Institute of Contemporary Art Los Angeles (ICA LA)

Advancement Officer, Individual Giving

Reports to: Director of Development

Status: Full-time / Exempt

Salary Range: $70,000 – $80,000

Benefits: Healthcare (including vision and dental), vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays, following a probation period

Overview

As a key member of the fundraising team at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, the Advancement Officer helps to lead the design, management, and execution of the museum’s annual fundraising program, with a strong focus on direct cultivation and solicitation of individual donors and members at all levels. They work closely with the Executive Director and Director of Development to set annual targets and strategic long-term priorities for the development department, in support of ICA LA’s mission, vision, goals, and objectives.

The Advancement Officer for Individual Giving must have extensive knowledge of museum Development operations and systems. This position administrates the museum’s two major donor groups—Curator’s Council and Fieldwork Council—and the two upper-level membership circles—Angeleno Collective and 7th Street Collective. This position also manages a personal portfolio of individual supporters and proactively identifies and engages new prospective donors for ICA LA. Additional duties include being a core member of the team for the planning and execution of ICA LA’s fundraising events, member events, opening celebrations, all cultivation events, and supporting with patron travel program. The Advancement Officer for Individual Giving is also a key member of the fundraising team for ICA LA’s capital campaign, which raises funds in addition to the annual operating expenses in support of priorities outlined in a strategic plan adopted in 2022.

To apply, please send a cover letter, CV, with at least two professional references, and writing samples to opportunities@theicala.org, including the name of the position in the subject line. Please no calls or in-person unscheduled visits.

For a complete list of responsibilities and requirements, please visit theicala.org/en/opportunities.

Primary Responsibilities

INDIVIDUAL GIVING MANAGEMENT

• Identify, assess, analyze, and conceive appropriate strategies for approaching prospects including matching prospect/donor’s interest with program, exhibitions, educational initiatives, and longer-term capital improvements and new programmatic opportunities.
• Organize and participate in regular meetings of staff and board members designed to develop strategies and identify prospective individual donors, as well as foundations and corporate partners for support.
• Create prospect pipeline for major gifts and maintain active awareness of prospect pool at various stages of identification, cultivation, and solicitation.
• Establish a broad-based constituency (local, national, and international) through membership and donor and Board groups.
• Arrange appropriate opportunities for the Executive Director, Director of Development, and other key stakeholders to meet with donors and prospective donors in forums designed to engender increased interest in, and support of, the museum.
• Help conceptualize and oversee production of donor and prospect events, such as lunches, dinners, fundraisers, and receptions for continued awareness on the part of donors of current needs and objectives in order to encourage continued giving.
• Identify, cultivate, and solicit potential individual donors to generate annual revenue for both exhibitions and Learning & Engagement programs.
• Oversee annual giving gift acknowledgment processes for individuals and high level members of the museum, ensuring that timely and appropriate pledge agreements, reminders, and letters of thanks are sent to donors.
• In partnership with museum leadership, formulate strategy, set priorities, and implement plans to ensure that ICA LA’s institutional positioning and donor experience creates meaningful pathways for involvement that are fresh, meaningful, and compelling.
• Develops and directs strategies driving integrated mail, on-line, and telephone campaigns to acquire, upgrade, and renew annual donors and members. Maintains schedule of solicitations and cultivations, including timely delivery of strategy, creative, and data files.
• Be one of the key spokespersons for ICA LA at community and cultivation events, conducting yourself with the highest professional standards and demonstrating integrity and authenticity.
• Lend support to ICA LA’s annual fundraisers—Spring Benefit and Incognito (bi-annual)— including ticket sales, donor cultivation, ticket sales processing, as well as event production.
• Assist in the department’s annual budgetary planning by providing individual contribution and expense projections, as well as work with accounting consultants to provide individual contribution related financial information for ICA LA’s 990 and Audit filings.
• Execute all administrative duties related to individual contributions including invoicing, correspondence, gift processing, and acknowledgements.
• Work extensively in ICA LA’s donor database Bloomerang to carry out gift processing, maintain up to date donor records, ratings, and reports. Maintain and revise constituent and transaction fields as needed, as well as website integrations, such as donation and membership forms. Be proactive about optimizing database functionality and assist with future system integrations.
• Integrate with current strategic planning process, specifically with the Development & Finance group.
• Other duties as assigned.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Knowledge and experience with development and fundraising in the non-profit sector, ideally specifically in museums.
• A successful record of demonstrable accomplishments in envisioning, implementing, and managing a bold advancement strategy within a competitive philanthropic environment.
• Demonstrated success in aligning institutional positioning and communications with ambitious fundraising goals and in meeting those goals.
• Demonstrated ability to conceptualize and implement individual cultivation and solicitation strategies.
• At least three years of management experience in an art museum, arts related organization, philanthropic organization, or institution of higher learning.
• Demonstrated skill in communicating professionally and effectively with all levels of staff to respond to needs, determine priorities, and manage expectations.
• Ability to delegate combined with willingness to work in a “hands on” manner as part of a small team.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to write effective correspondence and funding proposals for major gifts and creative solicitation materials.
• Interpersonal skill in negotiating, exchanging ideas, information, and opinions with others to formulate policies and programs and/or arrive jointly at decisions, conclusions, or solutions.
• Demonstrated skill in management and supervision of administrative personnel.
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills.
• Ability to prioritize and adjust heavy workload, manage a variety of tasks, and meet various deadlines with changing priorities, frequent interruptions, and competing deadlines..
• Proven fluency in budget preparation, management, reporting, and cost control.
• Background and passion for contemporary art, museums, culture, and social change.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
• Proven skill and experience using a PC and Microsoft Office Suite to execute daily tasks, and effectively communicate with staff, including but not limited to optimizing all aspects of Microsoft Outlook and using Excel to manage, organize, analyze, and calculate financial information and numbers.
• Prior experience using and managing a donor database. Knowledge of Bloomerang CRM a plus.
• Ability and willingness to work evenings and weekends, as necessary.