Development Specialist, Membership and Operations

The Folger Shakespeare Library, located on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, seeks a Development Specialist, Membership and Operations to join its dynamic Development team during an exciting period of institutional growth and public engagement. Reporting to the Associate Director of Development Operations, this position plays a key role in strengthening the Folger’s annual giving and membership programs, supporting donor stewardship, and ensuring the highest standards of data integrity and operational excellence. 

The successful candidate will bring a blend of strong analytical, communication, and relationship-management abilities. They will be meticulous and detail-oriented but also enjoy the more creative side of donor engagement. This individual will thrive in collaborative work environments. A strong commitment to the Folger’s mission and an eagerness to contribute to a culture of philanthropy across the institution are essential. 

The standard schedule for this role is Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm. Occasional evening and weekend hours will be required for special events and will be scheduled well in advance. This position is onsite. The selected candidate will need to be within a commutable distance to the D.C. office (DC, MD, VA) by their start date.   

Health & safety: The health and well-being of all staff, contractors, and visitors is our top priority. While the Folger no longer requires masks or vaccinations (except for AEA spaces), we support and encourage individuals to take the safety precautions they are most comfortable with, and we ask that individual choices are respected. The Folger offers organization-funded healthcare plans for full-time staff and extensive leave options to all staff in the case of any health issues that arise.   

Application Note: Applications (resume and cover letter) will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Priority will be given to candidates who apply by 12:00 PM ET on December 8th. We encourage all interested applicants to apply by this date.  

Compensation:   

• This is a weekly-paid hourly position, with an hourly rate of $31.94-35.43 for a 35-hour week (annual range estimates $58,130.80- 64,487.70). Overtime pay is available for this role.  

• Total compensation includes an extensive benefits plan, including fully-covered health, dental, and vision insurance for the individual and a generous 403b contribution and match, outlined at https://www.folger.edu/employee-benefits.    

Duties:    

Gift Processing and Data Management 

• Processes all gift transactions (gifts, pledges, pledge payments, and installments) in Tessitura database and online through TNEW using established protocols for gift designation and crediting. Pulls automated acknowledgements and tax receipts; prints and mails standard acknowledgements and receipts to ensure timely donor recognition. Maintains complete backup documentation for all contributions. 

• Creates, updates, and maintains donor and prospect records in Tessitura consistent with established data standards. 

• Builds and maintains Tessitura reports, mailing lists, donor listings, data extractions, and analyses to support fundraising and stewardship efforts. 

• Tracks donor attendance at benefit events; logs donor communications; and runs reports to support monthly, annual, and long-term fundraising and retention goals.  

Annual Giving and Membership Strategy 

• Plans, implements, and executes fundraising strategy for the Friends of Folger (annual donors of $75 to $2,499) to acquire, renew, maintain, upgrade and steward gifts.   

• Designs and executes small gifts campaigns to grow the Folger’s annual giving pipeline and increase contributed income through targeted appeals via social media, institutional emails, and one-on-one outreach. 

• Cultivates and stewards a portfolio of mid-level donors ($500 to $5,000) to increase retention and deepen engagement through email, mail, phone calls, meetings, and events. 

• Plans and executes annual appeals to individuals, including year-end and fiscal year-end mailings, the annual Readers’ Campaign, Education appeals, and other targeted solicitations as appropriate.  

• Assists the department in stewardship of the Folger’s Renaissance Circles ($2,500 to $15,000) Theatre Sponsors, and Consort Sponsors. 

Communications and Marketing Collaboration 

• Writes and refreshes membership correspondence, acknowledgements, and solicitations on a regular basis. 

• Collaborates with Marketing & Communications and other internal stakeholders to produce acquisition mailings, WordFly email appeals, lapsed member outreach, membership asks in subscription brochures, Folger Magazine and social content, and other appeals. 

• Creates, updates, and approves all annual giving and membership materials, such as brochures, reply forms, website content, and email footer information. 

• Develops relevant criteria for mailing lists. 

Donor Event Support 

• Assists in planning and delivering Friends of the Folger benefit events, including compiling invitation lists, coordinating with Marketing on invitation design, identifying innovative programming opportunities, and coordinating speakers, guest entertainment, and staff. 

• Supports the Associate Director of Operations and Chief Development Officer with the Folger’s Annual Gala including supporting coordination of the Gala Committee, assisting with printed and digital collateral such as the Gala Program and invitation, and preparing attendee biographies.   

• Supports additional donor events, which could include events such as Acquisitions Night, the Renaissance Circles Dinner, and opening nights. 

Education and Experience:  

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience required; Master’s degree preferred.   

• A minimum of three years’ experience in development, preferably at a cultural, arts, or higher education institution.  

• Demonstrated experience with annual giving and membership programs, donor communications, and donor or customer relations. 

• Experience supporting or coordinating fundraising events. 

• Prior experience with donor or CRM databases required; Experience with Tessitura is strongly preferred. 

• Experience generating reports, lists, and data analysis for fundraising strategy is desirable. 

Skills and Knowledge:     

• Outstanding writing and editing skills, with the ability to craft clear, compelling donor communications. 

• Excellent organizational, project management, and time management skills. 

• Ability to manage multiple competing priorities in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. 

• Strong interpersonal skills and a willingness to connect and engage with donors, members, and stakeholders at all levels.  High attention to detail and accuracy is required.   

• Ability to handle highly confidential constituent information with discretion.  

• Familiarity with email marketing platforms (such as Wordlfy) preferred. 

• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across teams while also managing tasks independently. 

• Strong analytical skills and comfort interpreting data for decision-making and fundraising strategy are a plus. 

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements:   

This job operates in a professional office environment. The employee may be exposed to various components of an office environment such as fluorescent lighting, pollen, dust, recycled air, cooling fans, semi-enclosed areas, central heating, seasonal warmer temperatures, and office noise. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.   

• Normal work week is Monday-Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Ability to work varying and additional hours for special events (including evenings and weekends as necessary).           

• Ability to work at a computer for an extended period of time, with accuracy.      

• Willingness and capacity to work in an office environment at a workstation, and to come and go repeatedly throughout the day as is necessary, to perform various responsibilities.      

• Capacity to communicate, in person, or using video, phone, or electronic communication methods, in a manner which can be understood.