Director of Development

The Opportunity: The Bruce Museum stands at a pivotal moment. With a recently completed $68 million transformational expansion that tripled gallery space, the Museum is building upon institutional momentum to secure its long-term sustainability and philanthropic growth. The Museum seeks an experienced development professional to serve as Director of Development—providing strategic department leadership, operational excellence, and team management for the Museum's comprehensive development program during this critical phase. This is a compelling opportunity for an accomplished development leader to build and lead a high-performing team during a pivotal period of institutional growth. The incoming Director will shape the department's structure, recruit key roles currently in development, establish the operational infrastructure that will sustain the Museum's philanthropic growth, and drive sustainable results across all revenue streams during an active comprehensive campaign. Working in close partnership with the Director and CEO, the Vice President of Strategic Advancement and Principal Gifts, and the Board of Trustees, the Director of Development will serve as the institution's senior development operations leader, responsible for translating philanthropic vision into executable strategies, managing department staff and systems, and ensuring accountability and continuous improvement across all advancement functions. Position Summary The Director of Development serves as the Museum's senior leader for development operations and annual philanthropic growth, responsible for the strategic planning, management, and execution of the Museum's comprehensive development program. Reporting to the Executive Director and CEO and serving as a member of the senior leadership team, this role provides direct management and professional development for the development staff and ensures accountability, operational excellence, and continuous improvement across all fundraising functions. The Director of Development provides strategic and operational leadership for the Museum's core development functions, including major gifts, annual giving, membership, institutional giving (foundations, corporations, and government), database management, donor relations, and stewardship. The Director of Development works in close partnership with the Vice President of Strategic Advancement and Principal Gifts—who focuses on principal gift relationships ($250K+) and campaign leadership—to coordinate prospect strategies, support campaign execution, and ensure that annual operations and campaign priorities are aligned and mutually reinforcing. The Museum is engaged in a multi-year comprehensive campaign that will strengthen both annual operations and long-term institutional sustainability. The Director of Development plays a central role in translating campaign priorities into effective operations and ensuring that annual fundraising and campaign activity advance together. This position does not supervise the Vice President of Strategic Advancement and Principal Gifts but collaborates closely to integrate campaign activity with the Museum's broader advancement program and ensure organizational readiness for comprehensive campaign success. Key Responsibilities Strategic Leadership and Planning Develop and execute a comprehensive annual development plan with measurable goals, strategies, timelines, and accountability metrics aligned with campaign priorities and institutional objectives Establish and monitor key performance indicators for all development functions, including major gifts, annual fund, membership, institutional giving, and donor retention Lead strategic planning processes for the development department, ensuring alignment with Museum priorities and Board expectations Partner with the Executive Director and CEO and Vice President of Strategic Advancement and Principal Gifts to develop institutional fundraising strategy and positioning Provide regular reporting and analysis to Museum leadership and Board of Trustees on fundraising performance, pipeline development, and departmental operations Team Management and Development Directly supervise and provide professional development for development staff, including team members engaged in running major gifts, institutional giving, membership, annual fund, special events, data operations, and support staff. Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations for all team members Conduct regular performance reviews, goal-setting, and professional development planning Foster a collaborative, high-performing team culture with clear accountability and mutual support Recruit, onboard, and retain talented development professionals Provide coaching, mentoring, and career development opportunities for staff Create systems for effective internal communication, coordination, and cross-functional collaboration Operational Excellence and Infrastructure Develop and implement policies, procedures, and best practices for all development operations, including gift processing, donor acknowledgment, stewardship protocols, and data management. Ensure database integrity, utilization, and strategic deployment for prospect identification, donor tracking, campaign management, and reporting. Oversee budget development and management for the development department Establish standardized processes for proposal development, grant management, and institutional giving Implement moves management systems and portfolio management protocols Ensure compliance with fundraising regulations, ethical standards, and institutional policies Coordinate cross-departmental collaboration with Finance, Marketing, Curatorial, and Audience Engagement to support integrated advancement strategy Major Gifts and Institutional Giving Maintain a personal portfolio of major gift prospects ($100K–$250K) for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship Oversee major gifts pipeline development, prospect research, and portfolio management across the development team Support the Vice President of Strategic Advancement and Principal Gifts with campaign strategy, prospect coordination, and high-level donor engagement Ensure effective coordination of institutional giving strategy, including foundation and corporate relations, grant writing, and reporting Develop compelling cases for support, proposals, and donor-facing materials Stewardship and Donor Relations Oversee comprehensive donor stewardship program, ensuring timely acknowledgment, meaningful engagement, and cultivation strategies for donors at all levels Direct donor relations programming, including cultivation events, recognition opportunities, and special experiences Ensure effective coordination of patron programs and donor affinity groups Monitor donor retention metrics and implement strategies to improve donor loyalty and upgrade potential Campaign Support and Coordination Work in close partnership with the Vice President of Strategic Advancement and Principal Gifts to support campaign execution, including prospect identification, solicitation coordination, and gift documentation Ensure operational support for campaign activities, including database tracking, reporting, volunteer coordination, and donor communications Coordinate staff participation in campaign activities and ensure alignment between annual operations and campaign priorities Required Qualifications Minimum of 7–10 years of progressive fundraising experience, with at least 3–5 years in a management role overseeing development staff and operations Demonstrated success in major gifts fundraising, including personal solicitation experience securing gifts of $50K or more Proven track record of building, leading, and developing high-performing fundraising teams Experience developing and implementing comprehensive development plans with measurable outcomes Strong operational expertise, including database management, budget oversight, and process development Experience working in cultural institutions, museums, or arts organizations strongly preferred Campaign experience, including participation in feasibility studies, campaign planning, and execution Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred Skills and Competencies Strategic leadership: Ability to develop vision, set priorities, and execute plans that generate measurable results Team management: Proven ability to hire, develop, motivate, and retain talented professionals while fostering accountability and collaboration Operational excellence: Strong organizational skills with demonstrated ability to establish systems, policies, and procedures that improve efficiency and effectiveness Fundraising expertise: Deep knowledge of fundraising best practices, including prospect management, moves management, gift solicitation strategies, and donor stewardship Interpersonal skills: Exceptional relationship-building abilities with diverse constituencies, including donors, Board members, staff, volunteers, and community leaders Communication skills: Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to craft compelling proposals, donor correspondence, and strategic documents Analytical capability: Strong data literacy and ability to use metrics, analytics, and research to inform strategy and measure progress Collaborative approach: Ability to work effectively across departments, reduce silos, and build partnerships that advance institutional goals Adaptability: Comfort working in a dynamic, evolving environment with competing priorities and the ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution Commitment to mission: Genuine passion for arts, culture, science, education, and community engagement Personal Characteristics Professional maturity and sound judgment High level of integrity and ethical standards Solutions-oriented mindset with a bias toward action Enthusiasm for building organizational capacity and developing talent Ability to inspire confidence and trust among staff, donors, and leadership Resilience and grace under pressure Sense of humor and positive attitude Curiosity about art, science, and their intersection Comfort leading in a transforming institution #J-18808-Ljbffr