Manager/Senior Manager, Institutional Advancement

Title: Manager/Senior Manager, Institutional Advancement

Employment Status: Exempt

Salary: $57,750 - $89,250

Supervisor Title: Director, Institutional Advancement

Date Revised: May 2023

Summary of Position:

The Manager/Senior Manager, Institutional Advancement (IA) works with the IA team, and within the External Affairs division at-large, to identify new individual donor prospects and build upon Meridian’s unique engagement model of high-level salon dinners, receptions, and flagship events that take place throughout the year. The position will also be responsible for executing Meridian’s flagship events, to advance Meridian’s mission of global leadership, diplomacy, and culture. These events include, but are not limited to, fundraising for Diplomacy Forum, Culturefix, and the Annual Meridian Ball.

This position is located in Washington D.C. and Meridian requires MD, DC, or VA residence for all employees. The position may work partially remotely but appropriate event attendance (day and evening) is a requirement of the position.

Position Responsibilities:

Development and Stewardship

  • Cultivate and foster relationships with major donors, supporting Meridian’s philanthropic goals in each critical phase including cultivation, financial asks, stewardship, and general donor engagement including responding to fundraising event inquiries
  • Responsible for drafting, sending, and tracking sensitive development correspondence with high-level donors focusing on major gifts from Meridian’s Board of Trustees, event underwriters, and sponsors, including solicitation letters and mailings, invoices, thank you notes, receipts, as well as donor and event briefings, etc.
  • Responsible for increasing individual giving year over year including conducting new and current philanthropic partner research to help advance the acquisition of major gifts

Project Management for Events

  • Under the guidance of the Director, Institutional Advancement and Director, Events, the role will project manage Meridian’s flagship events from start to finish, including budgets
  • Leading individual outreach, securing sponsorships, managing critical relationships with Embassies, managing attendance, seating, and day-of coordination
  • Organizing and delivering high-level donor experiences including cocktail receptions, salon dinners, and holiday parties
  • Collaborating with Communications to develop and create enticing event sponsorship marketing materials
  • Working in partnership with Events Director from start to finish to ensure vendor/production needs are expressed and noted

Management

  • Support the recruitment and management of Institutional Advancement Associates and Fellows to include creating and managing onboarding schedule and materials for new hires and fellows
  • Manage Institutional Advancement team junior staff projects and deliverables to ensure accuracy and quality of work
  • Update leadership on performance and progress

Responsible for completing all organizational administrative responsibilities in a timely manner and meeting all organizational administrative deadlines, and other duties as assigned

Education/Experience

  • Undergraduate degree in a related field; Advanced degree preferred.
  • Any equivalent combination of training, education, and experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the position.
  • 5+ years of increasing responsibility
  • Front-line, forward facing individual donor fundraising experience in a non-profit organization, experience raising gifts at the $25,000+ level, as well as demonstrated stakeholder engagement and retention.
  • Or any equivalent combination of training, education, and experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the position

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

  • Confident and accomplished front-line fundraiser with a proven ability to identify, engage, solicit, and close individual philanthropic gifts
  • Understanding and interest in non-profit development and fundraising activities
  • Ability to interface with senior leadership, trustees, and major donors with tact and discretion
  • Familiarity with organizing and staffing events
  • Excellent phone and interpersonal skills
  • Detail oriented and proven ability to prioritize multiple concurrent projects
  • Strong inter-cultural communication skills; maturity, cultural sensitivity, and tact suitable for working with individuals from around the world

Technical Requirements:

  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams is necessary for this role
  • Salesforce and iWave or similar wealth prospecting tool

Employer’s Statement

Meridian is committed to creating a diverse environment. We believe in empowering global leaders and amplifying voices of a wide variety of backgrounds to create pathways for greater understanding, shared value and respect for all cultures as connecting people has been our foundation for over 60 years. If you share our values and enthusiasm to promote non-partisan collaboration to address global challenges and opportunities, you can find a home at Meridian.

As an equal opportunity employer, Meridian promotes equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, personal appearance, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, family responsibilities, marital, veteran or military status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, matriculation, political affiliation, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law. Equal employment opportunity will be offered and maintained to all persons at every stage and condition of employment, including recruiting, hiring, training, upgrading, promotion, transfer, discipline, layoff, recall, and termination.

How to Apply 

Qualified candidates should apply here. Only candidates being considered for this position will be contacted. NO PHONE CALLS in reference to this position will be accepted.