Major Gifts Officer [Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito, CA]

POSITION SUMMARY

The Bay Area Discovery Museum is seeking a Major Gifts Officer to secure philanthropic contributions from individuals in support of our mission: to ignite and advance creative thinking for all children. In the past 3 years, the Museum’s annual operating budget has almost doubled, in large part due to fundraising successes. With this new addition of a second Major Gifts Officer focused exclusively on 5 and 6 figure gifts, we can continue building upon our momentum to realize our mission and vision.

Last year, the Museum adopted a new strategic plan, which calls for reaching 1 million children annually and giving them a better start in life. We will do this 1) onsite through increased access and attendance by children, families, and teachers; 2) locally through our outreach and partnerships in low-income communities; and 3) nationally through our research center, the Center for Childhood Creativity.

The Major Gifts Officer is an additional position on the individual giving team which will enable the Museum to reach these strategic goals by securing significant gifts from individuals in support of our programs, exhibits, and initiatives. Examples of current funding priorities include our Early Childhood Fab Lab (launching January 2016), our new School Visits and School Readiness programs, our Brain Dome exhibit (opening September 2016), and our creativity development research initiatives.

The Museum understands that fundraising is a key enabler of its success; from the CEO to the VP of Education Strategy, we support the work of the development team, including the Major Gifts Officer. Therefore, this position will work closely with the Board of Trustees, CEO, VP of Education Strategy, and VP of External Relations to move individuals through the cycle of identification through cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.  The position reports directly to the VP of External Relations.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work with VP of External Relations and current Major Gifts Officer to identify and build a second major gifts portfolio of 75 – 100 individuals capable of making gifts between $25,000 and $100,000.
• Personally manage the portfolio by implementing identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for each prospect.
• Work collaboratively with CEO, VP of Education Strategy, and VP of External Relations – as well as other Museum staff – on developing individual giving strategies and to cultivate, solicit and steward donors.
• Actively participate in the strategy, design and messaging of the Museum’s major fundraising events and cultivation/stewardship events.
• Ensure the highest quality donor stewardship. Respond quickly and effectively to donor requests; create and implement stewardship strategies.
• Track and prepare regular reports on the status and budgets for major gift categories.