Director of Development, West Region

The National WWII Museum; New Orleans (LA); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

401(k) matching

Paid vacation and sick leave

Tuition assistance

Free parking

Job summary

The National WWII Museum is seeking a Director of Development for the West Region to secure financial resources for its mission. Responsibilities include managing a portfolio of major-gift prospects, cultivating donor relationships, and contributing to fundraising strategies.

Ideal candidates should have significant fundraising experience, preferably in arts or education, and a Bachelor’s degree. This full-time position allows flexibility in work location, with necessary travel to New Orleans and the West Coast.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of direct fundraising experience with a record of securing six- and seven-figure gifts.
• Demonstrable interest in lifelong learning and experience in higher education or cultural organizations.
• Comfortable managing complex donor relationships with regular travel.

Responsibilities

• Identify and solicit major-gift prospects and implement cultivation strategies.
• Manage a portfolio of 150 prospects through all fundraising cycles.
• Coordinate stewardship activities and develop proposals for donor engagement.

Skills

Fundraising experience

Communication skills

Strategic thinking

Knowledge of Raiser’s Edge

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

CFRE certification

Tools

Raiser’s Edge

Job description

Director of Development – West Region

The National WWII Museum is currently seeking a Director of Development for the West Region. The Director of Development for the West Region reports to the Vice President of Institutional Advancement and is responsible for securing financial resources to support the Museum’s campaign priorities in the areas of Education and Programs; Collections, Exhibits, and Campus; and Endowment and Planned Giving. The Director will build relationships with individual, corporate, and foundation donors and prospects in the West Region. The West Region is defined as California, Oregon, Washington, and Arizona.

The Museum’s fundraising program is national in scope, and Development Directors are assigned to regional responsibilities. The Director will join a major‑gift‑focused development team that includes Directors of Development for the following regions: East/MidAtlantic, South/Central, and Louisiana/Texas, as well as a Director of Planned Giving and a Director of Corporate and Foundations. In addition to reporting directly to the Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Directors of Development also report secondarily to the Assistant Vice President of Institutional Advancement, who oversees prospect and pipeline management.

Responsibilities

• Identify, cultivate, and solicit leadership and major‑gift prospects; recommend and implement strategies for cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and engagement for prospects; work with executive and Museum leadership and board members as appropriate; and meet with prospects both in person and virtually, with regular travel throughout the assigned region.
• Contribute to the development of capital, programmatic, and endowment fundraising strategies to increase giving, with an emphasis on expanding the individual major‑gift effort.
• Manage a portfolio of approximately 150 prospects through all fundraising cycles – identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship – meeting monthly agreed‑upon donor contact and proposal submission goals, tracking activity and contact, and maintaining updates in the Museum’s CRM, Raiser’s Edge.
• Develop and implement solicitation plans for each prospect; craft compelling, donor‑centric proposals to support them.
• Coordinate stewardship and acknowledgment activities, ensuring regular, systematic contact with prospects across all communication channels.
• Assist Museum administrators in identifying institutional funding needs and staying up to date on institutional priorities, programs, personnel, and events.
• Serve as the principal liaison to major gift prospects for the Museum, developing and maintaining a collaborative work environment with Museum departments to ensure a seamless donor journey and engagement.
• Ability to plan and schedule your travel when visiting major‑gift prospects in your region.

Qualifications and Attributes

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree and CFRE certification are a plus.
• 5+ years of direct fundraising experience – with a clear understanding of annual, major, capital, and deferred gifts – and a demonstrable track record of securing six‑ and seven‑figure gifts.
• Experience in higher education, healthcare, or large arts/cultural organizations; demonstrable interest in lifelong learning.
• Mastery of the skills, principles, practices, and techniques associated with implementing and successfully executing major‑gift work on a national scale.
• Highly developed interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Working knowledge of Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge.
• Proactive strategic thinker with strong organizational skills and the ability to work both independently and as a team member.
• Flexible, adaptable, and proactive team player, comfortable with ambiguity and able to navigate sophisticated donor relationships.
• Ability to manage work responsibilities while building donor relationships that require regular travel, evening and weekend meetings, and time commitments.

Work Environment

This position can be based in New Orleans or on the West Coast. If West Coast‑based, the position requires regional travel and quarterly travel to New Orleans. If New Orleans‑based, travel to the West region is required twice monthly. This is a full‑time position operating on Central Time business hours. Standard working hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The employee must maintain a reliable internet connection and a professional home workspace suitable for remote work.

Benefits

• Medical insurance – 2 plan options; Museum pays 75% of premium
• Dental and vision insurance
• Flexible spending account
• 401(k) – Museum matches 50% of employee contribution up to 6%; employer contribution full vested after 3 years of employment
• Life insurance and AD&D - $15,000 policy employer paid; additional life and AD&D available
• Long term disability insurance
• Paid vacation and sick leave, 10 paid holidays per year
• Free parking
• Tuition assistance and professional development
• Employee assistance program

Equal Opportunity Employer

The National WWII Museum is an equal opportunity employer and seeks diversity in its workforce. We are dedicated to a policy of non‑discrimination in employment on any basis including race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act, applicants may request accommodations needed to participate in the application process.