Historic New England is the oldest and largest regional heritage organization in the nation, founded in 1910 as the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities.  Under the executive leadership of President and CEO Carl R. Nold since 2003, and with a distinguished Board of Trustees, Historic New England has a vision of being the best heritage organization in America and has made significant progress toward fulfilling that vision.

At a time when many historical organizations nationwide are experiencing declines in attendance and support, Historic New England is pursuing a 2011-2015 strategic agenda that has allowed it to achieve outstanding metrics.  Strategic agenda goal areas are:  Visibility and Access, Community Focus, Heritage Preservation, Regional Focus, Financial Sustainability, and Environmental Sustainability.  By implementing its strategies, Historic New England has achieved increases in attendance each of the last nine consecutive years, with a 4% increase during 2014 to a total of 198,000 participants.  School and youth program attendance has been increased every year since establishment in 1985 with 350 students, for a total of 45,584 served in 2013.  During 2014 membership was increased above 8,000 households for the first time.  Under its regional focus, exhibitions and programs were presented in all six New England states during the past year, and regional staff clusters were established to strengthen connections to the communities that Historic New England serves.

Historic New England is financially sound.  Contributed annual income has been steadily increased to the level of $2.9 million budgeted for FY2015 (through March 31, 2015).  Endowment funds totaling $111 million provide 48% of the annual operating budget of $12 million.  Endowment management is advised by a stellar volunteer committee.  During 2013 return on investment ranked number one among the 444 museums and cultural organizations with which Historic New England benchmarks through investment advisor Cambridge Associates. During 2008-2011 the organization successfully undertook creation of a “Preservation Maintenance Fund” that raised $5.2 million for priority projects to correct deferred maintenance at the properties, and sustains “PMF” as a successful fund-raising brand.

A long history has also continued for acquiring, caring for, and interpreting for the public unparalleled collections of New England buildings, landscapes, artifacts and documents covering four centuries.   In 2012 the organization purchased its most recent historic site, the Eustis Estate in Milton, MA.  A total of 100 acres and 8 historic buildings were acquired to create a house museum and study center for late nineteenth century architecture, landscapes, and interiors; expected to open to the public in 2016.  The project was funded and will be endowed thanks to the generosity of anonymous donors.

In addition, Historic New England cares for the largest collections of New England decorative and fine arts of any institution.  A 142,000 square foot collections center in Haverhill, MA was purchased in 2006 to ensure outstanding professional care and to provide capacity for future growth. Projects over the last four years have made the collections available on the Internet for the first time.  During 2013 the Collections Access portal at www.HistoricNewEngland.org hosted 255,500 page views of collections, expanding international visibility for the organization and rapidly increasing use of collections for research, publication, exhibition, public access and enjoyment.

While impressive, these facts alone do not fully reflect what Historic New England is doing to serve the public. The 36 historic site museums open to the public, located in five New England states, and collaborative programs organized in Vermont where there is not yet a physical presence, are managed with consideration to creative ways in which each can best add value in the host community and provide regional and national leadership in heritage preservation and interpretation.  “Everyone’s History” collaborative programs are introducing Historic New England to diverse communities.  School and youth programs created successfully at Pierce House, Dorchester, MA, were the model for community engagement through new educational programs in Newbury and Quincy, MA, Saunderstown and Lincoln, R.I., Woodstock, CT, and newly-initiated programs in Wiscasset and South Berwick, ME.  Partnerships with other heritage organizations are introducing Historic New England to new communities, new constituencies, and potential new members and donors.

Strategic Direction:

With a reputation as a national leader and steady growth in collections, programs, and public participation, Historic New England is carefully considering how to sustain these high quality professional activities, to continue to build audience and support, and to remain a leader among heritage organizations nationwide.

In the last 5 years, Historic New England has been putting the building blocks in place to anticipate a comprehensive campaign including:

  • Developing priorities for major program and capital priorities
  • Instituting a Board of Overseers, and new annual gifts, major gifts/planned giving, and governance committees
  • Investing endowment funds to support new development staff positions and technology systems
  • Systemically upgrading donor acquisition, solicitation and stewardship processes and outcomes

As a result, Historic New England has created a pre-campaign, flexible donor-centric program, offering prospects a robust menu of program, operating and capital giving opportunities.

