The German American Heritage Center and Museum seeks a Director of Development to support the goals and mission of the museum. The Director of Development will play a crucial role in fostering and maintaining relationships with our members, donors, and sponsors. This position involves managing donor communications, organizing fundraising events, and ensuring that our constituents feel valued and informed about the impact of their contributions. The ideal candidate will have strong communication skills, a passion for history, and a commitment to enhancing the donor experience.
 
Title: Director of Development
Reports to: Executive Director 
Status: Full-time 40 hours/week, flexible scheduling, weekend availability
Compensation: $40,000-50,000
Benefits: Employer-contributed Health Reimbursement Account, 401(k), two weeks vacation, flexible scheduling
 
Key Responsibilities & Duties - Development (20 hours/week):
- Secure financial support from individuals, foundations, and corporations
- Research and write grants to seek funding from foundations, corporations, and government agencies
- Develop and maintain relationships with major individual and corporate donors and sponsors
- Develop and maintain regular communication with donors, including newsletters, thank-you letters, impact reports, phone calls, and in-person meetings
- Develop and oversee the museum’s annual fundraising plan including our Birdies for Charity and Annual Appeal campaigns
- Gather feedback from donors to enhance their engagement and improve the donor experience
- Maintain accurate records of donor information and interactions in the museum’s donor database
- Utilize data to construct reports and strategies for fundraising campaigns
- Prepare and deliver presentations and reports highlighting the impact of donor contributions on museum programs and initiatives.
- Work closely with the museum leadership and staff to align donor relations strategies with the goals of the museum 
- Develop print and digital marketing related to fundraising in collaboration with the museum team and the Marketing Committee
- Develop strategic messaging using organizational storytelling and data
- Assist with planning and implementing social media campaigns
- Assist with special event coordination and planning
- Attend weekly staff meetings and relevant committee meetings
- Represent GAHC&M at community events
- Other projects and duties as assigned
 
 
Key Responsibilities & Duties - Memberships (20 hours/week)
- Assist membership management, including new members, membership renewals, and recapturing memberships
- Enter outstanding renewals and new memberships into Bloomerang
- Manage list of Life Members
- Provide an itemized weekly transaction report (transmittal sheet) that summarizes operating income received in the gift shop and by mail - membership fees, admissions, donations, rental fees, and gift shop purchases
- Prepare the bank deposit slip for cash revenue, deposit cash at the bank, and process checks through the bank remote deposit machine
- Keep a log of completed Birdies for Charity forms (with payment) and mail at appropriate times to the Birdies for Charity office
- Maintain database for fundraising campaigns including Birdies for Charity and the Annual Appeal
- Send thank you letters to donors and campaign contributors
 
 
Additional Duties:
- Assist with facility rentals, including setup and teardown of event space if needed.
- Assist at the front desk with guest services if needed.
- Supervise development interns and/or graduate assistants if needed.
 
 
Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required, ideally in communications, nonprofit administration, museum studies, or a related field OR 1-3 years’ experience in the field of nonprofit development.
• Previous experience and subject matter knowledge in donor relations, fundraising, or nonprofit administration required
• Experience building and maintaining long-term relationships with individuals, donors, staff, and community members including foundations and corporations.
• Ability to communicate effectively and persuasively through conversations, presentations, and writing for engaging donor engagement, correspondence, and presentations.
• Strong organizational abilities to manage multiple projects, deadlines, and details effectively.
• Ability to independently and collaboratively manage the development efforts of the organization
• Experience with fundraising, planned giving, and legacy planning
• Proficiency with technology including:
  • Bloomerang
  • Canva
  • Constant Contact
  • Excel and Google Sheets
  • Facebook Business Suite
  • Square
  • Word and Google Docs
  • WordPress