work schedule

Job summary

The Brooklyn Museum seeks an Individual Giving Assistant to support the Director of Individual Giving and Major Gifts and the broader donor relations team. This role provides essential administrative, research, and coordination support to help advance fundraising priorities in a dynamic museum setting.

You will maintain donor records in Tessitura, draft communications, assist with meeting materials, and help plan donor events and stewardship activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university.
• Two to four years of relevant nonprofit administration/ development support experience; museum or arts org preferred.
• Strong organizational, administrative, and project management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication for donor materials and briefs.
• Attention to detail and accuracy in donor records and communications.
• Experience supporting senior leaders, managing calendars, coordinating meetings, and tracking follow-ups.
• Ability to handle confidential information with professionalism.
• Strong interpersonal presence when interacting with donors and leadership.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; Tessitura or similar CRM experience preferred; Canva a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative, logistical, and project management support to the Director of Individual Giving and Major Gifts.
• Manage the Director's calendar, donor meetings, and cross-department coordination.
• Coordinate team meetings, prepare agendas, minutes, and maintain the Individual Giving calendar.
• Prepare donor meeting materials, briefing docs, proposals, talking points, and follow-up materials.
• Maintain donor records and correspondence in Tessitura for assigned portfolios.
• Draft/edit donor letters, summaries, stewardship communications, and acknowledgments.
• Track donor interactions and post-meeting actions for timely follow-up.
• Conduct donor research and prepare concise briefs and prospect profiles.
• Create and manage donor invoices and assist with gift documentation.

Skills

Organizational skills

Written & verbal comms

Interpersonal skills

Discretion & confidentiality

Calendar management

Team collaboration

MS Office proficiency

CRM experience (Tessitura)

Canva experience

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Tessitura

CRM/database systems

Canva

Job description

The Brooklyn Museum is a world-renowned cultural institution dedicated to preserving and showcasing art, history, and heritage. Our mission is to bring people together through art and experiences that inspire celebration, compassion, courage, and the will to act. Our vision is to serve as an institution where art is a powerful force for personal transformation and social change. Celebrating our differences and learning about our diverse communities through our collections, exhibitions, and programming is the core of who we are and what we do.

We are committed to creating and cultivating a community of talented, passionate people who are inspired to make the Museum an important hub of community activity and a great global destination. Our staff have the opportunity to grow their professional skills and work collaboratively with colleagues they admire and respect. Read more about our story here .

About the Role

The Individual Giving Assistant position provides an opportunity to play an integral role in supporting the Brooklyn Museum’s Individual Giving program and advancement efforts at a pivotal moment in the Museum’s history. This role provides dedicated administrative and operational support to the Director of Individual Giving and Major Gifts and helps ensure the smooth day-to-day functioning of the Individual Giving team. The position supports donor stewardship activities, research, meeting preparation, portfolio administration, and departmental operations, helping the team stay organized and move fundraising priorities forward.

Qualifications

A successful candidate will meet many of these requirements and have the desire and capacity to learn the rest on the job:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university.
• Two to four years of relevant experience in nonprofit administration, executive support, fundraising, development operations, project management, or a related field; experience in a museum, cultural institution, or arts organization is preferred.
• Excellent organizational, administrative, and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft donor correspondence, meeting briefs, research summaries, and fundraising materials.
• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to accuracy in donor records, scheduling, financial documentation, and communications.
• Experience supporting senior leaders, managing calendars, coordinating meetings, and tracking follow-up actions.
• Ability to handle confidential information with professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment.
• Strong interpersonal skills and professional presence when interacting with donors, trustees, Museum leadership, and colleagues.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications; experience with Tessitura or another CRM/database system is strongly preferred. Canva experience is a plus.
• Demonstrated initiative, resourcefulness, and ability to work both independently and collaboratively while supporting the mission of the Brooklyn Museum.

Responsibilities:

• Provide administrative, logistical, and project management support to the Director of Individual Giving and Major Gifts, ensuring efficient daily operations and progress toward fundraising goals.
• Manage the Director’s calendar, including donor meetings, internal check-ins, team meetings, and cross-departmental coordination, with proactive scheduling and conflict resolution.
• Coordinate team meetings and departmental planning, including preparing agendas, taking meeting minutes, tracking action items, and maintaining the Individual Giving calendar.
• Prepare donor meeting materials, briefing documents, proposals, talking points, and follow-up materials for meetings and events.
• Maintain accurate donor records, contact reports, fundraising plans, and correspondence in Tessitura for the Shelby White and Leon Levy Director of the Brooklyn Museum and the Director of Individual Giving and Major Gifts portfolios and other assigned prospects.
• Draft and edit donor correspondence, meeting summaries, stewardship communications, acknowledgment letters, and other fundraising materials.
• Track donor interactions, post‑meeting action items, and event participation to ensure timely follow‑through and accountability.
• Conduct donor research and prepare concise donor Fast Facts, meeting briefs, proposals, and prospect profiles in partnership with the Donor Research and Strategy team.
• Create and manage donor invoices and assist with gift documentation and related fundraising administration.
• Coordinate with Development, Curatorial, Executive Office, and other Museum departments to support donor engagement strategies and fundraising initiatives.
• Assist with the planning and execution of donor cultivation, stewardship, and fundraising events, including logistics, guest management, materials preparation, and follow‑up.
• Support system improvements, process documentation, and workflow management initiatives to strengthen Individual Giving operations and team efficiency.
• Perform administrative tasks for the Individual Giving team, including financial reporting, project tracking, database data entry, and departmental record keeping. Work on special projects and other tasks, as assigned.

Department:

Development

Reports to:

Director of Individual Giving and Major Gifts

Union status:

Union- UAW Local 2110

FLSA status:

Non-Exempt

Position type:

Full-time

Schedule:

35 hours per week, Monday-Friday, 9 am-5 pm

The Museum provides competitive compensation along with generous benefits and perks for all eligible employees. Individual benefit offerings may vary based on position type and union status.

• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• 401(k) Savings Plan and Pension Plan
• Generous paid time off, including annual vacation leave, sick leave, and 13 Museum holidays
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) & Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) for eligible pre‑tax health care, dependent care, and commuter expenses
• Employee Assistant Program
• Free admission to various NYC museums and cultural institutions
• Early access to Museum exhibitions
• Invitations to staff-only programs, tours, and on-site engagement events
• Opportunities to participate in community initiatives and Museum programs
• 40% discount for staff in Museum shops
• All positions are based in Brooklyn, New York, with some eligible for a hybrid work schedule (three days on-site / two days remote)