Sesame Workshop is the global impact nonprofit behind "Sesame Street" and so much more. For over 50 years, we have worked at the intersection of education, media, and research, creating joyful experiences that enrich minds and expand hearts, all in service of empowering each generation to build a better world. Our beloved characters, iconic shows, outreach in communities, and more bring playful early learning to families in more than 150 countries and advance our mission to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. Learn more at www.sesameworkshop.org
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Sesame Workshop ist die gemeinnützige Organisation hinter der „Sesamstraße“. Seit über 50 Jahren verbindet sie weltweit Bildung, Medien und Forschung und kreiert Erlebnisse, die den Verstand bereichern und die Herzen erweitern – alles mit dem Ansinnen, jede Generation zu unterstützen, eine bessere Welt aufzubauen. Die beliebten Charaktere, kultigen Shows, lokalen Projekte und vieles mehr vermitteln auf spielerische Weise frühe Bildung für Familien in mehr als 150 Ländern. Die Mission von Sesame Workshop ist es, Kinder überall auf der Welt zu unterstützen, zu klugen, starken und sozial kompetenten Persönlichkeiten heranzuwachsen. Erfahren Sie mehr unter www.sesameworkshop.org

Industry: Medienproduktion
Company Size: 2–10 Beschäftigte

Sesame Workshop Europe

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Director, Major Gifts

Revenue | Hybrid in New York, NY | Full Time | From $110,000 to $130,000 per year

**Job Description**

**About Sesame Workshop**

Sesame Workshop is the global nonprofit behind Sesame Street and so much more. For over 50 years, we have worked at the intersection of education, media, and research, creating joyful experiences that enrich minds and expand hearts, all in service of empowering each generation to build a better world. Our beloved characters, iconic shows, outreach in communities, and more bring playful early learning to families in more than 190 countries and advance our mission to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. Learn more at www.sesame.org and follow Sesame Workshop on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X.

**Job Summary**

The Revenue and Philanthropy Department is a major contributor to Sesame Workshop’s $150 million annual budget and works closely with our Distribution team and International Offices to advance the organization’s broader revenue goals.

Sesame Workshop sees a significant growth opportunity in the Major Gifts and Planned Giving space and is building a team to unlock this potential. The Director of Major Gifts role will be a critical part of this new team, helping to establish the business processes and build the donor relationships that bring it to life.

The Director, Major Gifts is a key senior-level frontline fundraiser responsible for securing significant philanthropic support to advance Sesame Workshop’s mission. Reporting to the Vice President of Major Gifts, this position drives the development and execution of major gift strategies for a portfolio that includes high-net-worth individual donors and family foundations. The Director will provide strategic fundraising execution, manage relationships, oversee written communication, and contribute to the overall success of the Major Gifts program.

**Responsibilities**

- Portfolio management: Manage and grow a portfolio of 125-150 high-capacity individual donors and family foundation prospects, with a focus on cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding gifts at the $10,000+ level.

- Fundraising strategy: Develop and execute comprehensive, individualized moves management strategies for donors in the portfolio, from identification and qualification to solicitation and stewardship.

- High-level solicitation: Personally solicit and secure major and principal gifts by crafting compelling proposals and presentations that align donor and family foundation interests with Sesame Workshop's funding priorities.

- Proposal writing and reporting: Lead the preparation of high-quality proposals and grant reports for family foundations within the portfolio, synthesizing complex programmatic information into clear, compelling, and compliant narratives.

- Strategic collaboration: Work closely with the Vice President of Major Gifts, the Executive Team, and Board members to facilitate and support high-level donor and foundation engagement.

- Team mentorship: Provide informal coaching and guidance to other Major Gift Officers (MGOs), sharing expertise and modeling best practices in donor and family foundation engagement.

- Prospect identification: Partner with the Director of Research to proactively identify new major gift and family foundation prospects, leveraging AI-powered insights to expand the pipeline.

- Events & visibility: Participate in donor and foundation cultivation events, program showcases, and other strategic gatherings to build relationships and move prospects through the pipeline.

- CRM management: Ensure accurate records of all donor and foundation interactions, proposals, and gift statuses within the Salesforce CRM, in partnership with the Revenue Operations team.

- Programmatic knowledge: Develop and maintain a deep knowledge of Sesame Workshop's programs, priorities, and global impact to effectively articulate the case for support to all funders.

**Engagement**

The Director, Major Gifts engages regularly with internal and external partners to advance donor and foundation relationships. Internally, the role collaborates closely with the Vice President of Major Gifts and the growing Major Gifts team; program, events, and communications teams; Revenue Operations; and executive leadership to craft compelling donor strategies and ensure alignment with organizational priorities. Externally, the Director represents Sesame Workshop in meetings with high-net-worth individuals, family foundation representatives, board members, and other key stakeholders. The role plays a visible, relationship-centered function—building trust, managing high-level interactions, and serving as an ambassador for Sesame Workshop’s mission and impact.

