Director of Individual Giving

Director of Individual Giving

Position Summary

The Maryland Center for History and Culture (MCHC) is entering one of the most ambitious and exciting chapters in its 180-year history. Uniquely positioned to connect Maryland’s rich and complex story to the broader American experience, MCHC brings together extraordinary collections, scholarship, exhibitions, education, and community engagement to serve audiences across the state and beyond. As the organization enters the largest campaign in its history, new members of the External Affairs team will have an exceptional opportunity to shape MCHC’s future, deepen its impact, and help illuminate Maryland’s stories for generations to come.

The Director of Individual Giving leads the membership program and Annual Fund strategy for MCHC. This role is responsible for increasing individual support through donor acquisition, retention, membership upgrades, stewardship, and portfolio management, while connecting members and donors to MCHC’s mission, collections, and programs. This position will develop compelling donor solicitations and engagement opportunities that convey the importance and impact of philanthropy at MCHC, as well as personally manage a portfolio of prospects. Reporting to the Vice President of External Affairs and working collaboratively across departments, the Director will strengthen pathways from first-time visitor or member engagement to deeper annual and major gift relationships. The Director also supervises the Database & Annual Giving Operations Manager.

Key Responsibilities

Individual Giving and Annual Fund Strategy

· Develop and execute a comprehensive strategy for the engagement, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of MCHC members and Annual Fund donors.

· Manage mailed appeals, pledge reminders, giving challenges, and days of giving.

· Oversee the acknowledgement and stewardship of individual donors and members, including special events, donor listings, and personal touchpoints.

· Manage a portfolio of leadership Annual Fund prospects; personally cultivate, solicit, and steward donors to increase support and build the major gift pipeline.

· Partner with the VP of External Affairs, MCHC leadership, and the External Affairs Board Committee on Annual Fund and membership strategy.

· Develop reporting and dashboards to track progress; analyze membership and individual giving data to refine fundraising strategies and improve results.

Membership Program Leadership

· Oversee membership acquisition, renewals, upgrades, benefits, communications, stewardship, and reporting.

· Convert visitors and program attendees into members and donors.

· Evaluate membership levels, benefits, pricing, and messaging to keep the program compelling, accessible, and financially sustainable.

· Collaborate across the museum, library, marketing, education, and visitor experience teams to deliver meaningful member experiences.

Donor Events and Stewardship

· Lead the internal planning team for the annual History Makers Awards & Dinner, MCHC’s signature fundraising event for the Annual Fund.

· Build donor-centered stewardship that demonstrates the impact of annual gifts and membership support.

· Lead the preparation of the Annual Report of Giving and associated donor lists.

· Plan and support cultivation and stewardship events for members, Annual Fund donors, leadership donors, and major gift prospects.

· Represent the External Affairs team at MCHC events and programs; serve as an ambassador for the institution and our mission.

Operations and Data Management

· Oversee the maintenance of accurate donor and member records, including gifts, acknowledgments, notes, call reports, and fundraiser actions.

· Oversee prompt and accurate gift entry and donor acknowledgement.

· Partner with finance staff to reconcile fundraising totals, monitor revenue, forecast results, and prepare reports.

· Ensure excellent customer service during member and donor interactions.

Qualifications and Experience

· Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.

· At least five years of progressive fundraising experience, preferably in a museum, library, cultural, educational, or nonprofit setting.

· Success managing annual giving, membership, stewardship, and/or donor programs.

· Experience cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual donors, including portfolio management and direct asks.

· Strong understanding of membership strategy, donor pipelines, segmentation, retention, renewals, upgrades, and acquisition.

· Excellent writing, presentation, communication, interpersonal, project management, data, and analytical skills.

· Proficiency with donor databases, CRM systems, and Microsoft Office applications.

· Collaborative, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple campaigns, deadlines, events, and relationships.

· Supervisory experience overseeing staff, interns, and/or project teams.

Preferred Qualifications

· Experience in a museum, library, cultural institution, or other nonprofit.

· Familiarity with Maryland's philanthropic landscape and local community.

· Knowledge of history, arts, cultural heritage, archives, libraries, and/or museum education.

· Experience working with trustees, volunteers, and senior executives.

· Experience working with the Salesforce and Veevart CRM platforms.

About the Position

This is a full-time, exempt, salaried position with full benefits package, including medical, dental, 403(b) retirement plan, and a health savings account. Full-time employees of MCHC are part of a generous paid leave policy that offers up to 20 days of annual leave and 12 days of sick leave annually in addition to the recognition of 11 federal holidays. Free onsite parking is available for staff. The salary range is $75-80K annually. Core work hours are 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Evening and weekend work will be required to support fundraising and engagement events.

About MCHC

The Maryland Center for History and Culture collects, preserves, and interprets the history, art, and culture of Maryland. By exploring multiple perspectives and sharing national stories through the lens of Maryland, MCHC inspires critical thinking, creativity, and community. Learn more at mdhistory.org.

MCHC is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or any other status protected by law and strongly encourages all qualified professionals to apply.