Donor & Museum Relations Manager

Job Description:

Position Title:                  Donor & Museum Relations Manager 

Position Summary

The Donor & Museum Relations Manager is an integral part of the museum’s Development team, a donor-centered team focused on establishing long-term sustainable funding for significant museum initiatives. The Donor & Museum Relations Manager works to ensure donors and members experience high-quality interactions with the organization, fostering long-term engagement and investment in the museum’s mission of welcoming all. Additionally, the Donor Relations & Museum Relations Manager oversees the travel program, high-level donor engagements, events and activations designed to engage the museum’s donors and members in meaningful and memorable ways as well as contribute directly to donor retention and increased giving. The Donor & Museum Relations Manager may also be asked to cultivate and steward a small portfolio of donors, tied to a five-figure donation goal, when needed by the Development team. The Donor & Museum Relations Manager maintains accountability standards to supporters and ensures compliance with the code of ethical principles and standards of professional conduct for fundraising professionals.

Principal Responsibilities:

• Contribute directly to continued and increased giving by corporate sponsors and individual donors through the creation and implementation of donor-centric stewardship and cultivation strategies.
• Oversee Donor Relations budget, including forecasting and management of budgets related to staffing, travel, events, activations, etc. Manage timely payment of invoices and submission of expense reports.
• Supervise the Donor Relations team in all duties relating to coordinating high level donor events planning for the travel program, creating guest itineraries, scheduling tours, and other responsibilities.
• Manage all duties relating to organizing high level VIP tours, Museum visiting groups and donor requests, including but not limited to implementing best practices, creating dynamic experiences, and generating revenue upon an agreed upon goal.
• Serve as the primary budget manager for the travel program, donor, member events, and other responsibilities of the role.
• Collaborate with the museum leadership to design a travel schedule that coincides with museum destinations of interest and offers special access opportunities to patrons.
• Build external relationships and work with partnering institutions, auction houses, galleries and supporters to coordinate details for thoughtfully planned trips and experiences.
• Organize site visits to destinations to ensure program standards, meeting with representatives from transportation companies, hotels, restaurants and others as needed.

• Oversee the communications and collateral creation relating to the travel program and special events, ensuring promotions and donor communications occur in a timely, creative, and strategic manner.
• Oversee the creation of itineraries and related materials (i.e. biographies, maps, surveys, etc.) for the travel program.
• Manage the coordination of prospective donor events in local, national and international destinations, working with event sponsors and vendors to ensure high quality production and stewardship.
• Build and maintain external relationships and work with areas hospitality, Business and community industries to increase museum engagement and visitation.
• Oversee the planning of external and internal events for high level donors (i.e. Director’s Receptions and sponsor events), working closely with the Special Events and Culinary departments to ensure optimum quality.
• Liaise with the curatorial, public programs, and education teams on donor cultivation and solicitation opportunities.
• Work closely with the Development team to create and implement stewardship and cultivation strategies for the purpose of increasing donor retention and development revenue.
• Participate in special projects and other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Skills:

Minimum Qualifications

Education, Training, Traits:

• Associate degree with coursework in marketing, public relations, business or communications, or related field
• Adept in the areas of budget management and budget forecasting.
• Proven experience and success in project management within fast-paced working environments.
• Excellent communication, organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to understand and maintain the highest levels of confidentiality and discretion.
• Belief in the museum as a cause for social good and a positive, dynamic force for economic development.

Work Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years’ work experience in at least two of the following areas: project management, development, communications, marketing, customer service.

Licenses and Certifications:

• Valid U. S. Passport or the ability to obtain one upon hire
• Valid U.S. Driver’s License

Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills.
• Strong customer service skills
• Ability to share, collect, and relate information with accuracy and diplomacy.
• Budget management and budget forecasting experience.
• Adept at prioritizing and organizing multiple projects and managing deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Proficient in Excel, PowerPoint and Word.
• Ability to work proficiently in a complex relationship management database.
• Self-directed, able to work independently and effectively as well as in a team environment.
• Creativity, confidence and the ability to collaborate and succeed in a dynamic multi-faceted organization.
• Understand and maintain highest ethical standards related to organizational responsibilities and public accountability.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends depending on the needs of the position.
• Ability to travel for days and weeks at a time both domestically and internationally, according to the travel schedule.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Physical demands: In the work environments described below, Position requires working at desk/workstation and utilizing a computer and telephone for prolonged periods of time, good eye/hand coordination, verbal and written conversation with others, walking, standing, lifting/carrying (up to 20 lbs). Vision abilities required by the job include close vision.

• Work Environment: Work will be performed in an office environment and in Museum spaces as necessary. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.