**Required Qualifications**

- Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree or CFRE preferred.

- 8+ years of progressively responsible experience in major gift fundraising, with a demonstrated track record of closing five- to seven-figure gifts from both individuals and family foundations.

- Proven expertise in cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding high-net-worth individuals and family foundations.

- Exceptional proposal writing, reporting, and communication skills, with the ability to engage a diverse range of stakeholders.

- High proficiency in using CRM systems for fundraising, preferably Salesforce.

- Ability to travel regularly for donor and foundation meetings and events.

- Deeply committed to the mission of Sesame Workshop and its global impact.

**Preferred Qualifications**

Experience in media, social impact, and early childhood development fundraising is strongly preferred.

**Sesame Workshop Hybrid Work Policy**

This position is based at our headquarters office in New York (Manhattan) at 1900 Broadway, New York, NY, and follows a hybrid work model. In-office requirements vary by role and employee group, and currently range from two to five designated in-office days per week.

**Pay Transparency Policy Statement**

As a federal contractor, Sesame Workshop follows Pay Transparency and non-discrimination provisions as guided by the U.S. Department of Lab

**Equal Opportunity Employment (EOE) Statement**

Sesame Workshop is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, predisposing genetic characteristics, pregnancy-related condition, familial status, domestic violence victim status, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

**PSEA Statement**

Sesame Workshop is an equal-opportunity employer. All employment decisions are based on the business needs, job requirements & suitability of the candidate. Sesame Workshop strictly follows the Child Safeguarding Policy, and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy. These have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of program participants from exploitation and to clarify the responsibilities of Sesame Workshop staff, consultants, visitors to the program and partner organization, and the standards of behavior expected from them.

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Director, Major Gifts

Part palace, part industrial shed, Park Avenue Armory fills a critical void in the cultural ecology of New York, supporting unconventional works in the performing and visual arts that cannot be fully realized in a traditional proscenium theater, concert hall, or white wall gallery. With its soaring column-free 55,000 square foot Wade Thompson Drill Hall and its array of exuberant period rooms, the Armory enables artists to create, students to explore, and wide audiences to experience epic, adventurous, relevant work that cannot be done elsewhere in New York. Such was its impact in its first years that The New York Times declared, "Park Avenue Armory...has arrived as the most important new cultural institution in New York City." More recently, The New York Times has noted that: "few cultural institutions have been as adept at pushing the cultural FOMO button, triggering that 'fear of missing out; that New Yorkers hate..." Alongside unconventional programming, a creativity-based Arts Education program for underserved public school students has found a special niche at the Armory, offering at no cost to schools, student performances for all Armory productions; curriculum enrichment to partner schools; and a paid and highly mentored Youth Corps internship program that includes job training and engagement with Armory artists.

In addition to the large-scale unconventional productions, the Armory also present smaller scale performances and talk, along, and symposia. These include the Interrogations of Form Series and its "Culture in a Changing America" annual symposium, the Recital Series in the Board of Officers Room, the Artists Studio series inspired by the Veterans Room, and the Armory's Artists-in-Residence and commissioning programs.

Concurrent with its artistic program, the Armory has undertaken an ongoing $215-million revitalization of its historic building, designed by architects Herzog & de Meuron.

Industry: Performing Arts
Company Size: 51-200 employees

Park Avenue Armory

**PARK AVENUE ARMORY **

Part American palace, part industrial shed, Park Avenue Armory is dedicated to supporting unconventional works in the visual and performing arts that need non-traditional spaces for their full realization, enabling artists to create, students to explore, and audiences to experience epic and adventurous presentations that cannot be mounted elsewhere in New York City. Park Avenue Armory provides opportunities for employees to enrich and develop their love of the arts while contributing their specific skills, expertise, and talents.

**THE POSITION **

The Director of Institutional Giving is responsible for the Armory’s foundation, government, and corporate fundraising, which accounts for over $2.3 million annually in general operating support and significant restricted support for artistic productions, new initiatives, and Arts Education program. Primary responsibilities include managing a high-volume portfolio of institutional funders; leading the writing, editing, and submission of proposals and reports; overseeing funder crediting; and cultivating and maintaining relationships with key contacts.

The Director of Institutional Giving reports to the Director of Development and takes direction from the Chief Development Officer and the Founding President and Executive Producer. The Director supervises the Manager of Institutional Giving and works collaboratively within a larger Development team of 11 staff. Due to the nature of this role and interaction with staff across the organization, this is a fully on-site role. Some evening and weekend work is required.

