Associate Director, Major Gifts & Stewardship

The New York Philharmonic connects with millions of music lovers each season through live concerts in New York and around the world, as well as broadcasts, recordings, and education programs. After returning to a transformed David Geffen Hall in October 2022, the Orchestra has a renewed commitment to building on a 180-year-old legacy of excellence by serving as a platform for today’s creators and connecting with our communities. In the 2023–24 season the NY Phil marks Jaap van Zweden’s farewell season as Music Director, and features 14 World, US, and New York Premieres, a celebration of the centennial of our famous Young People’s Concerts, and more. In February 2023 the New York Philharmonic announced the appointment of Gustavo Dudamel as the Orchestra’s next maestro, to begin as Music and Artistic Director in 2026–27, after serving as Music Director Designate in 2025–26.

The New York Philharmonic seeks an Associate Director, Major Gifts and Stewardship who will oversee comprehensive stewardship initiatives that drive and increase the retention of the most generous donors of the NY Phil while managing a portfolio of major donors and prospects who have the capacity to give gifts of $15,000 and higher. This role will directly supervise the Manager, Stewardship Program who will work collaboratively to execute stewardship initiatives across major giving and planned giving programs.

Responsibilities include:

Donor Stewardship

• Under the guidance of the Director, Major Gifts and Planned Giving, create a robust annual plan to steward major donors, planned gift donors, Patrons, and sponsors of NY Phil’s portfolio of education initiatives, community partnerships, concert productions, guest artist appearances, international tours, endowed projects, and endowed orchestra positions.
• In partnership with the Manager, Stewardship Program, streamline and create processes to fulfill donor benefits and recognition opportunities while building systems and ensuring efficient tracking of touchpoints.
• Develop metrics, build program benchmarks, and report on ROI across the program.
• In collaboration with internal stakeholders, plan and execute donor engagement activities including pre-concert dinners, receptions, salons, and other bespoke activities that are designed to engage, recognize, and celebrate our high-level donors.
• Oversee the production and dissemination of stewardship deliverables including tangible benefits, benefits packages, impact reports, sponsorship reports, endowment reports, newsletters, and creative digital content.
• Lead the cross-departmental process for ensuring endowed funds are used in accordance with donor intent.
• Under the guidance of Development leadership, design and formalize stewardship activities that will garner meaningful participation among members of select Board committees.
• Participate in special events as needed and help lead Coffee and Conversation series and in‐person talks and lectures.

Major Gifts Fundraising

• Build, develop, and maintain relationships with a personal portfolio of current major donors, mid-level donors, and prospects who have the capacity to give $15,000+ annually.
• Actively participate in creating and executing strategies to increase revenue for the major gifts program.
• Intermittently serve as host of the Patron Lounge at select performances to steward patrons, major donors, and Board members.
• Prepare an array of written communications including correspondence, invitations, solicitations, proposals, acknowledgements, reports, and other materials as required.
• Commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working environment.
• Miscellaneous duties as assigned.

Requirements:

A minimum of 5 years of frontline fundraising and stewardship experience; excellent writing/editing skills; strong customer service and communication skills; strong analytical and database skills; attention to detail; the ability to work independently but also collaboratively on simultaneous projects with other internal departments. Tessitura experience and previous exposure to high‐level membership groups and donors is highly valued. Previous experience at an arts organization is a plus.

The New York Philharmonic is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, immigration or citizenship status, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, marital and partnership status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran or active military service member or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws in its employment policies.