Job Description

Director, Online Engagement and Fundraising, IS-1001-15

Application Deadline: 9 September 2026

Department: Office of Advancement

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Washington, DC

Compensation: $169,279 - $191,850 / year

Description

OPEN DATE: September 2, 2026

CLOSING DATE: September 9, 2026

POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund

APPOINTMENT TYPE: Permanent

SCHEDULE: Full Time

DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC

Position sensitivity and risk:

Low Risk Non-Sensitive

Open to all qualified applicants

What are Trust Fund Positions?

Trust Fund positions are unique to the Smithsonian. They are paid for from a variety of sources, including the Smithsonian endowment, revenue from our business activities, donations, grants and contracts. Trust employees are not part of the civil service, nor does trust fund employment lead to Federal status. The salary ranges for trust positions are generally the same as for federal positions and in many cases trust and federal employees work side by side. Trust employees have their own benefit program, which may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Credit Union, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (Child Care), Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care).

Conditions of Employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Check and Subsequent Background Investigation for position designated.
• Complete a Probationary Period.
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer.
• The position is open to all candidates eligible to work in the United States. Proof of eligibility to work in U.S. is not required to apply.
• Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

OVERVIEW

Come join a team of dedicated staff at an exceptional time in the Smithsonian’s history during the Smithsonian Campaign for Our Shared Future. The Smithsonian has surpassed its $2.5 billion fundraising goal one full year ahead of schedule, a milestone that comes as the nation prepares to commemorate its 250th anniversary in 2026. This achievement marks the largest fundraising effort in the history of any cultural organization and represents a defining moment for the Institution and the country it serves.

The Our Shared Future campaign has advanced the Smithsonian’s reach and impact, empowering the institution to find solutions to today’s most pressing challenges. The Smithsonian has built a model fundraising organization, driven by talented staff across our many museums, research centers and cultural centers. This position offers exciting opportunities for the successful candidate to make a significant impact on the future of the Smithsonian. There is no better time to join this amazing Institution.

The Office of Advancement oversees and guides the fundraising efforts of the entire Smithsonian and is home to the central advancement organization for the Institution. In addition to raising significant support for a variety of Smithsonian initiatives, the Office of Advancement provides support services to advancement offices across the Institution. The office engages with staff throughout the Smithsonian in accomplishing their goals.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Assistant Director/Director, Online Engagement and Fundraising serve as the strategic leader for digital acquisition, renewal, sustainer, and unit‑based digital fundraising enabling growth across an evolving enterprise technology environment. This position is reported to the Director, Strategy and Member Experience and is part of the Office of Advancement.

This role owns the vision and execution of digital fundraising strategy, leveraging Salesforce, Marketing Cloud, Data Cloud, and associated platforms to scale revenue, strengthen member engagement, support unit needs, and create an integrated omni‑channel experience. A key responsibility is the Assessment, development and operationalization of a plan to support unit‑based digital fundraising strategy and email execution as part of the Membership COOP shared services offerings.

Key responsibilities includes the following:

• Develop and implement a multi-year strategic vision to grow digital fundraising for membership, sustainers, and donor upgrade pathways.
• Lead digital acquisition, renewal, reinstatement, lapsed recovery, upgrade, auto renewal, and sustainer/monthly giving strategies.
• Oversee and execute campaigns across: Salesforce CRM, Marketing Cloud (including Journey Builder, Automation Studio, Email Studio), Data Cloud / CDP, Validity Email Success Platform, Involve.me, FundraiseUp, and Ticketure.
• Manage a team of 4–6 marketers, coordinators, or digital specialists.
• Oversee end to end project management using tools such as Asana, ensuring transparency, timeliness, and strong cross team coordination.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for external strategic partners, consultants, and agency.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to carry out each essential duty satisfactorily. The qualifications listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the role.

• 10+ years (Director) of experience in digital marketing, digital fundraising, membership programs, or direct response marketing.
• Deep knowledge of Salesforce CRM, Marketing Cloud, and ideally Data Cloud/CDP, including multi‑unit data management and segmented communication workflows.
• Experience with digital fundraising tools, including email deliverability platforms, form builders, donation platforms, ticketing systems, and CRM integrations, particularly in decentralized or multi‑unit environments.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and grow monthly giving/sustainer programs at scale across varied audience segments.
• Strong understanding of omni‑channel marketing, segmentation, analytics, donor lifecycle management, and how these strategies adapt across units with differing needs.
• Experience leading and developing teams in a fast‑paced, resource‑constrained, and cross‑unit environment.
• Excellent project management skills, including comfort with Asana or similar platforms, especially for coordinating multi‑unit workflows, templates, and SLAs.
• Proven ability to operate with high autonomy, navigate ambiguity, and solve complex technical and operational challenges across multiple stakeholder groups.
• Ability to adapt marketing and fundraising strategies to evolving privacy, data governance, and security requirements, including consent management, data minimization, and compliant segmentation practices across decentralized units.
• Proven ability to navigate ever‑changing data environments, shifting integrations, and platform constraints while ensuring continuity of digital fundraising operations and alignment across central and unit‑level stakeholders.
• Experience supporting or leading shared‑service models, including building scalable processes, frameworks, and governance for decentralized digital execution.

Applicants, who wish to qualify based on education completed outside the United States, must be deemed equivalent to higher education programs of U.S. Institutions by an organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as part of your application package.

Any false statement in your application may result in your application being rejected and may also result in termination after employment begins.

TO APPLY:

Interested candidates must submit a resume detailing both paid and unpaid experience relevant to this position. The resume must include the start and end dates (month and year) for each position, as well as the average number of hours worked per week. While a cover letter is strongly encouraged, it is not required. All application materials must be submitted through the online application portal using the link provided above.

What To Expect Next:

Once the vacancy announcement closes, a review of your resume will be compared against the qualification and experience requirements related to this job. Qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager and invited for an interview. If you are chosen for an interview you will need to provide multiple references, including title and contact information, who are familiar with your work and professional skills and abilities.

Relocation expenses are not paid.

The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures.

The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To review the Smithsonian’s EEO program information, please click the following: https://www.si.edu/oeo.