Development Director – Westchester Children’s Museum – Rye, NY

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Position: Director of Development

Organization: The Westchester Children’s Museum (www.disocverWCM.org)

Location: Rye, New York (in the Bathhouses on the Boardwalk at Playland)

Reporting Relationship:

The Director of Development will report to and work closely with the Executive Director and will work closely with the Board of Directors on fundraising and event planning.

About the Westchester Children’s Museum:

The Westchester Children’s Museum is a celebration of childhood. The museum’s exhibits and programs draw from the region’s rich history, cultural diversity, flourishing ecosystems, and literary and artistic traditions. The museum is a hands-on cultural and educational institution for all children and families. It is a dynamic resource for schools and provide programming and a welcoming environment for special needs children. Programs target children ages 0-12, but learning does not stop there. Through apprenticeships for middle and high school age students, there are opportunities for children to continue to grow and explore.

The Westchester Children’s Museum offers:

A vibrant, interactive, safe setting for children and adults to come together and interact with each other and other members of their community;
Hands-on programs designed to stimulate creative thinking and problem-solving skills;
Accessibility for all learning styles and abilities;
A new venue for school trips, including pre- and post-visit educational programs;
An educational resource center;
Parent programs to support deeper learning.

In addition to onsite exhibits and activities, the museum provides educational programming through a variety of community-based organizations. Since 2010, our “Museum Without Walls” program has reached over 15,000 children at more than 50 local community centers and schools.

About the Opportunity

The Westchester Children’s Museum’s Director of Development will help take the project over our finish line. The Westchester Children’s Museum has been fundraising since 2002. Over the years, without a permanent site, we have raised over $8,000,000. We have invested in the project’s architectural and exhibit plans and need to raise between $6,000,000 and $10,000,000 to complete the project.

The portion of the museum is currently open for summer 2015 and the museum will stay open year around this year for the first time. Our goal is to stay open while we continue to fundraise to support the complete build out and exhibits. We have raised over $2,000,000 since July 2013 when the County Executive awarded the museum its lease.

The Director of Development is a member of the museum’s senior team and will provide leadership, strategic direction and overall management of a comprehensive fundraising program including the museum’s current capital campaign, annual and planned giving programs; corporate, foundation and government relations; identification, cultivation, and stewardship of fundraising prospects; and development of the museum’s membership program. Working closely with the Executive Director this individual will raise an annual budget of $500,000 and a capital campaign budget of at least $6,000,000 through major gift solicitation; Board development and engagement; foundation, corporate and government support; special events and all related activities.

The Director of Development will work closely with and strategically guide a sophisticated, connected and committed Board of Trustees and the Executive Director in executing all fundraising initiatives.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities (including but not limited to)

Plan, design, and evaluate strategies for the stewardship of all aspects of fundraising
Play a key role in the execution of the museum’s current capital campaign
Manage and coordinate with the Board of Development to help achieve all fundraising goals

Expand pool of prospective donors
Facilitate the myriad tasks that must be undertaken to advance the work and progress of the museum, including preparing materials and information that will be used in meetings with prospective donors
Maintain contact with and develop proposals for foundations and corporations

Maintain office systems to support all development projects and operations
Supervise donor and gift acknowledgement, record-keeping and report requirements
Work with museum’s senior staff and board to develop and manage marketing & public relations programs

Candidate Profile

A professional fundraiser with direct major gift responsibility; prior capital campaign experience is especially desirable
A team-oriented manager of the solicitation and cultivation process with strong organizational skills
A sophisticated major gifts solicitor, with sufficient knowledge of planned giving to work with trusts and estates advisors
A strategic thinker who has demonstrated resourcefulness in working collaboratively with many constituencies
An individual who consistently demonstrates discretion and a professional, diplomatic, positive attitude with all people

B.A. degree plus experience using sophisticated fund raising database products; excellent speaking, writing, editing and proofreading skills
A passion for children and the power of children’s museums a must!
Knowledge of Westchester and its towns and neighborhoods a plus!
The position will require working some evenings and weekends related to museum cultivation efforts and fundraising events

Compensation

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. Flexible work week arrangement considered for exceptional candidate with proven record.

How to apply

To Apply

Submit a resume and cover letter by email to staffing@discoverwcm.org

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