Development Assistant

About the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online.

Since its founding in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and respectful work environment with a staff as diverse as the audiences we engage. Our staff members are art lovers who are passionate about working toward a common goal: creating the most dynamic and inspiring art museum in the world.

At The Met, every staff member – from security officers to researchers to scientists and beyond – lives by our core values of respect, inclusivity, collaboration, excellence, and integrity. 

Respect: Engage one another with collegiality, empathy, and kindness, always.

Inclusivity: Ensure that all are and feel welcome and valued.

Collaboration: Reach across boundaries to exchange ideas and work together toward our shared mission.

Excellence: Lead the cultural world in quality and expertise—and inspire curiosity and creativity.

Integrity: Hold ourselves to the highest moral standards, admit when we fall short, and then evolve. 

GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

As the Development Assistant for Individual Giving, you will provide administrative support for two Major Gifts Officers and their respective curatorial and conservation department fundraising assignments, as well as assigned Capital Building and Special Exhibition projects. You will provide administrative support to Major Gifts Officers in their fundraising efforts. You will help advance the engagement of a dynamic pipeline of major donors through the drafting of correspondence, coordination of events, preparation of donor materials, and acknowledgments. You will ensure clear, consistent, and thoughtful communication across a portfolio of major donors, prospects, and internal stakeholders, while also supporting the management of gift documentation and the maintenance of donor and prospect records.

Please submit a cover letter with your application to be considered.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

• Draft acknowledgment letters, payment reminders, and other correspondence for Major Gift donors and prospects.

• Schedule, prepare materials for, and assist with follow-up for curatorial and conservation department meetings and related donor engagement.

• Support donor engagement through the preparation of correspondence, invitations, and materials for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.

• Provide procurement support, including ensuring compliance with all Museum policies and procedures related to purchasing goods and services and submitting requisitions, supplier invoice requests, and other forms for payment, for the Administrator of the Development Office with regard to their role as the Procurement Ambassador for Development

• Provide administrative support for donor events, meetings, and related programming.

• Prepare timely expense reimbursements.

• Assist with the research and creation of personalized proposals and materials for Major Gift requests.

• Manage stewardship for Major Gift donors.

• Support departmental events as assigned, including guest list management, distribution of invitations, RSVP tracking, day-of support, and post-event follow up.

• Maintain and update Tessitura donor database records noting donor engagement and activity.

• Organize travel arrangements for Major Gift Officers.

• Other projects and duties as assigned.

• Available to work evening and weekend hours as needed.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• BA degree or equivalent experience required; Art History, Art Administration, or English degree preferred.

• Previous experience in development or a related field, ideally in a non-profit context, strongly preferred.

• Excellent writing, editing, and communication skills.

• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

• Ability to work well with others collaboratively, as well as independently. 

• Strong interpersonal skills.

• High attention to detail and strong organizational skills.

• Strong computer skills and experience with Microsoft Office.

• Experience with Tessitura or other major development database system preferred.

• Experience with Workday or other financial management system preferred.

• Interest in the arts, culture, and a commitment to the Museum's mission.

COMPENSATION RANGE:

• Pay Rate: $32.00 - $34.00 / Hourly

The advertised pay scale reflects the good faith minimum and maximum salary range for this role. The advertised pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage for any specific employee. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, special licensing or qualifications, and other factors.

Visa Sponsorship

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Location Requirements

At time of employment, employees are expected to be located within commuting distance of the Museum. “Commuting distance” means that they are located in one of following states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania (the “Tri-state and PA” areas), and be able to commute to and from the Museum in a single day.

Benefits Offerings

The Museum provides competitive compensation, and generous benefits and perks for all eligible employees. Note: Benefits Offering may differ based on Employee Status.

• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• 403(b) basic retirement plan and optional matching retirement plan with an outstanding employer match
• Considerable paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and 13 Museum holidays
• Long-term disability coverage
• Flexible Spending Accounts & Health Savings Account (pre-tax income for eligible health care expenses)
• Commuter benefits (pre-tax income for parking or mass transit expenses)
• Free financial-planning services
• Financial assistance for relevant coursework, seminars, and training programs
• 25% discount for staff in Museum shops
• A subsidized staff cafeteria
• Access to the Museums Council pass, which grants free admission to various museums and cultural institutions

We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the desired attributes for a role. If much of this job description describes you, then please apply for this role.

The Met is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, The Met will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed in this process, please contact benefits@metmuseum.org.  

The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital status or domestic partner status, genetic information, genetic predisposition or carrier status, gender identity, HIV status, military status and any other category protected by law in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay-off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.