**RESPONSIBILITIES **

- **Grant and Partnership Management **

- Lead and execute all aspects of institutional fundraising, including foundation grants, corporate partnerships, and government funding. Oversee strategy, proposals, budgets, reporting, renewals, and benefit fulfillment, ensuring timely submission and accurate tracking of funding cycles, deadlines, and key funder communications, including ticketing, events, and membership-related benefits.

- Own and maintain a comprehensive institutional funding calendar, ensuring zero missed deadlines across all foundation, corporate, and government submissions.

- Proactively identify and develop new institutional funding opportunities to support the Armory’s goals and growth, including conceiving, structuring, and securing new partnerships for production funding, event sponsorship, in-kind support, and general operations.

- Serve as the primary relationship manager for a portfolio of foundation, corporate, and government funders to keep them engaged and informed, including maintaining and updating records about conversations and meetings, monitoring participation in events and programs, tracking staffing rotations and changes, and supporting executive-level contact and cultivation.

- **Development **

- Oversee management of funder crediting for all categories of donors, including coordinating the approval process, maintaining the master crediting grid, and working with the Marketing team to ensure appropriate sponsor/funder visibility in all Armory materials.

- Oversee the coordination of Arts Education fundraising activities, including drafting donor communications and invitations across all areas; partner with the Education team to convene quarterly meetings with Development; and maintain an up-to-date understanding of program schedules and activities.

- Support larger Development and institutional efforts with vetted language and presentations for specific solicitations, reports, and other purposes as needed.

- Represent the Development team at events and in donor interactions with energy, warmth, and strong interpersonal skills.

- Serve as the central point person in Development for information on upcoming artistic projects, education initiatives, and public programming; partner across artistic, production, education, finance, and marketing teams to gather information, shape proposals, and ensure alignment with institutional priorities.

- Ensure high-quality stewardship and acknowledgment of corporate and foundation funders, including drafting tailored thank-you and follow-up communications in multiple voices, while maintaining accuracy, consistency, and strong relationships.

- **Administration and Management **

- Lead and manage the Manager of Institutional Giving, setting clear priorities, establishing workflows, and ensuring consistently high-quality output.

- Prepare senior leadership for funder engagement, including developing briefing materials, talking points, and strategic recommendations.

- Manage development and institutional files, records, and documents on the server and within Tessitura for working, reference, and archival purposes.

- Partner with the Director of Development and Chief Development Officer to build and maintain productive and collaborative working relationships within the development department and with other departments.

- Perform other responsibilities as needed and assigned.

** **

**SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS **

- Knowledgeable advocate for the arts with exceptional planning and organizational skills. Results and detail-oriented with the ability to manage complex workflows and consistently meet critical deadlines.

- Exceptional writing and storytelling ability, with a proven track record of distilling complex data and evolving artistic work into clear, compelling, and fundable narratives.

- Confident and personable, able to cultivate lasting relationships and represent the organization with charm and professionalism.

- Proven ability to take initiative and work effectively with complex personalities and competing priorities, maintaining professionalism and forward momentum under pressure. Flexible and adaptable, able to manage multiple demands independently or collaboratively.

- Sound judgment, professionalism, and discretion in handling confidential information and sensitive matters.

- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, strong internet research skills, and experience working with CRM databases; Tessitura experience a plus.

- This position requires on-site presence 5 days a week, plus weekends and evenings as necessary.

** **

**EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE **

- Minimum of seven years of experience in institutional fundraising, preferably within performing or visual arts, cultural, or educational organizations.

- Proven success in developing and executing innovative institutional fundraising strategies, resulting in five- and six-figure commitments from foundations and corporate partners, and consistently meeting or exceeding fundraising targets.

- Supervised and mentored development staff, ensuring high-quality proposal submissions, strategic pipeline management, and professional growth.

- A bachelor’s degree is desirable or the equivalent combination of experience sufficient to successfully perform essential functions of the job.

**COMPENSATION **

Compensation is $110,000- $120,000 annually, commensurate with experience. This is an exempt position.

**APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS **

Please click the "apply" button below and follow the given instructions to complete the application process. Please upload the following on the appropriate upcoming page:

- **Up-to-date resume **

- **Cover letter **

- **Writing sample of past proposal or hypothetical proposal **

WE WILL NOT ACCEPT APPLICATIONS WITHOUT A COVER LETTER AND WRITING SAMPLE PROVIDED

**COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION **

Park Avenue Armory provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, height, weight, 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.

Director of Institutional Giving

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