Development & Membership Manager, Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, Hybrid Durham NC

Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

Be You. Be Bold. Choose Duke.

Development & Membership Manager, Full Frame Documentary Film Festival

Job Level: 13

Be You.

At Duke, we celebrate individuality and the unique perspectives that each member of our community brings. As the Development & Membership Manager, you'll support the philanthropic, membership, sponsorship, and community engagement efforts that sustain the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival and the Center for Documentary Studies.

Reporting primarily to the Festival Co-Director of the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, you will work closely with Duke Alumni Engagement & Development, the Center for Documentary Studies (CDS), and university partners to cultivate donor relationships, strengthen membership engagement, support sponsorship growth, and help advance the mission of documentary storytelling and public engagement.

The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival is an Academy Award-qualifying event held annually each spring in downtown Durham and is a program of Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies.

Position Allocation

• 80% of annual effort is dedicated to the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival.
• 20% of annual effort supports the broader development work of the Center for Documentary Studies.
• Allocation may vary seasonally, with greater emphasis on Full Frame leading up to and immediately following the annual festival.

This is a hybrid position with an expectation of working on site at least three days per week. Additional on-site presence may be required during the annual festival, donor activities, events, and periods of increased program activity.

Be Bold.

The Development & Membership Manager is responsible for the administration, coordination, and implementation of Full Frame's annual giving, membership, sponsorship, and development operations in support of the festival and year-round programming.

Working closely with Festival leadership, Duke Alumni Engagement & Development, CDS, and university partners, this position manages the day-to-day infrastructure that supports donor engagement, fundraising operations, sponsorship retention, membership growth, and community partnerships.

What You'll Do

Membership & Donor Programs (25%)

• Serve as the primary internal resource for the planning, coordination, and execution of Full Frame's membership program.
• Manage membership growth, renewal, and stewardship activities.
• Coordinate benefits and recognition for Full Frame members and annual giving donors, including festival pass and ticket reservations and other program benefits, while supporting benefit fulfillment for major donors and philanthropic partners.
• Draft donor and member newsletters, stewardship communications, annual giving fundraising appeals, and membership materials.
• Coordinate donor and member events, including the Festival Directors' Reception, Festival Brunch, and other stewardship opportunities.
• Track member and donor engagement and maintain accurate donor records in Duke's SAP-based development systems and CRM, with supporting internal tracking platforms such as Airtable and Asana.
• Support festival leadership in developing membership and donor strategies, annual giving campaigns, and cultivation and stewardship plans, identifying members and donors with potential for deeper engagement and helping advance appropriate stewardship strategies.

Development Administration & Special Projects (25%)

• Serve as the primary administrator of Full Frame’s development operations, and provide the behind-the-scenes infrastructure necessary to support fundraising, coordinating systems, records, systems reporting, documentation, timelines, and administrative processes that support fundraising.
• Maintain annual fundraising calendars, timelines, project plans, deadlines, and follow-up systems to support the timely execution of development priorities.
• Maintain development files, donor and sponsor documentation, contracts, Deal Memos, CRM records, and internal tracking systems.
• Track gifts, pledges, sponsorship commitments, acknowledgements, stewardship requirements, and related follow-up to ensure commitments are accurately documented and fulfilled.
• Track and report on contributed revenue activity to help leadership assess performance and identify opportunities for growth.
• Prepare donor and sponsor briefing materials, proposals, concept materials, stewardship reports, presentations, and other external-facing development materials that connect Full Frame and CDS priorities with prospective funder and partner interests.
• Manage internal development workflows and follow-up among Full Frame leadership, CDS, Duke Alumni Engagement & Development, and other university partners, tracking next steps and ensuring timely completion of development-related tasks. Own and maintain annual fundraising calendars, project plans, deadlines, and follow-up systems, proactively identifying outstanding actions and ensuring development priorities remain on schedule.
• Draft and coordinate donor, sponsor, member, and internal development correspondence.
• Support the Festival Co-Director with grant and foundation proposals and reporting by coordinating timelines, gathering supporting materials, and preparing required documentation.
• Manage and grow the annual Community Partners program, including recruitment, participant communications, benefit fulfillment, and relationship management.
• Support the Festival Co-Directors in coordinating advisory board activities, meeting materials, communications, and follow-up items.

Festival Sponsorship Program (20%)

• Coordinate and support the growth of Full Frame's corporate sponsorship program prospect identification, outreach, stewardship, administration, and benefit fulfillment.
• Prepare sponsorship agreements and supporting materials in accordance with Duke policies and procedures.
• Track sponsorship commitments and oversee fulfillment of sponsor benefits.
• Manage sponsor recognition, advertising materials, and contractual benefits.
• Maintain sponsorship records and prepare sponsorship reports.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of small and mid-level sponsors. While supporting Festival leadership in the cultivation and management of larger corporate partnerships.

Festival Operations (10%)

• Oversee sponsor, donor, and member hospitality during the annual festival.
• Manage the Patron Table, including recruitment and scheduling of development volunteers and seasonal staff.
• Coordinate development logistics for festival events and donor experiences.
• Perform other development and festival-related duties as assigned.

Center for Documentary Studies Development Support (20%)

• Work with CDS leadership and Duke Alumni Engagement & Development on annual giving, donor engagement, and stewardship activities.
• Develop engagement opportunities for CDS alumni and former participants, including young alumni and Homecoming-related initiatives.
• Support sponsorship, co-sponsorship, and partnership development for CDS exhibitions and public programs.
• Maintain development records and engagement follow-up activities. Help identify effective alumni and donor engagement models from across Duke and comparable organizations.

What You'll Bring

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Three years of experience in fundraising, sales and promotions, or nonprofit administration.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse communities and cultures.
• Strong organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail.
• Experience maintaining accurate records, managing databases or CRM systems, and tracking multiple workflows and deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
• Ability and willingness to learn Access and SAP-based database tools.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, results-oriented team environment.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends and travel as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with and appreciation of Duke University, arts organizations, film festivals, documentary film, or higher education fundraising.
• Experience engaging donors, sponsors, prospects, alumni, and partners from a variety of communities and backgrounds.
• Creativity, adaptability, diplomacy, tact, and relationship-building skills.
• Strong work ethic and commitment to collaborative success.
• Sense of humor and passion for mission-driven work.

Choose Duke.

At Duke University, you will join a community committed to excellence, innovation, creativity, and impact. Your work will help sustain one of the world's premier documentary film festivals while advancing the mission of the Center for Documentary Studies through philanthropy, community partnerships, alumni engagement, and donor stewardship.

Whether supporting documentary storytelling, cultivating meaningful relationships, or enhancing the festival experience for donors, members, and sponsors, you'll play an important role in strengthening programs that connect communities and inspire audiences around the world.

Ready to Make a Difference?

Apply now and help build the philanthropic relationships, community partnerships, and member experiences that support the future of the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival and the Center for Documentary Studies.