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Director, Major & Individual Giving

New York City, New York (onsite)

About the Organization

The American Museum of Natural History, founded in 1869 with a dual mission of scientific research and science education, is one of the world’s preeminent scientific, educational, and cultural institutions. The Museum encompasses more than 40 permanent exhibition halls, galleries for temporary exhibitions, the Rose Center for Earth and Space including the Hayden Planetarium, and the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation. The Museum’s scientists draw on a world-class permanent collection of more than 30 million specimens and objects, some of which are billions of years old, and on one of the largest natural history libraries in the world. Through its Richard Gilder Graduate School, the Museum offers two of the only free-standing, degree-granting programs of their kind at any museum in the U.S.: the Ph.D. program in Comparative Biology and the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Earth Science residency program. Visit amnh.org for more information.

Position Overview

AMNH is seeking a strategic, entrepreneurial, and bold Director, Major & Individual Giving to design and drive a best-in-class individual giving program for the Museum.

Reporting to the Vice President, Advancement, the Director will spearhead efforts to attract new mid-level (4-5-figure) and major gift level (6+ figure) prospects and donors, while deepening relationships with current supporters through innovative cultivation and stewardship strategies. The Director will set the vision and strategy for a comprehensive individual giving program, developing and owning multi-year and annual goals to scale the program which currently generates over $6.5M annually. An adept leader, the Director will manage and inspire frontline fundraisers focused on securing and growing mid-level gifts and major gifts, as well as foster volunteer engagement through the management of Museum councils and donor engagement efforts.

The Director will also manage the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of their own portfolio of major donors and prospects. They will serve as a key collaborator with colleagues both within the department and across the Museum to advance individual giving efforts.

This is a high-impact opportunity for a results-driven leader to join a world-renowned cultural institution and advance its mission with transformative philanthropic support. 

Responsibilities

Strategic Vision

  • Lead in the creation, design and execution of the Museum’s Individual Giving (mid-and-major-level) goals and strategies to retain and grow current donors, as well as expand the base of donor support, including by developing metrics to measure ongoing success and ROI.
  • Develop a strong working knowledge of Museum programs and funding priorities, to articulate a compelling case for support to all constituents. 

Team Leadership & Management

  • Manage and mentor a team of frontline fundraisers focused on mid-level and major giving, providing oversight and coaching to exceed revenue targets and institutional goals while advancing their careers.
  • Partner with fundraisers to develop customized portfolio strategies to deepen ties to the Museum and ultimately deliver year-over-year revenue growth.

Major Gift Cultivation

  • Build and manage a personal portfolio of major gift-level donors and prospects, crafting customized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies to deepen their engagement and relationships with the Museum, and inspire increased investment in Museum priorities.
  • Oversee the management of the Museum’s volunteer engagement program – which currently includes the Museum Advisory Council, the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation Advisory Council, and family engagement strategies – strengthening the Museum’s pipeline of philanthropic leaders and advocates.

Cross-functional Collaboration

  • Collaborate with colleagues in Advancement and across the Museum, including scientists, educators, and exhibition specialists, to design compelling donor experiences, proposals, and recognition.
  • Champion a culture of philanthropy across the organization, promoting fundraising as a shared responsibility and energizing colleagues and volunteers to advance the Museum’s mission.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree required.
  • Minimum of ten (10) years of professional experience in fundraising, including at least four (5) years of frontline experience with demonstrated success in soliciting and closing gifts at the major gifts level (6+ figure), a proven track record of meeting ambitious fundraising goals, and demonstrated growth in scope, scale, and responsibility of positions.
  • Minimum of four (4) years of management experience, successfully leading and managing a team and creating a positive and productive work environment through collaboration, trust, and transparency.
  • Experience working closely with high net-worth individuals, identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gifts with diplomacy and maturity.
  • Demonstrated experience effectively working with key leaders, high-level volunteers, Board members, and colleagues, building trust and inspiring confidence.
  • Ability to manage competing priorities adeptly and navigate complex stakeholder environments with resilience.
  • Expert written and oral communication skills and the ability to communicate AMNH’s mission to a broad audience.
  • Adept at crafting compelling proposals, donor correspondence, and other materials.
  • Proficient use of Microsoft Office programs, internet applications, and fundraising databases (knowledge of and experience with Raiser’s Edge, a plus).
  • Ability to travel locally and work occasional evenings and weekends.
  • Understanding of cultural fundraising and the NYC donor/philanthropic landscape preferred.

Compensation & Benefits

  • Annual salary in the range of $150,000-165,000. Pay will be determined based on several factors. The hiring range for the position at commencement is based on the type of work and the scope of responsibilities. The salary and placement offered is based on a number of individualized factors, including, but not limited to, skills, knowledge, training, education, credentials, areas of specialization and depth and scope of experience.
  • AMNH offers an extensive benefits package including Medical, Dental, and Life Insurance, Retirement Plans, and PTO. Learn more at careers.amnh.org.

Orr Group 

AMNH has retained the Orr Group to conduct this search. Please direct all inquiries and interest to the Orr Group search team. 

Jessica Shatzel

Senior Director & Head of Talent Strategy

Orr Group

jshatzel@orrgroup.com

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