Development Assistant, Special Events at the Brooklyn Museum

Job Title: Development Assistant

Job Status: Full-time

Description:

We seek a passionate, forward-thinking, creative, and art-loving individual to fulfill a crucial role in our Development department. The Development Assistant, Special Events supports the Special Events team in the conception, planning, and execution of event activities—which include exhibition openings and fundraisers—by building relationships across the Museum to gather comprehensive guest lists, create and deploy event invitations, coordinate logistics, and track results. The Development department is responsible for all fundraising activities and events, liaising with key stakeholders across all donor constituencies, and serving as a definitive focal point for our relationships with community supporters and influencers.

Qualifications:
A successful candidate will meet many of these requirements, and have the desire and capacity to learn the rest on the job.

  • Bachelor’s degree or one or more years of related professional experience in special events or fundraising
  • Aptitude for maintaining and creating organizational systems, as well as attention to detail
  • Demonstrated experience using Salesforce CRM, Raiser’s Edge, or a similar fundraising database in a nonprofit organization
  • Ability to multitask and determine priorities in a fast-paced environment
  • Customer service experience
  • Strong computer literacy, including familiarity with collaborative tools (such as Google Apps), Microsoft Office, and project management tools (such as Slack)
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Interest in the operations of a museum and/or visual arts organization
  • Experience with Concur is desirable

Responsibilities:

  • Cultivate guest lists and manage all aspects of event invitations, including:
    • Building invitation lists, working closely with key contacts across the Museum to ensure that important audiences are represented
    • Working with Marketing, Graphic Design, and other departments to produce event invitations and save-the-dates, both in print and digitally
    • Receiving and processing guest responses
    • Tracking activity and guest attendance using Salesforce CRM
    • Creating and distributing event memos and face books to Museum leadership and frontline fundraising staff
  • Maintain our “tastemaker list” of thought leaders, creatives, artists, and influencers
  • Coordinate holds and entries in the Master Calendar and exhibition calendars
  • Liaise with external vendors, including our exclusive caterer and lighting partner
  • Help organize event seating
  • Create run-of-show and logistics memos
  • Build prospect lists, research potential donors, and confidentially maintain donor records
  • Process gifts and create acknowledgment letters in support of fundraising events
  • Manage solicitation mailings
  • Schedule and coordinate departmental meetings
  • Process contracts, purchase order requests, invoices, and payments using Concur
  • Make recommendations for the improvement of internal systems
  • Assist with selection of décor and production of event elements, and provide on-site event support as needed
  • Other duties as assigned

Start date: Immediately

Department: Development

Reports to: Manager, Special Events

Position type: Full-time

Union status: Union

FLSA status: Non-exempt

Schedule: 35 hours per week, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, with occasional weekend and evening hours required

How to Apply:

Apply online

If you have questions about our online application system, please get in touch with us at job.application.questions@brooklynmuseum.org.