Job Description

The Boston Public Art Triennial (The Triennial) is seeking a seasoned Major Gifts Senior Advisor to help lead the next phase of our growth, supporting a 3-year, $13M campaign building on the success of Triennial 2025 , a citywide public art exhibition experienced by millions across Boston.

This senior, part-time role is ideal for a relationship-driven fundraiser who enjoys aligning artistic vision, community engagement, and philanthropic investment. Successful candidates have experience in the visual arts and are energized by innovation and change. This position embodies The Triennial’s values of being bold, open, and sharp, and is deeply committed to advancing artistic excellence and equity in the public realm.

The role reports to the Executive Director and works closely with the Operations & Finance Director, Development Manager, Development Coordinator, Board of Directors, and Development Committee. The Advisor commits to at least one day per week in The Triennial’s office, with a flexible schedule of up to 25 hours per week, including occasional evenings and weekends.

Key focus areas include

• Managing a primary portfolio of individual donors and prospects at the $100,000–$500,000 level
• Cultivating and upgrading a secondary pipeline of donors in the $25,000–$99,999 range
• Providing strategic input and hands-on execution in partnership with senior leadership

Compensation

This is a fractional leadership position with an annual salary range of $100,000–$112,000, reflecting a 20-hour work week and an agreed-upon scope of work. This range does not guarantee a specific wage; however, it represents the maximum compensation we can offer. 

About Us

The Triennial is a nimble, 12-person organization guided by a vision of a vibrant, open, and equitable city realized with temporary public art and guided by our values of being bold, open, and sharp.

We are taking a thoughtful, relationship-centered approach to this search, are committed to equity and inclusion, and welcome candidates with non-traditional paths to consider applying.

To Apply

Please email a cover letter and resume to jobs@thetriennial.org with the email subject line: “Major Gifts Senior Advisor (Fractional Position)”.

Candidates are strongly encouraged to fill out an anonymous Equity Survey. It is entirely separate from your application and is used to help us improve our intentional efforts to find outstanding and diverse candidates.

👉 View the full job description here:

Job Mission

Build and execute a robust program of individual philanthropy that contributes at least $3.2M of The Triennial’s $5M annual operating budget, strengthening long-term sustainability and supporting a vibrant, open, and equitable public art city.

Key Attributes

Candidates who exhibit the following qualities will thrive in this role:

• Energized by innovation and change
• Persuasive, confident, and relationship-driven
• Self-directed, decisive, and solutions-oriented
• Poised, patient, and diplomatic across diverse settings
• Deeply committed to advancing equity and inclusion in the arts

Success Metrics

The Major Gifts Senior Advisor is successful when:

• Annual individual giving goals are achieved (e.g., $3M+ in 2026, $4M+ in 2027)
• A qualified pipeline of at least 25 new $25,000+ prospects is developed annually, with 8–12 advanced into six-figure conversations
• The 3-year Major Gifts Strategy is reviewed and refined quarterly in partnership with the Executive Director
• 85% of legacy Triennial 2025 major donors are successfully re-engaged for Triennial 2028 through renewed or increased commitments
• Long-term donor relationships show measurable growth and retention

Primary Responsibilities

Strategy & Leadership

• Provide strategic input to the Major Gifts Strategy (developed by the Executive Director). Lead its execution and ongoing refinement.
• Support funding priorities across Triennial cycles (2028, 2031), annual commissions, the Public Art Accelerator, and general operations.
• Collaborate with Senior Leadership, the Board, and advisors to track progress and pivot approach as needed.

Portfolio Management & Stewardship

• Directly manage a portfolio of 30–50 primary donors ($25,000-$99,999) and high-capacity prospects ($100,000+).
• Provide personalized stewardship and cultivation that encourages long-term relationships, upgrades, and renewed support.
• Re-engage and strengthen relationships with legacy Triennial 2025 donors.

Donor Development & Prospecting

• Identify and cultivate new major gift prospects in partnership with the Executive Director, Board members, and Development staff.
• Lead the Development team in building and strengthening the secondary pipeline ($25,000–$99,999).
• Participate in solicitations, donor visits, and strategic stewardship outreach.

Internal Alignment & Mentorship

• Align (but do not oversee) Major Gifts efforts with Corporate and Institutional fundraising strategies led by the Development Manager to ensure cohesive outreach and messaging.
• Work with the Development staff to integrate major gifts with annual giving, patron programs, and broader development efforts.
• Mentor and support the Development Manager and Coordinator in major gifts best practices, strengthening internal leadership capacity.

Communications & Donor Experience

• Contribute to high-level donor communications, including proposals, impact storytelling, recognition strategies, campaign messaging, and custom stewardship touchpoints.
• Ensure messaging reflects The Triennial’s brand voice, values, and style guidelines.

Operations, Data & Reporting

• Partner with Development staff to ensure accurate, up-to-date records in Salesforce, including donor moves, proposal tracking, and acknowledgments.
• Monitor progress toward goals and, with the Operations & Finance Director, provide insight into pipeline health, opportunities, and risks.

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