Development Officer - Poindexter Village

Ohio History Connection; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Paid time off

Holiday

Job summary

Ohio History Connection in Columbus seeks a Development Officer to cultivate and solicit gifts for the Poindexter Village African American Museum campaign. You will manage a donor portfolio, travel within Ohio, and collaborate with the Executive Team and Historic Sites Team to advance the museum's philanthropic direction.

The role requires strong donor relations, project management, and the ability to move gifts through a pipeline.

Qualifications

• Associate degree plus 7–10 years fundraising experience.
• Bachelor’s degree plus 5–7 years relevant experience.
• Proven experience in taking a program and/or project from concept to completion.
• Ability to communicate with staff and the public, both orally and in writing.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• Ability to consider expenses and revenues in developing and managing program budgets.

Responsibilities

• Manages a personal portfolio of individual donors and prospects, with travel within Ohio and beyond.
• Solicits and closes outright and planned gifts aligned to PVAAM priorities.
• Engages community leaders to involve residents in support of the PVAAM.
• Initiates, schedules and supports donor meetings with the Executive Team.
• Tracks campaign progress and donor activities in the fundraising database.
• Creates personalized cultivation and stewardship plans to increase engagement.
• Collaborates with Marketing to create fundraising collateral.
• Manages Lift Every Legacy Brick Campaign and donor events, including grand opening planning.

Skills

Donor cultivation

Major gifts

Relationship building

Communication skills

Presentation skills

Project management

Budget management

Team leadership

Microsoft 365

Education

Associate degree

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Blackbaud Raiser's Edge

Altru

Excel

Outlook

PowerPoint

Word

Microsoft 365

Job description

Position: Development Officer - Poindexter Village

Status: Full time, permanent

Location: Ohio History Connection (Columbus, OH)

Salary: $55,000 - 65,000 per year

Benefits: Full Benefits including medical, dental, vision insurance, paid time off and holiday, public retirement pension

Summary

As a key member of the team, the Development Officer – Poindexter Village develops, cultivates, and solicits specifically for Ohio History Connection's Poindexter Village African American Museum (PVAAM) campaign. This position reports directly to the Department Manager, Development and works with the Executive Team, Historic Sites Team, Board of Trustees, staff and external fundraising consultants to define and realize the museum's philanthropic direction. This position also works with the entire Development Division who jointly pursue teamwork and the sharing of authority and responsibility. This position will continue past the PVAAM campaign as a development officer for the Ohio History Connection.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Manages a personal portfolio of individual donors and prospects, as well as actively builds the major donor pipeline for the PVAAM. This is achieved through personal visits and correspondence. Travel within Ohio and beyond is required.
• Works with prospective donors to determine interests that align with the PVAAM priorities - soliciting and closing outright and planned gifts. Focus is on unrestricted support, programming, and capital projects.
• Work with community leaders and organizations to engage former Poindexter Village residents and Near East Side community members in support of the PVAAM.
• Initiate, schedule and support donor meetings involving the Executive Team and others based on donor relationships and purpose of solicitation.
• Move major gift prospects, including corporations, foundations, and organizations, through a donor pipeline, continually tracking "touches/actions" in fundraising database and collaborating with other departments.
• Creates and implements personalized cultivation/stewardship plans in order to increase engagement with the program, move donors up the giving ladder, and maximize donor retention.
• Collaborates with Marketing Division to create fundraising collateral.
• Manages and promotes the Lift Every Legacy Brick Campaign.
• Coordinates major donor cultivation/stewardship events and experiences, such as tours, donor receptions, etc. This person will also play a significant role in planning the museum grand opening.
• Works with external fundraising consultants to engage campaign leaders through written communication, meetings and personal visits.
• Tracks campaign progress.
• Works with Development and Accounting staff to accurately book campaign gifts and pledges, as well as acknowledge gifts in a timely manner.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

• Associate degree from an accredited institution in a relevant field PLUS seven to ten years relevant working experience
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in a relevant field PLUS five to seven years relevant working experience.
• Proven experience in taking a program and/or project from concept to completion
• Able to use project management processes
• Experience leading teams of peers
• Able to create evaluations and use evaluation data for program improvement
• Ability to communicate with staff and the public, both orally and in writing, and on behalf of a program
• Excellent presentation skills
• Ability to consider expenses and revenues in developing and managing program budgets
• Proficiency in various office software suites and virtual platforms, including but not limited to Microsoft 365
• Effective organizational skills, including attention to detail, prioritizing and managing multiple tasks for yourself, and being accountable to the organization for said tasks.

Desired Skills and Experience

• Excellent oral, written and interpersonal communication skills are essential, particularly the ability to work diplomatically and effectively with colleagues, volunteers and donors.
• Ability to set, track and analyze metrics.
• Familiarity with fundraising databases; prior use of Blackbaud Raiser's Edge or Altru is a plus. Proficiency with personal computer and Microsoft Office particularly Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word required. Aptitude, willingness and commitment to continue to learn.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills are required; ability to exercise initiative and sound independent judgement; ability to apply information, policies, procedures to everyday situations.
• Prior fundraising campaign experience is a plus.

Required Competencies

• Can locate and use resources to get things done, orchestrates multiple activities at once to accomplish a goal, uses resources effectively and efficiently, and arranges information in a useful manner.
• Able to initiate project work and delegate to staff (either direct reports, volunteers or program/project staff)
• Able to process information in a consistent manner, simultaneously displaying adaptability when necessary.
• Intuitive and proactive in the strategy of building relationships and meeting the needs of stakeholders.
• Strategic thinker who is self-directed
• Able to make practical and prudent business decisions and connections for profitability (may be earned revenue, grants, state funds, etc.)

Ohio History Connection is an equal opportunity employer.

All prospective employees are required to undergo a fingerprint background check processed by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation & Identification (BCI) in accordance with the Volunteer Children’s Act. Additionally, prospective employees will also submit to a drug test. Both will occur after the offer of employment is accepted. The results of the background check and drug test are not immediate disqualifiers to employment and are reviewed in accordance with Ohio History Connection policies and procedures. Inquiries must be directed to the Human Resources Director at 614-297-2390 or via email at [e-mail].