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 $71,000 - $82,000, 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) Stewardship Manager (SM) reports to WNO's Director of Individual Giving and Operations and is an essential member of the WNO Major Gifts team and the Kennedy Center Development department. The Stewardship Manager plays a crucial role in fostering strong relationships with WNO donors by helping to maintain, evolve and execute a comprehensive stewardship and donor recognition program. The position ensures that 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. The SM oversees the day-to-day execution of the stewardship program, providing WNO's Major Gifts Officers and Development team with the systems, processes, measures, workflow schedules, and content to effectively steward, thank and recognize individual donors at all levels.

The SM attends WNO Development department meetings and meets regularly with the Director of Individual Giving and Operations and Managing Director of Advancement to glean ways in which stewardship support is needed or could be utilized, to understand the nuances of specific WNO donors, and to offer creative input for both broad and individualized donor engagement. The SM also attends artistic production meetings to learn, first-hand, as much as possible about WNO programming, artists, and artistic scheduling in order to help create a calendar for donor engagement activities and provide knowledgeable support for WNO Development cultivation and special engagement events.

The SM also supports the broader work of the WNO Development department by assisting, when needed, with CRM system support, prospect research, preparation of specialized solicitations or communications materials, WNO's annual gala and cultivation events, or other needs that help engage donors and prospects, and further the goals of the team.

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

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain a comprehensive, integrated donor stewardship and recognition program within the greater membership program of the Kennedy Center, assuring that WNO patrons receive a unique experience tailored to the culture of an opera organization. Employ the existing stewardship and benefit structure to emphasize the benefits of WNO's involvement with the Kennedy Center. Build and refine the systems, processes, measures, and policies to ensure the donor stewardship program is effective and efficient.
• Collaborate across the WNO Development team to help develop and manage an annual individual donor stewardship plan, with strategic touchpoints, stewardship events, and meetings throughout the year.
• Develop and oversee stewardship functions, including thank-you letters, acknowledgement gifts, engagement activities, behind-the-scenes access, and recognition in print and on digital platforms. As part of the acknowledgement process, serve as liaison between the WNO Major Gifts team and WNO leadership to ensure thank-you letters are drafted, signed, and sent to major donors from appropriate company leadership on a timely basis. Work with Gift Officers to implement and refresh acknowledgment strategies for various individuals and audiences.
• Create and maintain the WNO stewardship calendar of donor engagement activities, delivery of benefits, and deadlines for print and digital recognition. Liaise with WNO Gift Officers to ensure donor recognition information and list-pulls are accurate. Review the Kennedy Center project management software (RoboHead) on a daily basis to ensure donor listings and recognition in print materials and on all Center-wide digital platforms are correct.
• Create and manage the donor communications calendar and MOVES across giving levels, looking for opportunities to leverage content across audiences. This includes coordination and execution of an annual impact report with WNO's General Director.
• Work closely with the Gift Officers to schedule, manage and track donor touchpoints within the moves management framework and Tessitura (CRM database).
• Work with the Major Gifts team to develop and support a strategic stewardship and cultivation event strategy for the year. Serve as liaison between the WNO Major Gifts team, the Artistic Production staff, and Kennedy Center Special Events staff to execute stewardship events and activities, such as Board dinners, opening night celebrations, behind-the-scenes tours, opportunities to attend rehearsals, etc.
• Contribute to the strategy and manage deployment of major donor communications and stewardship vehicles.
• Pull "seat books" in advance of performances to see which patrons are attending and help Gift Officers determine ways to meet donors and prospects.
• Assist, when and where needed, with CRM system support, prospect research, preparation of specialized solicitations or communications materials, WNO's annual gala and cultivation events, or other needs that help engage donors and prospects, and further the goals of the team.
• Contribute to the planning of WNO's annual gala and take on assigned duties prior to and during the event. These duties may include assisting with the development of lists, invitations, drafting guest profiles, and other coordinating duties as needed.
• If requested, assist WNO Gift Officers or WNO leadership in the preparation of solicitation materials or Board presentations. Assist with compiling donor data and stories to be shared across platforms.
• Coordinate gestures of gratitude for major WNO donors and sponsors, such as signed production posters or programs, artist meet-and-greet opportunities, flowers for special occasions or special recognition, etc.
• Under the guidance of the Director of Individual Giving, reconcile WNO Development department expenses with the Kennedy Center Finance department on a monthly basis.
• Other duties as assigned.

Key Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• Minimum 3 years experience in donor stewardship, development, fundraising, or related field. Experience working with Boards and in a team with shared goals.
• Strong project management and organizational abilities. High attention to detail with a commitment to delivering high-quality work.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of broad fundraising principles, standard accounting procedures, development trends, prospect research, and Boards is essential. An understanding of large cultural institutions is beneficial but not required.
• Self-motivated, creative, collaborative, and entrepreneurial. Ability to multi-task, and deftly interact with a variety of personalities, internally and externally. Ability and confidence to work without close supervision, to foresee development needs, and to actively participate in strategy meetings. Flexibility and eagerness to communicate and problem-solve 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.
• Experience with Tessitura and/or other CRM systems.
• 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

• Working outside of normal business hours (evenings and weekends) is expected during the performance seasons, primarily during WNO performances and events, and to assist with Kennedy Center and National Symphony Orchestra events if needed. Other than when out of office at donor meetings or for other 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.