POSITION HAS BEEN FILLED

Position Title: Development Director
Reports To: Executive Director
Level: Full Time
Supervises: Assistant Director of Development; Marketing and PR Manager

Background:
Established in 2007 as an expansion of the 105-year-old Fairfield Historical Society, The Fairfield Museum is today a vibrant nexus of community life that welcomes more than 35,000 visitors annually. Our community-focused mission has guided our success in becoming a focal point of civic pride, a prominent center for the study of arts and humanities, and an award-winning institution of statewide renown. We maintain an eighteenth-century historic home and operate five Town-owned historic properties as part of a creative placemaking initiative to create a dynamic center for arts, humanities and performance in the center of Fairfield. The Museum’s research library is among the best resources for Connecticut history in the state, used by hundreds of students, scholars and researchers each year.

Education and civic engagement are at the core of the Fairfield Museum’s mission, and over the past decade, we have worked closely with schools to ensure that our education programs support national, state and local learning goals. Each year we welcome more than 4,500 students and teachers from 65 schools from across southwestern CT for educational programs, and we provide free programs for underserved students.

Fairfield Museum believes that sharing diverse stories about our past, celebrating the individual’s role in catalyzing social change and promoting the value of an informed and active citizenry help empower students and their families to become active lifelong learners. Our programs vividly connect the past to the present, sparking the notion that we all have the power to make history and that by working together we can shape a better, more inclusive future for all. Fairfield Museum also presents topical exhibitions that delve deeply into the history and context behind important issues of our time, explore those issues through multiple perspectives and inspire informed discussion about the future of our community and nation.

Fairfield Museum recently led the revitalization of Fairfield’s adjoining historic Town Green, expanding its learning campus to include three recently-restored historic properties and landscapes dating back to the early 17th century. That ambitious, creative place-making initiative is expanding the Museum’s program and education capacity and catalyzing greater collaboration with regional cultural organizations to create an exciting center for art and performance.

Fairfield Museum is an efficiently-run and financially stable organization. Our $1.2M operating budget is derived from diverse and balanced sources that include earned income, foundation and government grants, contributed income, and income from our endowment.

We are currently seeking a Director of Development who will work closely with Board and staff to oversee the planning and implementation of a multi-faceted fund development and external communications program to achieve the Museum’s short- and long-term fundraising goals.

Responsibilities:
The Development Director will work closely with the Museum’s Executive Director and Board to lead the following advancement activities:

Planning: Develop and implement, with the Executive Director and Board, a comprehensive fund development and communication plan that establishes short and long-term goals and priorities.
• Develop and implement moves management strategies for identifying, cultivating and stewarding donors.
• Build and implement a fundraising program with a focus on individual giving, annual fund, membership, grants, corporate sponsorship, and special events.
• Ensure timely communication and stewardship of existing donors.

Annual Giving: Plan and coordinate annual giving campaigns.
• Develop fundraising strategies and support the Executive Director and Board in gift solicitations.
• Draft and oversee direct mailings, email, social media, and other forms of donor solicitation.

Corporate Sponsorship: Plan and implement corporate sponsorship programs.
• Identify and cultivate prospective corporate sponsors.
• Develop proposals and solicit sponsorship support for Museum exhibitions, programs, and events.

Grant proposals:
• Identify, research, and steward foundation prospects.
• Draft proposals and reports with support from Museum staff.

Prospect Research and Stewardship: Oversee and coordinate all aspects of donor relations, communication, recognition, and stewardship.

External Affairs: Oversee the Marketing and PR Manager in the development of communication and marketing strategies that strengthen the Fairfield Museum’s brand and grow its base of support.

Major Giving: Plan and implement major gift campaigns.
• Conduct prospect research, develop solicitation plans, and coordinate solicitation meeting with Executive Director and Board.

Special Events: Manage and coordinate volunteer event committees, vendors, and staff in the execution of annual fund-raising events.

Administration: Direct all work assignments of the Development Department:
• Supervise support staff, interns, and volunteers in gift processing, donor acknowledgement, and membership fulfillment.
• Oversee the maintenance of donor records and databases (currently in Giftworks).
• Manage departmental budget.
• Ensure that all development activities happen in a timely, efficient, and ethical manner.
• Work closely with other departments to coordinate stewardship and funding opportunities with Museum programming.

Other Duties as required to meet the Fairfield Museum’s fund development goals.

Qualifications:
Successful applicants will bring creative energy, attention to detail, and enthusiasm to their work, and have 3-5 years of relevant work experience. Applicants should also clearly demonstrate their ability and experience with:
• Planning and implementing comprehensive fund-raising campaigns that meet or exceed organizational goals.
• Inspiring and managing a diverse team of staff, interns and volunteers.
• Being an energetic self-starter, creative problem solver, effective leader and enthusiastic advocate of the Fairfield Museum’s mission and programs.
• Communicating verbally and in writing with a variety of audiences.
• Having a highly organized and efficient work ethic, and the ability to simultaneously balance multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Managing budgets, contracts, and working within tight deadlines.
• Working with Microsoft Office, project management software, and donor databases.

This is a full-time, senior management position requiring occasional evening and weekend hours. Salary range $90-100,000 / year, or commensurate with experience, with a generous benefit package including health, disability, dental, and life insurance, and employer-sponsored 401K.

To Apply:
All resumes should be sent to search@fairfieldhs.org by October 15, 2019. Please name your documents as follows: LAST NAME – RESUME and LAST NAME – COVER LETTER. The Fairfield Museum is an equal opportunity employer.

About Fairfield, CT
Listed as one of Money Magazine’s best places to live, Fairfield, CT enjoys a thriving downtown, two large universities, a lively restaurant scene, great music and theater venues and five miles of beaches on the Long Island Sound coastline. The schools are among the state’s best. Fairfield is an hour away from New York by train and ½ hour from New Haven, CT.