Mid-Level Giving Officer

Inside Philanthropy; Seattle, Northern (WA, KY); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

The 5th Avenue Theatre is seeking a Mid-Level Giving Officer to manage donor relationships and drive annual support with a focus on upgrading gifts and nurturing a sustainable donor pipeline.

Work will involve collaboration with the Development team, targeted solicitations, and regular donor communications, with some evening and weekend responsibilities. Hybrid work option is available in downtown Seattle.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
• Three or more years of fundraising/nonprofit development experience.
• Experience managing a donor portfolio with measurable outcomes.
• Experience cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual donors.
• Strong interpersonal and written communication skills.
• Experience with CRM systems to manage donor activity (Tessitura preferred).
• Interest in equity and belonging and Community-Centric Fundraising.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of ~150–175 households giving between $5,000–$9,999 annually.
• Develop and implement donor cultivation, renewal, and stewardship plans.
• Conduct in-person, virtual, and phone meetings to deepen engagement and signior donors.
• Solicit and close annual gifts within the portfolio and identify upgrade opportunities.
• Coordinate with Artistic, Education, Community Engagement, and Marketing teams for donor engagement.
• Maintain donor records and activity reports in Tessitura; monitor portfolio performance.

Skills

Donor relationships

Fundraising

Portfolio management

Communication

CRM systems (Tessitura)

Prospect research

Donor stewardship

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Tessitura

DonorSearch

iWave

Job description

Company Overview

The 5th Avenue Theatre’s mission is to nurture, advance, and celebrate all aspects of the great art form: the musical. As one of America's premier musical theater companies, The 5th is a major economic driver, playing a key role in the revitalization of downtown Seattle. We produce multiple musicians annually and proudly employ local talent, with 90%+ of our 700 artists living in Washington. Our renowned education programs serve 35,000 K-12 students annually, and our engagement programs facilitate connections between people, organizations, different cultures, and various art forms. The 5th is an invaluable treasure to Seattle, and central to America's theatrical landscape; we have originated 26 new musicales, 11 of which have gone on to Broadway and garnered 15 Tony Awards®, including two for Best Musical.

• Position: Mid

Level Giving Officer

Department: Development

Reports to: Director of Development

FLSA Classification: Full-Time, Salary Non-Exempt

Salary: $70,000 - $80,000 annual

Work Location: Downtown Seattle. The 5thAvenue Theatre administrative office located within Skinner Building (1326 5thAvenue, Suite 735). Remote work is an option on Mondays, and as needed with supervisor approval.

Special Consideration: This position requires frequent night and weekend hours, including attending designated 5th Avenue Theatre shows, events, and activities.

Position Overview

The Mid-Level Giving Officer is responsible for managing the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of a portfolio of donors giving between $5,000 and $9,999 annually, with a primary focus on strengthening donor relationships, increasing philanthropic support, and building a sustainable pipeline for future major giving. This role serves as a bridge between annual giving and major gifts by providing personalized engagement that inspires donors to deepen their investment in The 5th Avenue Theatre.

Working closely with the Annual Fund Officer, Major Gifts Officer, and the broader Development team, the Mid-Level Giving Officer develops individualized cultivation and stewardship strategies, identifies donors with increased giving potential, and ensures a seamless donor experience across all stages of the philanthropic journey.

The ideal candidate is an exceptional relationship builder who enjoys connecting supporters to the mission through meaningful engagement, thoughtful stewardship, and strategic solicitation while maintaining a strong focus on donor retention, upgrades, and portfolio growth.

PRIMARY AEAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

All responsibilities are carried out in close collaboration with the Director of Development, organizational leadership, and members of the Development team.

Portfolio Management & Donor Relationships (50%)

• Build and manage a portfolio of approximately 150–175 households giving or capable of giving between $5,000 and $9,999 annually.
• Develop and implement segmented strategies for donors, developing a cultivation, renewal, and stewardship plans for all donor portfolios.
• Conduct regular in-person, virtual, and phone meetings to deepen donor engagement and strengthen long-term philanthropic relationships.
• Personally solicit and close annual gifts within the portfolio while consistently identifying opportunities for increased giving.

