Development Officer

Applications via Google Form preferred: https://forms.gle/taJqebYNeTTSbZpq5

Job Summary

The Development Officer will play a crucial role in growing and sustaining the museum’s membership and donor base, cultivating relationships with members and donors, and identifying candidates for higher giving levels. This role is responsible for managing day-to-day donor relations for donors who annually give under $1,000, ensuring their continued support, and working strategically to increase their annual donation amounts. This role will also develop and implement strategies for member and donor engagement, and coordinate creative events to enhance member experiences. The ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills, a passion for donor stewardship, an excitement for history and community engagement, and a proven ability to cultivate and nurture long-term donor relationships.

Duties and Responsibilities

Development and Fundraising:

• With Director of Development, responsible for earning yearly-defined annual fund goals
• In coordination with the Director of Development, create plans to obtain annual fund gifts and membership goals
• Solicit for annual fund gifts
• Coordinate donor recognition and acknowledgment efforts, including personalized thank-you notes, phone calls, and other forms of appreciation
• Collaborate with the Management Team to cultivate and maintain relationships with donors, ensuring regular, personalized communication to encourage continued support.
• Identify and engage donors who are potential candidates for the President's Club, facilitating their transition through moves management
• Develop and implement creative strategies to increase donor retention and enhance membership loyalty, focusing on upgrading donors to higher giving levels
• Assist, as needed, the Membership and Development Operations Manager to create direct mail appeals, solicitations, and other fundraising activities
• Work with the Director of Development, the Development Department, and the Development Committee to plan and implement development initiatives
• Conduct donor research and prepare information documents for the Director of Development and President & CEO ahead of donor meetings
• With the Director of Development, Development Team and Committee, organize, plan, and implement fundraising special events including but not limited to Galas, Annual Kick Off Event etc.
• Engage members and donors through tailored communications, impact reports, and updates about museum programs, events, and exhibitions
  

Member Event Coordination:

• Oversee logistics for donor engagement events, including location, invitations, RSVPs, vendor coordination, and post-event follow-up
• Collaborate with the Director of Marketing on invitations, promotions, and other event-related communications
• Assist in the creation of promotional materials, including text and images for member renewal communications, monthly emails, and website content
  

Membership Management:

• In collaboration with the Membership and Development Operations Manager, maintain accurate records of all donor and member interactions in the museum’s CRM system, ensuring that data is consistently updated
• Track and analyze donor and member giving trends to identify opportunities for growth and inform future engagement strategies
• Develop onboarding resources and organize events for new members to enhance their integration into the museum community
• Collaborate with the Director of Development, the Development Department and the Development Committee to develop and implement membership growth strategies
• Identify and qualify prospective donors from the museum's membership pool, focusing on those with the potential to move into higher giving categories
• Develop and implement strategies to deepen engagement with current members and donors, encouraging stronger connections to the museum’s work and mission

Additional Duties

• Assist with Museum events as assigned by the Director of Events
• Participate in all trainings and workshops required of Strawbery Banke Museum staff
• Other duties as assigned
  

About Strawbery Banke Museum

Strawbery Banke Museum is a living history museum located in the heart of historic Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Dedicated to preserving and interpreting the history and culture of the Puddle Dock neighborhood, the museum showcases a diverse collection of restored buildings, exhibits, and landscapes spanning more than four centuries. As one of the oldest and best-preserved neighborhoods in the United States, we are frequently lauded as one of the most important open air history museums in the country.

Mission Statement:

To promote understanding of the lives of individuals and the value of community through encounters with the history and ongoing preservation of a New England waterfront neighborhood.

Vision Statement:
We bring history and people together for delight, discovery, and learning.

Strategic Framework:
Strawbery Banke Museum:
A place to learn,
A place to gather,
A place to preserve.

Core Values:

In order to create the best possible experience, SBM prioritizes the following core values, which are integral to the success of the museum, and the organization’s commitment to the greater community that we serve.

• Authenticity
• Engagement
• Inclusivity
• Innovation
• Integrity
• Sustainability
  

Equal Opportunity Statement

Strawbery Banke Museum is committed to the principles of equal employment. We are committed to complying with all federal, state, and local laws providing equal employment opportunities, and all other employment laws and regulations. It is our intent to maintain a work environment that is free of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation because of age, race, color, marital status, national origin, ancestry, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation (including transgender status, gender identity or expression), pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), crime victim status, veteran status, uniformed service member status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws. SBM is dedicated to the fulfillment of this policy in regard to all aspects of employment, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, placement, transfer, training, promotion, rates of pay, and other compensation, termination, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.

Job descriptions are subject to change over time; Strawbery Banke Museum reserves the right to modify the above job description as necessary to accommodate the evolving needs of the organization.

Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Nonprofit Management, Marketing, Business Administration, or a related field
• Minimum of 2+ years of experience in membership management, development/fundraising, or a related role
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain relationships with members, donors, and stakeholders
• Experience with building individual donor relationships
• Strong computer knowledge; experience working with the Altru database or other donor database is highly preferred
• Experience with data analysis
• Proven ability to plan and execute events and programs
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Requirements of all Strawbery Banke Museum Staff:

SBM is committed to fostering a workplace that is truly equitable, inclusive, and accessible for a diverse group of staff, volunteers, and visitors. As such, it is an essential requirement that every SBM staff member:

1. Exhibit a positive, collegial attitude and ability to work cooperatively with others at all levels of the organization including direct reports, colleagues, supervisor, volunteers, and visitors of all ages, abilities, and cultural backgrounds;
2. Actively contribute to an organizational culture of empathy, dignity, trust, and respect. Each person at SBM agrees to proactively prevent and address issues such as unconscious bias, harassment, gender disparity, racial inequity, political divisiveness, and barriers to accessibility; and
3. Foster inclusive and engaging interactions, accommodate safety and comfort needs and requests, and to provide the best visitor experience possible. Staff members equally share the responsibility of immediately addressing a deficiency, and/or, notifying the appropriate department or supervisor to address any situations.

Strawbery Banke Museum Staff Norms:

SBM is committed to fostering a supportive and safe work culture. Through a series of training sessions in 2022-2023, staff collectively established and approved the following norms:

1. We will set and acknowledge boundaries that foster a healthy work/life balance
2. We will help and support each other to create psychological safety and trust
3. We will welcome different viewpoints, values, and ideas in solving organizational problems
4. We will proactively, honestly, and constructively create clear expectations regarding communication with all potential stakeholders
5. We will hold ourselves and each other accountable in executing mutually agreed upon decisions

Working Conditions

This position requires working occasional nights and weekends for Museum and Member events. The staff event schedule for Museum events will be coordinated in advance by the Director of Events. When occasional evening and weekend work is required for events, the equivalent time off is provided within the same workweek whenever possible.

Must be physically and mentally able to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodations.

The essential duties of this position require a combination of regular attendance onsite, but with the capacity for some remote work; the schedule to be determined in collaboration with the Director of Development.

Benefits

Pay Rate: $24.62 - $27.18/hour

Status: Full Time (37.5 hours/week), Nonexempt, Hourly

Benefits:

• Health Insurance (80% Employer Paid for Employee, with HRA)
• Dental Insurance (80% Employer Paid for Employee)
• Life Insurance ($25,000 policy, 100% Employer Paid)
• Long and Short-Term Disability (100% Employer Paid)
• Vision Insurance (Employee Paid)
• 240 Hours of Paid Time Off Annually
• 11 Paid Holidays
• Optional FSA Plan
• 403(b) Retirement Plan with Up to 3% Employer Match
• Household Level Museum Membership