Assistant Stewardship Manager, WNO

***Please submit a cover letter for consideration***

About The Kennedy Center

"I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit." - President John F. Kennedy

The Kennedy Center is the nation's cultural center and living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. Located on the banks of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., the Center presents performances across all genres, and is also home to artistic affiliates Washington National Opera and National Symphony Orchestra.

At the Kennedy Center, we strive to foster belonging and empowerment at work. We are able to advance our mission because of our committed and passionate employees. We are fortunate to be able to leverage their diverse perspectives, life experiences and skills to inform how our workplace can be a safe, transparent, and replenishing community. The Kennedy Center is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant based on race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition, or any other basis protected by law.

Mission Statement: As America's performing arts center, and a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, we are a leader for the arts across the United States and around the world, connecting the greatest living artists with audiences of every stripe, no matter their background. We welcome all Americans and creators and visitors from across the globe to discover, experience, learn about, be inspired by, and engage with the arts.

Why Join Us

We offer a total rewards package to all full-time employees to include:

• Staff offers for discount tickets
• Retirement plan with organization matching (after 1 year of employment)
• Qualifying employer for the Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)
• Commuter programs including pre-tax options for discounted parking and SmartBenefits (WMATA)
• Annual Leave, Sick Leave, and Personal Days available immediately upon hire
• 11 paid holidays per year
• Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits with FSA and HSA options, and paid FMLA

Pay Details

The Kennedy Center strives to design equitable compensation programs. The projected salary range for this position is $55,000 - $62,000, commensurate with experience, and includes a comprehensive benefits package. This is the targeted range of possible compensation for this role at the time of posting. This range may be modified in the future. Base pay within the range is ultimately determined by a candidate's skills, expertise, and experience as it relates to the position qualifications and responsibilities.

Job Description

The Washington National Opera (WNO) Assistant Manager of Stewardship (AMS) reports to the WNO Stewardship Manager and is an essential member of the WNO Major Gifts team and the Kennedy Center Development department. The AMS supports the cultivation, engagement, and retention of donors by helping to execute a robust stewardship and donor recognition program. Working closely with the Stewardship Manager and Major Gifts team, the AMS assists with personalized communications to donors and contributes to the success of stewardship events and donor experiences. The goal of this work is to ensure donors feel appreciated, informed, and connected to WNO's mission and programs.

To increase donor retention, engagement, and loyalty, the stewardship program communicates gratitude and impact while enhancing donors' experiences. To achieve this, the AMS supports the Stewardship Manager's oversight of the day-to-day execution of the program, providing WNO's Major Gifts Officers and Development team with the systems, processes, measures, workflow schedules, and content to effectively thank and recognize donors at all levels. The AMS attends WNO Development department meetings and is encouraged to offer creative input for both broad and individualized donor engagement.

As newly reconfigured for WNO, the AMS position is heavily focused on donor database management, donor analytics, and oversight of prospect research, critical functions to sustaining and growing donor engagement in meaningful ways. The position is ideal for someone early in their development career who is passionate about the performing arts and wants to observe, participate in, and learn about the full scope of Development work.

In addition to assisting the Stewardship Manager, the AMS, when needed, also supports the broader work of the WNO Development department by helping to prepare specialized solicitations or communications materials, assisting with the WNO annual gala and cultivation events, or helping with other activities that further the goals of the team.

The WNO Development team is part of the larger Kennedy Center Development department, and as such, the AMS works collaboratively with Center-wide colleagues, who help each other advance their assigned goals while also working to achieve results for the entire institution.

