Associate Director of Individual Giving

About The Middle East Institute

Founded in 1946, the Middle East Institute is the oldest Washington-based institution dedicated solely to the study of the Middle East. It is a non-partisan think tank providing expert policy analysis, educational and professional development services, and a hub for engaging with the region's arts and culture.

Apply: Middle East Institute - Talent Citizen

Position Title: Associate Director of Individual Giving

Company: Middle East Institute

Status: Full-Time, Exempt

Location: On-Site | Washington, DC

Executive Summary

Middle East Institute seeks applications and nominations for a results-driven and entrepreneurial professional to fill the Associate Director of Individual Giving role. Culturally aware, intellectually curious, and knowledgeable about building meaningful connections, the incoming Associate Director will implement and lead strategies designed to strengthen and expand the Middle East Institute’s (MEI) philanthropic capacity. The Associate Director will play a vital role in cultivating and deepening relationships with high-net-worth individuals and family foundations who are passionate about providing financial support for MEI’s mission of enhancing understanding between the people of the Middle East and the United States.

MEI is leading the way for a new kind of think tank: one that thrives at the intersection of policy, education, and culture. As the oldest Washington-based non-profit dedicated solely to the study of the Middle East, MEI is distinctly non-partisan, reflecting a dedication to increasing the knowledge of a complex region among citizens of the United States and to promoting understanding of the region through a wider lens.

In the interest of peace, human security, prosperity, and improved governance, MEI aims to contribute to the crafting of better policy to the benefit of the people of the Middle East and the United States. MEI is an inclusive convenor that provides multiple points of engagement, including expert policy analysis, educational and professional development programs, and a hub for engaging with the region’s arts and culture.

The Institute’s Policy Center features 18 research programs in which scholars and regional experts produce original research and convene regional and international leaders through roundtables and public events to find solutions to the region’s most challenging issues. In recent years, MEI has expanded its platform to include virtual events that feature more regional voices and attract larger, more international audiences than in the past. MEI’s Arts & Culture Center facilitates cross-cultural understanding by showcasing exciting contemporary and modern art, photography, video, and performances by Middle Eastern artists through exhibitions, festivals, and podcasts hosting them in conversation and connecting them with American counterparts.

MEI has also been expanding its reach with students, academics, and corporate professionals through a variety of educational opportunities, regional studies seminars, youth professional development internships, and a respected peer-reviewed academic journal. MEI’s Oman Library houses a rich collection of over 20,000 books and online resources focused on the Middle East. Readers will find materials in English as well as regional languages such as Arabic, Hebrew, Turkish and Persian with topics spanning culture, history, languages, literature, and politics.

MEI’s intellectual independence and the integrity of its research and recommendations are central to its mission and enables MEI to be inside of a vibrant ecosystem of interested parties across policy, business, government, education, and arts & culture. In 2022, MEI welcomed Chief Development Officer, Courtney Lobel, who oversees the Institute’s multi-pronged fundraising strategy and engagement programs including individual, corporate, and foundation giving. Courtney brings 15 years of experience in senior roles at international policy organizations and the humanitarian sector and has been instrumental in elevating fundraising capacity and achievements at Relief International, the Council on Foreign Relations, International Crisis Group, and American Jewish World Service. Reporting directly to the Chief Development Officer, the Associate Director of Individual Giving will join a growing team that is making exponential strides in enhancing MEI’s development efforts, including a growing member-based program of U.S. and international leaders from corporations and foundations, a burgeoning annual giving program and an individual giving portfolio that is ripe for supporting MEI’s growing body of programs. Working in a hyper-dynamic, entrepreneurial, and intellectually stimulating work environment, the Associate Director will work closely with Courtney Lobel in co-designing and executing on individual giving strategies at five- and six-figure and above range including the cultivation of endowed and named gifts.

The successful candidate must be collaborative and have the ability to combine the creativity, energy, and political savvy needed to gain trust and build lasting and engaged relationships. A highly relational professional and an active listener with impeccable follow-through and the interest and competence to interact with a diverse constituency of accomplished individuals from a multitude of professional backgrounds, academic fields, and countries across a diverse range of topics is essential in this role. Experience managing advisory or membership groups will be considered additive.

Application Instructions

Middle East Institute has partnered with Talent Citizen to assist in this recruitment. For more information, please visit Middle East Institute - Talent Citizen.