Chautauqua Institution, located in southwestern New York State, is a not-for-profit global convener of dialogue and debate on the most significant issues of the day through engagement across four programmatic and thematic pillars – arts, education, religion and recreation. Families, friends, couples and singles gather each summer at Chautauqua to relax and renew in a quintessential lakeside community setting that has inspired minds and hearts, solutions and resolutions, for nearly 150 years. Some 100,000 people visit Chautauqua, some of whom are in residence the entire summer and year-round. Still more engage through an expanding online catalogue of recorded events and livestreamed programs. The full impact of Chautauqua is found in the mix of experiences between and among the pillars.

In 2016, the Institution completed the single-largest campaign in its history: The Promise Campaign. The successful campaign was the most recent demonstration of how throughout its storied history, Chautauqua Institution has been revived, sustained and now thrives on the power of philanthropy.

The Opportunity

The Associate Vice President for Major and Planned Gifts (AVP) will build out and oversee a team of major gift officers and planned giving staff necessary to run a successful comprehensive campaign of significant size. S/He will identify, cultivate, solicit and steward a moderate sized portfolio of donors and major gift prospects to achieve annual revenue goals. The ideal candidate has had success in closing six- and seven-figure gifts and experience with designing and implementing fundraising programs. This exciting opportunity to work closely with the Institution CEO to expand the overall fundraising capacity of the Institution also allows for the opportunity to work remotely during the off-season and in Chautauqua during the entire 9-week summer season.