Director of Development

The Director of Development (DOD) will be responsible for planning, implementing, overseeing, and assessing Berkshire Museum’s annual fundraising, capital, and endowment campaigns in support of the organization’s strategic vision and growth. Reporting to the Executive Director and a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the DOD will be responsible for securing contributed revenues through the museum’s ongoing fundraising drives; foundation, corporate, and government grants; special events; facility rentals; membership and major giving, including planned gifts; and donor stewardship programs. The DOD will strengthen the culture of philanthropy at the Berkshire Museum in partnership with the Executive Director, Board of Trustees, senior staff, museum partners, and community to identify and cultivate new donors while energizing and stewarding the donor base.

Roles and Responsibilities
Development Leadership and Planning
 Develop, coordinate, and implement a comprehensive annual fundraising plan, including appeals, special events, membership, gifts and grants, sponsorship, endowment, capital, and special projects, with goals, objectives, timelines, and assigned responsibilities to meet the museum’s strategic goals.
 Lead and oversee the current $6 million capital campaign to support the renovation of the museum’s first floor.
 Create individualized strategies for identifying, engaging, cultivating, and stewarding institutional and individual stakeholders for operational and capital giving.
 Cultivate and maintain strong partnerships with the Executive Director, Board, major donors, foundations, public agencies, grantors, and corporate funders to grow significant contributed revenue opportunities.

 Collaborate with the Executive Director, Chief Curator, Chief Financial Officer, development staff, and Board of Trustees to secure the necessary funding for exhibitions, events, education programs, and acquisitions that are vital to community engagement and the reputation of the museum.

 Guide, cultivate, and increase the membership base, creating compelling opportunities for members, while actively developing a pipeline for community engagement and support.

 Maintain knowledge of best practices in nonprofit governance, state and federal laws and regulations, and significant trends in philanthropy, adapting fundraising strategies, as necessary.

 Embrace other development leadership and planning responsibilities, as needed.

Board Engagement
 Partner with the Executive Director to identify and recruit new board members, educate members about their role in advancing a culture of philanthropy, cultivate and solicit them for financial support, and leverage their respective networks to expand the donor base and support for the museum.
 Serve as the liaison to the Board Development, Nominating, and Governance Committees, devising strategies that create meaningful paths for the Berkshire’s community to engage in supporting the museum as donors, collectors, advisors, partners, sponsors, and community ambassadors.
 Ensure efficient and timely development and distribution of agendas and reports to inform decisions that advance the mission and goals of the museum.
 Advise board members, both individually and collectively, on best practices in community ambassadorship and donor cultivation.
 Embrace other board engagement responsibilities, as needed.

Team and Organizational Oversight
 Lead and oversee the development team in creating and promoting effective cultivation and solicitation opportunities that involve the Director, Board of Trustees, and other staff members.
 Partner with the Chief Financial Officer to ensure sound fiscal operation of the fundraising function, including timely, accurate, and comprehensive budgeting, monitoring, forecasting, and reporting of charitable contributions and department expenses.
 Collaborate with the Marketing Director to ensure consistent messaging and outreach strategies as they affect all fundraising efforts.
 Recruit, diversify, coach, inspire, and motivate a strong fundraising team that represents the diverse communities that Berkshire Museum serves.
 Create a supportive, collaborative, productive, and healthy work environment based on respect, teamwork, and the equity, diversity, and inclusion values of the museum.
 Oversee the strategic management and use of the database and other development communication tools, coordinating communications with existing and potential donors to ensure the highest level of donor engagement and satisfaction.
 Ensure high-quality, individualized, and meaningful stewardship of donors, coordinating with development and museum staff, and Board of Trustees, and personally stewarding donors, as needed.
 Embrace other team and organizational oversight responsibilities, as needed.
 Understand the requirement to work onsite a majority of the time.

Traits and Characteristics
The DOD will be a proven leader and confident development professional, with an affinity for Berkshire Museum’s mission, collections, and programs, and a passion to positively impact the organization’s long-term success. The successful DOD will be goal-oriented and highly self-motivated, balancing both autonomy and collaboration with finesse. They will be both highly accountable with strong attention to detail and exceptional follow-through in partnership with the Executive Director, Board of Trustees, and senior leadership team. This individual will have the ability and cultural competence to build authentic relationships with people from diverse backgrounds, with a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its forms.

Other key competencies include:
 Leadership and Teamwork – The ability to articulate a vision and create a sense of purpose and direction for internal and external stakeholders, build trust by demonstrating respect and integrity, and create a sense of trust, order, direction, and active participation among the board, staff, and other stakeholders to achieve collective goals.
 Time and Priority Management – The aptitude to ascertain competing priorities, resolve difficulties, overcome obstacles, and maximize the use of time and resources to attain the desired outcomes.
 Planning and Organizing – The competence to identify and oversee all resources, tasks, systems, and people to establish courses of action to ensure that work is completed effectively.
 Diplomacy and Interpersonal Skills – The dexterity to connect with a diverse array of people and personalities, while effectively communicating, building rapport, and relating well to all kinds of people.

Qualifications
A minimum of seven years of experience in progressively responsible development leadership roles is needed with a clear understanding of all functional areas, which include but are not limited to individual giving, institutional giving, ongoing appeals, foundation and government grants, membership programs, planned and endowment gifts, stewardship, and board relations. Participation in a major capital, endowment, or comprehensive campaign is preferred but not required. Excellent written and interpersonal skills, a genuine enthusiasm for art and art education, and a high degree of professionalism and integrity are needed. Educational credentials supporting leadership acumen, organizational growth, arts and culture experiences, and community engagement are highly desired.

Compensation and Benefits
Berkshire Museum offers competitive compensation with an anticipated annual salary range estimated to be between $125,000 to $140,000; a generous benefits package, including paid vacation based on years of employment, a 403(b) retirement program with company match, parental leave benefit, and a professional development program. This position requires full-time residency in the Berkshires for the DOD to become fully immersed in the mission and overall objectives of the museum.

Applications and Inquiries
To submit a cover letter and resume highlighting relevant and demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred), please visit: https://artsconsulting.com/opensearches/berkshire-museum-seeks-director-of-development/

The Berkshire Museum believes diversity strengthens our community. We believe that recruiting, supporting, and retaining a diverse staff is essential to providing an excellent and representative educational experience for our visitors. We support equity through representative hiring practices and welcome applications from members of communities that have historically not been represented in museum positions.