Development Associate

ABOUT SAVE VENICE:

Save Venice Inc. is the leading American nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the artistic heritage of Venice, Italy. Since 1971, Save Venice has funded the conservation of more than 2,000 works of art and architecture—from world renowned masterpieces to local treasures—ensuring that the art, history, and beauty of Venice endure.

In 2015, Save Venice established the Rosand Library & Study Center in Venice to foster the study of Venetian art, history, and conservation. Through grants for fellowships, exhibitions, and publications, Save Venice supports new research and promotes a deeper understanding of the city’s artistic legacy.

Following the floods of November 2019—the second worst in Venice’s history—Save Venice created the Immediate Response Fund, a permanent reserve that supports disaster relief and preventive conservation for Venice’s most vulnerable heritage sites.

Save Venice is headquartered in New York City with an office in Venice. The New York office has five full-time employees, and the Venice office has four full-time employees. With approximately 45 Directors, the Board is very active and engaged in committee work. The organization funds the work of dozens of expert restorers at any one time; in recent years our conservators have treated world-famous masterpieces by Carpaccio, Tintoretto, Titian, Veronese, and many others. Save Venice is currently funding over 75 art conservation projects in 24 locations across Venice and the Veneto.

THE POSITION:

Save Venice is seeking a dynamic, creative, hard-working, and self-motivated Development Associate with excellent written and verbal communication skills. The position requires the ability to multitask and learn about Save Venice restorations and operating procedures while working in a busy environment. The candidate will possess strong interpersonal skills and familiarity with individual giving cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, ideally with direct experience generating revenue. The Development Associate will join the New York team though will work on most tasks autonomously. This position is based in the New York office, primarily in person.

The Development Associate will report to the Director of Development and be responsible primarily for working with three patron groups and supporting their development efforts: the Conservation Patron Council (regional ambassadors), the Young Friends of Save Venice, and Save Venice Members.

The candidate should have comfort with initiating and stewarding relationships, managing multiple simultaneous projects, and will need to become familiar with Raisers Edge, which is used to generate reports and track solicitations. The candidate will also work with the Director of Development to identify and solicit restoration project sponsors; work with the New York team on major ticketed events such as the annual Un Ballo in Maschera in New York and biannual Gala in Venice, as well as additional domestic and international excursions from time to time.

The ideal candidate is a poised, talented communicator and a team player, able to thrive in a fast-paced environment with multiple priorities, and have a history of successful development work, and enthusiasm for art history, heritage preservation, and Venice.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Specific responsibilities are not limited to, but will include:

• Work closely with the Director of Development to implement fundraising strategies and advance Save Venice’s annual and restricted giving, special events, and campaign goals.
• Manage all front-facing engagement and back-of-house work related to two specific patron groups, the Young Friends and the Conservation Patron Council (regional ambassadors across the United States and in London), overseeing membership growth, stewardship, communications, and the planning and execution of cultivation events.
• Manage the annual Membership program, including creation of materials, solicitations, renewals, stewardship, communications, and benefit fulfillment.
• Develop, steward, and solicit a portfolio of donors, with a focus on moving members up the pipeline and becoming restoration sponsors in the low to mid-range size (five-figure gifts)
• Assist in the creation and distribution of development materials, including digital communications, sponsorship decks, membership appeals, event invitations, and other fundraising collateral.
• Expand regional engagement by organizing events and collaborations, such as with Italian Consulates and Italian Cultural Institutes.
• Prepare donor communications including solicitation letters, acknowledgments, briefing materials, and reports for sponsors.
• Conduct donor and prospect research; maintain accurate donor records, notes, and reporting in Raiser’s Edge.
• Support the planning and execution of Save Venice special events and participate in development events as needed, including occasional evenings and weekends.
• Serve as an ambassador for Save Venice, engaging professionally with donors, prospects, Board members, and institutional partners.

QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor of Arts degree.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the confidence and professionalism to engage effectively with donors, board members, and partners through in person interactions, phone calls, and written communications.
• Strong work ethic and commitment to discretion, quick learner, and proactive self-starter with the initiative to drive projects forward independently.
• Highly organized with attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong writing skills, with the ability to draft polished donor communications, solicitation letters, and briefing materials in multiple voices.
• Proficiency in Excel/Google Sheets, PowerPoint/Google Slides, and presentation deck preparation.
• A collaborative and proactive work style, with the ability to work independently while coordinating closely with senior staff.
• Interest in art history, Italian culture, and the mission of Save Venice.
• Ability to work occasional nights and weekends

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS:

• 2 to 5 years professional development experience preferred.
• Comfort working with donor databases; experience with Raiser’s Edge or similar CRM systems a plus.
• Strong research and analytical skills, including experience conducting donor and prospect research.
• Background in art history and familiarity with Venice
• Professional experience in an arts institution or non-profit
• Sense of a humor: a plus!

Excellent health benefits, 12 paid holidays, generous vacation time, 403B plan with employer contribution. The position is primarily in-office Monday through Thursday, remote on Fridays.

English required. Italian a plus.