Advancement Director

BlueSteps Connect; United States; On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

BlueSteps Connect is supporting a Pittsburgh museum in recruiting an Advancement Director to lead fundraising, membership, and marketing initiatives. The role oversees key managers, builds relationships with donors and funders, and acts as a public-facing spokesperson for the institution.

The Advancement Director will work with the Executive Director to align strategies with programmatic goals, drive resource growth, and help celebrate the museum’s 50th anniversary with engaging donor

Qualifications

• Experience leading fundraising programs and donor cultivation.
• Ability to build and communicate compelling stories to supporters.
• Strong leadership and collaboration with senior teams.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement fundraising, membership, and marketing strategies.
• Oversee Development and Membership Manager and Marketing Manager.
• Cultivate relationships with donors, foundations, corporate funders, and boards.
• Serve as public-facing spokesperson and advocate for the museum.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director on strategic initiatives.
• Coordinate and contribute to signature events like Garden Party.

Skills

Fundraising strategy

Donor relations

Team leadership

Public speaking

Job description

The client is a contemporary art museum and artist residency located in Pittsburgh’s Northside. Founded in 1977, it is dedicated to site-specific, experimental, and alternative art forms and supports artists across disciplines with time, space, resources, and a team. The museum also connects new works with the public through exhibitions, tours, community programs, and artist-led engagement, fostering meaningful relationships between artists and audiences.

The client’s Advancement team oversees fundraising, membership, donor cultivation, marketing, advertising, and public relations. The Advancement Director is a key leader within the organization, responsible for translating belief in the museum’s mission into sustained support by building relationships and communicating compelling stories. As the client approaches its 50th anniversary, the Advancement Director is expected to help chart the next chapter by growing and diversifying the resources that enable its artist-centered work.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Advancement Director works closely with the Executive Director to design and implement comprehensive fundraising, membership, and marketing strategies aligned with the museum’s programmatic and strategic objectives. The role directly supervises the Development and Membership Manager and the Marketing Manager, and partners with the Senior Events Manager on the annual Garden Party and other museum events. The Advancement Director serves as a public-facing spokesperson and is expected to cultivate strong relationships with donors, foundation and corporate funders, board members, civic leaders, media, and cultural institutions while fostering a culture of openness, quality, ambition, and experimentation.