Key Responsibilities

• Become knowledgeable about all aspects of Tessitura, the Kennedy Center's CRM system, and serve as the primary WNO Development team point person proficient in data storage, retrieval, reporting, and moves management functions concerning individual donors, and be available to pull donor lists for the entire Development team for strategic analysis, mailings, invitations to stewardship and fundraising events, and other purposes. (Tessitura training, if needed, will be provided; understanding of CRM systems, in general, is required.)
• Serve as primary liaison for prospect research requests and personally undertake research when needed. (Training will be provided.)
• Assist the SM and Development team in crafting and executing a comprehensive, integrated donor stewardship and recognition program within the greater membership program of the Kennedy Center, assuring that Washington National Opera (WNO) patrons receive a unique experience tailored to the culture of an opera organization. Assist the SM and WNO Major Gifts Officers in developing individualized stewardship plans with strategic touchpoints.
• Contribute creative thinking to the ongoing analysis of the existing stewardship and benefit structure to help emphasize the benefits of involvement with the Kennedy Center and the WNO.
• Assist the SM in continually refining the systems, processes, measures and policies to ensure the donor stewardship program is effective and efficient.
• Alongside the SM, work with individual donor teams to implement and refresh acknowledgment strategies for various audiences. Assist the SM in the ongoing, periodic, inventory and review of acknowledgements, stewardship, and donor recognition materials for quality and consistency. Assist in the periodic creation of new materials in partnership with Kennedy Center Donor Communications and Stewardship team.
• Working with the Kennedy Center Special Events team, the SM, and WNO Major Gifts Officers, assist as needed in the execution of WNO stewardship events and activities, such as Board dinners, opening night celebrations, behind-the-scenes tours, opportunities to attend rehearsals, etc.
• Assist the SM in maintaining the WNO annual stewardship and donor communications calendars and other stewardship-related administrative tasks, as needed or requested.
• Other duties as assigned.

Key Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• Experience studying or working in a non-profit setting, ideally in the area of fundraising.
• Knowledge of and experience working with CRM systems is required. Knowledge of or experience doing prospect research is beneficial but not required.
• Strong project management and organizational abilities. High attention to detail with a commitment to delivering high-quality work.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Self-motivated, creative, collaborative, and able to multi-task. Able and confident to work without close supervision. Flexible and eager to collaborate, communicate, and problem-solve within a team and across the larger institution with a positive attitude is essential.
• Ability and willingness to collaborate across a matrixed organization to make best use of the expertise of other departments to effect positive change and achieve shared goals.
• Interest in and knowledge of music, opera, and the arts is helpful.
• Candidate must be local or willing to relocate to the DMV area. Relocation assistance is not provided.
• Candidate must be willing to work onsite.

Additional Information

• This position may be required at times to work outside of normal business hours (evenings and weekends) during performance seasons and for special events. Other than when out of office for business, normal hours are in-office.
• The WNO/Kennedy Center environment is a large, vibrant, faced-paced setting that values creativity, initiative, efficiency, diversity, and teamwork.

ABOUT WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERA

An affiliate of the Kennedy Center, Washington National Opera is led by General Director Timothy O'Leary and internationally-acclaimed stage director and WNO Artistic Director, Francesca Zambello. WNO celebrates its 70^th anniversary in 2026. Each season, the $24 million company produces five innovative mainstage productions-from the classics to the rare to the contemporary-and an annual holiday opera for families. Since 2012, the company's much-lauded American Opera Initiative has commissioned and produced 36 twenty-minute operas, three each year, from emerging composers and librettists, and 7 hour-long operas, 6 of which have subsequently been seen at companies across the U.S. WNO's Cafritz Young Artists program is considered one of the finest resident training and career advancement programs in the world, offering singers on the verge of international careers intensive coaching, career guidance, and-importantly-supporting roles in WNO mainstage productions and leading roles in the American Opera Initiative world premieres. WNO and the Kennedy Center annually celebrate the Marian Anderson Award given to a young American singer who has achieved initial success in opera, oratorio, or recital repertory with an annual recital, and WNO, in concert with Kennedy Center Education, oversee the WNO Opera Institute, a summer training program for high school singers. WNO further extends its mission into the community with programs throughout the year in churches, community centers, at the Library of Congress and other major institutions, with the tech community, and with teens at the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center.