THE BROWN | The Cici and Hyatt Brown Museum of Art, Science & History
Senior Director of Philanthropy
Reports To: Chief Executive Officer, direct line. Dotted line to the Chief Operating Officer in partnership with the Executive Assistant, who provide shared administrative and cross-departmental support.
Classification: Exempt, full-time Director (Departmental) tier; individual contributor, no direct reports
Department: Philanthropy - owns all institutional fundraising revenue
Position Summary
The Senior Director of Philanthropy is the Museum's senior fundraising team member, holding full accountability the philanthropic revenue line: individual and major gifts, corporate and foundation partnerships, membership giving, special event fundraising, planned giving, and the annual fund. This is not a single-program role - it is ownership of the institution's entire philanthropy portfolio. The position reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer and operates as a senior individual contributor, personally building donor and funder relationships and executing strategy rather than managing a team. The role inherits and builds on the fundraising infrastructure, donor data, and three-year development plan established during the Museum's transition period, and is expected to take full ownership of that foundation rather than start from a blank slate.
Organizational Hierarchy
- Reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer for strategy, revenue accountability, and Board facing philanthropy matters.
- Works closely with the Chief Operating Officer, who coordinates shared support resources across departments, including design, marketing, events, and the institution's data/database function.
- Partners with the Executive Assistant, who provides embedded scheduling and donor-communication support to this role.
- Holds no direct reports. During the transition period, receives operational support from the Development Specialist and, once hired, the Database Administrator - both shared institutional resources rather than reports into this position.
Scope of Responsibility
- Individual & Major Giving
- Corporate & Foundation Partnerships
- Membership Giving
- Special Event Fundraising
- Planned & Legacy Giving
- Annual Fund
- Campaign Support
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Develop and execute an annual philanthropy plan.
- Manage a portfolio of donors and funders spanning individual, corporate, and foundation relationships, including direct cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
- Own sponsorship strategy.
- Direct the Museum's grant strategy and pipeline across foundation and government sources, coordinating with contracted grant writing support.
- Lead the Museum's signature fundraising events, including sponsorship sales, procurement, budget management, and post-event stewardship.
- Grow the Museum's membership giving program.
- Establish and maintain a donor relations and stewardship.
- Assume ownership of the fundraising systems, donor data, and three-year development plan.
- Coordinate with the Chief Operating Officer to access shared administrative support as needed.
Success Measures
- Total philanthropic revenue.
- Corporate and foundation funding secured.
- Membership program growth.
- Signature event net revenue relative to target.
- Documented donor and funder acknowledgment and stewardship standards, consistently met across every revenue line.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree required; relevant graduate coursework or professional certification preferred.
- Minimum five to seven years of progressive nonprofit fundraising experience spanning major gifts, corporate and foundation partnerships, and special event fundraising - not limited to a single revenue line.
- Demonstrated success building or growing a comprehensive development function, including donor membership programs and grant funded initiatives.
- Experience with donor CRM and database systems; the Museum currently uses Blackbaud Altru.
- Proven ability to operate independently, without an established team, while coordinating effectively across departments in a shared resource structure.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including donor and corporate correspondence and grant writing oversight.
IMPORTANT:
- Submit Resume and Cover Letter.
*Incomplete applications won't be reviewed.
Note: Before an offer of employment is made the following is required.
- Background check
- Drug screening
- 3 profesional reference check
The Future Has a New Name. From Hidden Gem to Crown Jewel: Welcome to The Brown.
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