With this strong foundation in place, Historic New England will develop a new strategic agenda during 2015, and looks forward to engaging the new Vice President for Advancement as the key leader for development strategy and operations, working with the President/CEO and Trustees to ensure continued success and long-term sustainability.

About the Position:

The Vice President for Advancement will be an essential partner to the President/CEO and Trustees, and will serve as part of the senior management team.  The Vice President will lead a staff of ten development and membership staff that includes full time positions of Senior Manager of Development, Institutional Giving Officer (Grants), and Senior Membership Manager as direct reports.  The development team further consists of an Individual and Planned Giving Officer, Individual Giving Officer (part time), Prospect Manager, Events Manager, Development Coordinator, Development Coordinator Grants (part time), and Membership Coordinator.

Working closely with the recently-established Planned and Major Gifts Committee, Annual Gifts Committee, and Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees, and with the President/CEO, Executive Vice President-COO and leadership team, the Vice President will be charged with strategic leadership and vision for advancement at Historic New England.  The Vice President will design and manage the comprehensive development program, ensuring implementation of timely cultivation, solicitation and stewardship strategies across all donor groups and meeting or exceeding annual and long-term development goals established by the Board of Trustees and President/CEO.

Anticipated Responsibilities:

  • Provide overall strategic direction, and leadership of advancement activities to Historic New England Board of Trustees and staff as a member of the senior management team.
  • Identify, cultivate, solicit and steward current and new major donors across all six New England states and beyond; Steward a personal portfolio of major gift donors.
  • Staff the board development committees and in conjunction with the President/CEO, staff the board governance committee.
  • Grow and manage the development team and development activities including annual fund, major gifts, grants, planned giving, corporate sponsorship, fund raising gala, regional fund raising events, and donor travel and events.
  • Grow and manage the membership team and membership activities that meet or exceed annual targets and retention rate goals; Design and manage the development process, timetable, and budget, ensuring the implementation of timely cultivation, solicitation and stewardship strategies across all donor groups.
  • Meet annual and long-term membership and financial development goals established with the Board of Trustees and President/CEO.
  • Ability to be a strategic and management partner to the President/CEO, leadership team and Board of Trustees.
  • Success in cultivating, soliciting and stewarding major gift donors.
  • Understanding of a broad spectrum fund raising activities such as major gifts, planned giving, grants, membership, annual giving and corporate support.
  • Evidence of ability to manage, motivate, instruct and evaluate the development team and program staff in fund raising opportunities.
  • Excellent presentation and communication skills, written and oral.
  • Appreciation of and commitment to the mission of Historic New England and ability to effectively communicate this to others.
  • New England regional fundraising, membership management and planned giving experience is a plus.
  • Capacity to successfully prepare Historic New England for a capital campaign.

 

Qualifications:

  • Ability to be a strategic and management partner to the President/CEO, leadership team and Board of Trustees.
  • Success in cultivating, soliciting and stewarding major gift donors.
  • Understanding of a broad spectrum fund raising activities such as major gifts, planned giving, grants, membership, annual giving and corporate support.
  • Evidence of ability to manage, motivate, instruct and evaluate the development team and program staff in fund raising opportunities.
  • Excellent presentation and communication skills, written and oral.
  • Appreciation of and commitment to the mission of Historic New England and ability to effectively communicate this to others.
  • New England regional fundraising, membership management and planned giving experience is a plus.
  • Capacity to successfully prepare Historic New England for a capital campaign.

How To Apply:

Please send cover letter and resume in confidence to

HistoricNE@developmentguild.com

Bill Weber, President

Development Guild/DDI

617-277-2112 ext. 239

For more information on Historic New England, please visit www.historicnewengland.org

For more information on Development Guild/DDI, please visit www.developmentguild.com

Apply by:
February 28, 2015