Donor Strategy & Stewardship (20%)

• Develop written donor strategies and maintain active moves management plans for portfolio donors.
• Prepare personalized solicitation materials, stewardship reports, donor correspondence, and impact updates.
• Coordinate with Artistic, Education, Community Engagement, and Marketing teams to create meaningful donor engagement opportunities aligned with donor interests.
• Ensure donors receive thoughtful, timely, and personalized stewardship that strengthens long-term loyalty and philanthropic investment.

Donor Qualification & Pipeline Development (15%)

• Identify and qualify donors with increased philanthropic capacity through relationship-building, engagement, and prospect research.
• Develop personalized upgrade strategies including segment-based moves management and individual touch points that move donors toward higher levels of annual support and eventual major gift readiness.
• Partner closely with the Annual Fund Officer to transition annual donors into more personalized portfolio management.
• Collaborate with Major Gifts Officers to identify and smoothly transition donors who are ready for major gift cultivation.

Portfolio Performance & Data Management & Department Collaboration (15%)

Use data, reporting, collaboration, and organizational knowledge to strengthen portfolio performance and advance department-wide fundraising goals.

• Maintain accurate donor records and activity reports within Tessitura, documenting meetings, communications, next steps, and revenue projections.
• Monitor portfolio performance, including donor retention, renewals, upgrades, solicitation activity, and pipeline movement.
• Utilize donor data, reports, and prospect research to inform portfolio strategy and identify new relationship opportunities.
• Partner with the development team to coordinate donor strategies across annual giving, mid-level giving, and major gifts.
• Maintain a strong understanding of The 5th Avenue Theatre Company’s productions, education programs, and community engagement initiatives to connect donor interests with organizational priorities.
• Support and attend donor cultivation events, performances, stewardship activities, and organization-wide fundraising events.
• Contribute to a respectful, collaborative, and inclusive workplace by modeling culturally competent behaviors aligned with The 5th's values.

Essential Knowledge & Qualifications

The ideal candidate for this position will possess most of these skills and qualifications, or relevant experience and achievements to help them meet the needs of the role.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
• Three (3) or more years of progressive fundraising, nonprofit development, or relationship management experience.
• Demonstrated success managing a donor portfolio or other relationship-based portfolio with measurable fundraising or engagement outcomes.
• Experience cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual donors, preferably within leadership annual giving or mid-level giving programs.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build authentic, long-term relationships with donors, volunteers, and colleagues.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing donor correspondence, stewardship materials, proposals, or impact reports.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously.
• Experience using constituent relationship management (CRM) systems to manage donor activity, track engagement, and inform fundraising strategy. Tessitura experience preferred.
• Experience with prospect research tools such as DonorSearch or iWave preferred.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality regarding donor information and organizational strategy.
• Passion for the mission of The 5th Avenue Theatre Company and an interest in advancing philanthropy through meaningful donor relationships.
• Personally invested in The 5th's commitment to conversations, people development, and ongoing assessment of industry practices and goals around equity and belonging, in alignment with the organization's mission and values.
• Interest in learning and/or adopting Community-Centric Fundraising principles.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Ability to perform administrative tasks using a computer, such as creating and reviewing documents, entering data, and communicating electronically. This may involve sitting at a workstation for extended periods and can be done using a keyboard, mouse, or assistive technology.
• Ability to communicate in person with colleagues across a multi-level facility (including offices, theater, and workshop spaces). This may involve moving between spaces with varied lighting and sound, or asking others to come to a central office location as needed.
• The 5th Avenue Theatre lobby and auditorium are located in the historic Skinner Building and are primarily non-ADA compliant.

Additional Requirements

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of background and reference checks.