Major Gifts Manager

This is a Full Time Job

Manager Major Gifts - Careers At Sundance Institute

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Manager, Major Gifts is responsible for the full cycle of major gift fundraising in support of the Sundance Institute. This includes managing a portfolio of approximately 125 current and prospective major gift ($25K ) donors, developing and executing solicitation strategies for major gift donors, and ensuring thoughtful stewardship. A key focus will be on building a strong donor pipeline of mid- to upper-level donors through proactive identification, cultivation, and engagement of new major gift prospects.

Working closely under the Senior Manager, Major Gifts, the successful candidate will manage their time, resources, and workload effectively to stay productive and meet fundraising goals. This role requires discretion in navigating complex relationships and a proactive approach to supporting multiple fundraising campaigns. This position supports our commitment to engaging mission and values-aligned donors as a key frontline fundraiser to support our work through financial contributions and other methods of support.

This full-time position may work remotely from within any of our operating states. Preference will be given to candidates based in the greater Los Angeles, CA area. Extended hours will be required at key points throughout the year. Travel to other Institute offices and events will also be required during the annual Sundance Film Festival, the annual Catalyst Forum, and for other Institute events and donor visits throughout the year, as needed.

Top priorities include but are not limited to?
• Partnering with the Senior Manager, Major Gifts to develop and implement high level major donor strategies, encompassing alumni and artist giving.
• Initiating, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding relationships with a portfolio of prospects and donors (including major gifts, planned giving, and support for endowment campaigns).
• Partnering with Artist Program teams to engage and solicit major and prospective donors for program-specific gifts, including the Catalyst program.
• Reporting on major gift revenue to identify and present fundraising trends.
• Soliciting renewals and increased contributions from active donors, growing overall donor investment levels.
• Supporting on the ground operations and facilitating meaningful donor meetings at the annual Catalyst Forum, at labs, and at donor events as needed.
• For the Manager, Major Gifts portfolio, overseeing major donor engagement strategy at the Sundance Film Festival, including meetings with donors.
• Providing regular revenue updates to the Development and Finance teams, including ensuring accuracy in revenue projections in the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) database and following up on the status of major gift opportunities.
• Representing Sundance Institute and the Development team at Institute events.

You have the following direct or transferable skill sets:
• Minimum of 3 years of direct fundraising experience, preferably within an arts nonprofit organization.
• Ability to develop and implement new fundraising strategies, and solicit and close major gifts.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of innovative fundraising strategies.
• Ability to initiate and cultivate strong relationships that are beneficial to all parties.
• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to effectively prioritize and manage processes.
• Excellent customer support skills including a proactive approach to address donor needs and concerns.
• Demonstrated experience working with prospect research and customer relationship management databases.
• Legal authorization to work in the United States.

You will be successful in this role if you...
• Strategically advance fundraising initiatives by creating and implementing innovative fundraising strategies that are in sync with the Institute's mission and values/interests of the donors.
• Cultivate and solicit major donors by building and executing personalized engagement plans and solicitation strategies that resonate with individual major donors.
• Maintain consistent donor engagement by actively engaging with major donors on a regular basis through meaningful interactions that advance cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Drive philanthropic support by consistently identifying and pursuing opportunities to secure increased and new contributions, as well as gifts designated for specific programs.
• Ensure effective communication and time management by clearly communicating, prioritizing tasks effectively, and consistently meeting deadlines in a timely manner.

In addition to an annual salary of $54,000.00 to $70,000.00, this position* is eligible for our comprehensive benefits package, highlights include:
• Health, vision, and dental insurance
• 25 paid Institute holidays plus accrued vacation time
• Paid sick, family, and medical leave
• Employee Wellness initiatives
• 401(k) with automatic 3% employer contribution after one year of employment
• Sundance Film Festival passes and benefits (varies each year)

*Final rate of pay is determined based on the applicant's geographic location, relevant experience and skills, and internal equity among similar positions within our organization.

**Applications open 09/05/2025 and will be accepted for at least one week.