Director, Major Gifts

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 a Director, Major Gifts who will oversee multiple donor engagement and strategic fundraising programs while managing a team that will successfully identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major and planned gift donors.  Personally build meaningful donor relationships, increase annual support, secure planned gift commitments, and conceive strategies that build a comprehensive prospect pipeline for the institution. As a member of the Development team, the Director, Major Gifts will manage the International Advisory Board, NY Phil Advisory Council, and collaborate with the Senior Director of Development to achieve ambitious fundraising goals. They will manage a team of five people.

Responsibilities include:

• Lead, manage, and grow the International Advisory Board, a global network of major donors who help expand the reach and influence of the Philharmonic. Work closely with IAB Co‐Chairs, plan annual meetings and other activities in New York, and coordinate events in international locations. Secure new members, leverage international tours, and identify relevant artistic projects to enlist IAB philanthropic participation. Engage members throughout the year with newsletters and email communications to share institutional updates and opportunities.
• Manage the NY Phil Advisory Council – a donor affinity group dedicated to spurring strategic impact across the organization and curating a prospect pool for future board service. Oversee member acquisition strategies, engagement opportunities, and stewardship activities throughout the year, including an annual meeting.
• Build, develop, and maintain strong relationships with a personal portfolio of major donors and prospects while soliciting major gifts and estate commitments through acquisitions, renewals, and upgrades, collaborating with the Senior Director of Development and frontline team to reach annual goal.
• Lead a team responsible for cultivating and stewarding donors in the Heritage Society. Establish and execute replicable strategies to secure planned giving commitments and comprehensive campaign support. Liaise with and administer the Planned Giving Committee.
• Conceive new stewardship initiatives and lead stewardship team, responsible for managing inventory of naming opportunities and properly crediting gifts. Oversee the production and dissemination of stewardship deliverables including tangible benefits, benefits packages, impact reports, sponsorship reports, endowment reports, newsletters, and creative digital content.
• Supervise Major Gifts team including Associate Director of Major Gifts & Planned Giving, Associate Director of Major Gifts & Stewardship, Assistant Director of Major Gifts, Manager of Stewardship Program, and Development Associate.
• Identify prospects, develop cultivation strategies, and work closely with the Development Operations team and other colleagues to build a systematic pipelining process.
• Collaborate with Senior Director of Development on forecasting and tracking of major gifts
• Serve as frontline fundraiser and personal contact for major and planned gift donors at high volume of concerts and events. Plan and co‐host a series of cultivation dinners attended by board members, major donors, prospects, and Philharmonic musicians.
• Commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working environment.
• Miscellaneous duties as assigned.

Requirements:

A minimum of 5 years of major gifts 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. International experience preferred. Previous experience at an arts organization is a plus. Commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working environment.

 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.

The New York Philharmonic offers a comprehensive benefits package to our full‐ time employees including:

• Medical, Dental and Vision coverage
• Employer contributions to the 403(b) plan after one year of employment
• Employer paid Life and Disability insurance
• 12 Holidays
• Up to 20 Vacation days in third calendar year of employment