Associate Director, Institutional Giving en Jazz at Lincoln Center

The mission of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Inc. (“JALC”) is to entertain, enrich and expand a global community for jazz through performance, education, and advocacy. From college students to young stars, from working professionals to celebrated masters, we present quality jazz for an ever-increasing audience in an unprecedented range of activities and a variety of venues. We are dedicated to lifting audiences and bringing people together with substance and with integrity. JALC has created a dynamic platform where our key constituents – jazz artists (beginner to grizzled veteran), fans (casual listeners to advanced scholars), educators (local band leaders to leading artist-educators) and advocates (local community advocates to important national promoters) – can meet, engage, learn, and work towards common objectives.

About the Role

The Associate Director, Institutional Giving plays a pivotal role in advancing Jazz at Lincoln Center’s mission by shaping and growing a robust portfolio of institutional supporters: foundations, corporations, and government agencies at all levels.

This is a dynamic opportunity for a development professional who combines analytical rigor with creative storytelling and enjoys the outward-facing aspects of relationship building. The Associate Director will design and execute strategies to cultivate, solicit, and steward funders in close partnership with the Director of Foundations, Institutional Giving team, and colleagues across the organization.

The ideal candidate thrives on connecting with people, both internally and externally, and brings experience managing 5- to 8-figure gifts from major institutional funders. This role is integral to sustaining and expanding Jazz at Lincoln Center’s programs for audiences of all ages: on stage, in classrooms, and around the world.

Responsibilities

• Manage the complete grant lifecycle—from prospect identification and proposal development to submission, reporting, and stewardship—for a diverse portfolio of institutional funders.
• Create persuasive and inspiring written materials, including proposals, reports, letters of inquiry, and presentations.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records in Tessitura.
• Partner with colleagues across Development, Finance, and Programming to align proposals with organizational priorities and budgets.
• Conduct and oversee prospect research to identify, qualify, and cultivate new institutional opportunities.
• Develop and manage an annual grant calendar ensuring timely submissions.
• Collaborate with the Director of Foundations on Project Pioneer; a key initiative focused on cultivating new partnerships and re-engaging existing and lapsed foundation donors to expand institutional support.
• Support the Director of Foundations and Chief Development Officer in executing cultivation and solicitation strategies for near- and long-term goals.
• Partner closely with and provide direction to the Manager, Institutional Giving to ensure smooth coordination of all institutional activities.
• Prepare concise briefing materials for senior staff and Board leadership; assist in developing and reconciling proposal budgets and narratives with Finance.
• Build and maintain a library of proposal templates, metrics, and reporting materials to streamline grant processes.
• Copyedit donor-facing materials to ensure consistent tone and accuracy.
• Oversee donor acknowledgments and institutional credit lines.
• Stay informed on philanthropic trends and institutional guidelines to ensure ongoing strategic alignment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of four years of experience in institutional giving, preferably within performing arts, arts education, or cultural nonprofits.
• Demonstrated success in managing and securing significant foundation, corporate, and government grants, including 5- to 8-figure gifts.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and analytical skills, with the ability to translate complex information into clear, compelling narratives.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and adept at managing multiple priorities.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, project management platforms (preferably Asana), and fundraising databases (preferably Tessitura).
• Strong financial literacy and experience partnering with finance teams to align budgets and reports with funder expectations is a plus
• Demonstrated curiosity about philanthropic trends and creative approaches to institutional fundraising.
• Familiarity with jazz, music, or the performing arts sector a major plus.
  
  

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package including: generous PTO; medical, dental & vision; a defined contribution plan and deferred compensation plans.

Work Location Expectations

At Jazz at Lincoln Center, we believe the best work happens in person, through collaboration, spontaneous conversation, and the kind of connection that reflects the spirit of jazz itself. While we do not offer formal hybrid arrangements, we approach real life with understanding: when things come up, we are flexible. That said, staff are expected to be on site whenever their role or schedule requires it, whether that is standard hours, evenings, or weekends, so that we can do our best work together.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Jazz at Lincoln Center is an equal opportunity employer that affords equal opportunities to all applicants, employees, contractors, and other covered persons, and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Jazz at Lincoln Center is committed to creating an inclusive, open, and respectful culture that reflects and embraces diversity.

Writing Sample Requirement

As part of the application process, please submit a professional writing sample that demonstrates your ability to develop compelling, strategic, and technically strong grant proposals. Please include a 2–4 page copy or excerpt from a complex proposal that you personally wrote and helped secure successfully. You may redact any confidential or proprietary details.

Optional (but encouraged):
You may include a brief (1-paragraph) note introducing the sample—for example, the type of funder (foundation, corporation, or government) and your role in developing the proposal.

A cover letter is optional.