Director of Institutional Advancement

Birmingham Museum of Art; Birmingham (AL); Hybrid; USD 115,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Birmingham Museum of Art seeks a dynamic Director of Advancement to lead the Museum’s fundraising and donor programs. This executive role manages a six‑member Advancement staff and coordinates with the Museum’s leadership and boards to advance the organization’s mission.

The position emphasizes major gifts, endowment and operating support, stewardship, events, and corporate giving, with a focus on DEAI and inclusive engagement in the arts community.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and significant fundraising experience.
• Experience supervising a staff in a similar organization and capacity.
• Ability to manage a budget and read financial reports.
• Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills with stakeholders.
• Strong presentation skills and ability to build relationships with Board members.
• Experience coordinating donor events and cultivation activities.
• Knowledge of planned giving methods preferred.
• Commitment to diversity and inclusive practices.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate all Advancement Department activities and develop an overall advancement plan.
• Oversee donor recognition and stewardship programs.
• Supervise Advancement staff and liaise with Museum leadership and boards.
• Lead major gifts, endowment, capital, and operating funding solicitations.
• Plan and manage special events, including the Museum Ball, and related budgets.
• Collaborate with Marketing to grow membership and donor programs.

Skills

Fundraising leadership

Donor relations

Budget management

Communication

Volunteer coordination

DEAI awareness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field

Tools

Blackbaud Donor Tracking

Job description

Title: Director of Institutional Advancement
Reports to: Director and CEO
Status: Full time

Background

The Birmingham Museum of Art seeks a dynamic and engaging Director of Advancement. This Executive Leadership Team member is responsible for coordination of all advancement activities, creation and implementation of an overall development plan, and management, solicitation and stewardship of individual and corporate donors for all purposes. In addition to fundraising responsibilities, this position manages the special events and audience impact for the Museum.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Responsible for coordination of all activities of the Advancement Department:

• Overseeing the creation and implementation of an overall advancement plan, including funding plans for programs, exhibitions, unrestricted giving, endowment and acquisitions
• Developing and implementing stewardship and donor recognition plan
• Managing Advancement Staff
• Serving as Advancement liaison to governing organizations such as Museum Board, Finance Committee, Development Committee
• Serving as Advancement liaison for internal meetings, including executive leadership, department head, exhibition planning, strategic planning and program planning meetings
• With the Museum Director, oversees the cultivation and stewardship of major donors, which will include periodic engagement outside of the Museum’s regular hours of operation at museum events and social functions
• Manages a 6 member Advancement staff (Database Manager, Events Manager, Membership Manager, Advancement Operations Manager, Development Officer for Grants and Administration, and Corporate Giving Officer)

Responsible for Individual and Corporate Giving:

• Museum Ball sponsorships from individuals
• Major and principal gifts from individuals including endowment, capital and general operating
• Acquisition funds from individuals (gifts of art objects are managed by curators)
• Planned gifts
• Membership retention and growth
• Identifying and soliciting new members of the Museum’s collection support groups, and cultivating current support group members for potential larger gifts
• Exhibition and program sponsorships from individuals
• Coordinate all corporate giving with Corporate Giving Officer

Responsible for Events

• Oversee all special events and programming
• Manage the planning and budgeting of special events, including the annual Museum Ball (in conjunction with the Museum Ball Chairs)
• Working with the Marketing and Communications Department, oversee production of marketing materials to build membership and donor programs

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and significant years of fundraising experience required
• Demonstrated ability to manage confidential information responsibly
• Experience supervising a staff in a similar organization and with similar capacity of work
• Ability to effectively and proactively manage a budget as well as read and understand financial reports
• Excellent interpersonal and oral and written communication skills, demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with Board members, executives, employees and and the public
• Excellent presentation skills
• Strong organizational skills and experience handling multiple competing priorities and timely, effective decision-making
• Ability to work well with volunteers and lead the work of volunteer committees
• Working knowledge of basic planned giving methods preferred
• Knowledgeable user of one or more of Blackbaud’s donor tracking software preferred
• Interest in the visual arts a plus
• Demonstrated knowledge of and respect for cultural differences and knowledge of DEAI practices, and other culturally specific guidelines and invested in building a diverse working environment and inclusion in all aspects of work.

About the Museum

Founded in 1951, the Birmingham Museum of Art is deeply invested in education and engagement and serves as a resource for communities locally, nationally, and internationally. It houses one of the finest collections in the Southeast of the United States. Nearly 29,000 objects displayed and housed within the Museum represent a rich panorama of cultures, including those from Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Africa, including work by both Pre-Columbian and Native North American artists. Highlights include the Museum’s collection of the arts of Asia, Vietnamese ceramics, the Kress collection of Renaissance and Baroque paintings, sculpture, and decorative arts from the late 13th century to the 1750s, and the Museum’s world-renowned collection of Wedgwood, the largest outside of England.

Compensation

Salary range is $115,000 – $130,000 annually and includes an excellent benefits package.

Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of the Birmingham Museum of Art (BMA) to provide equal employment opportunity to all applicantsfor employment with the BMA and to BMA staff without regard to sex, race, color, religious belief, nationalorigin, disability, age, or veteran status. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment,including but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotions, termination, leaves of absence, compensation, andtraining.

Commitment to Diversity

The Birmingham Museum of Art is committed to providing an environment that is free from discrimination. The BMA isa diverse community in terms of race and ethnicity, culture, religion, personal values and traditions. BMA valuesthis diversity recognizing that our differences contribute to our strength as an agency serving a diversepopulation. It is to this end that the BMA is committed to non-discrimination and advocates for an environment oftolerance with regard to cultural and personal differences. It is our belief that every employee has the right tobe treated with dignity, respect, and self-worth and that it is in our best interest as an agency serving thepublic good to act in a manner free of bias, exclusion, and discrimination whether on the basis of faith, race,gender, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, political affiliation, or any other personaldifferences.