The American LGBTQ+ Museum

Museum Overview

The American LGBTQ+ Museum (ALM) preserves, investigates, and celebrates the dynamic histories and cultures of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people, as well as those of the emergent and adjacent identities among our communities. Using exhibitions and programs, we seek to advance LGBTQ+ equality through the lens of social justice movements, including, but not limited to, race, gender, class, immigration, and disability.

In 2017, the Museum was founded by a group of activists and advocates for LGBTQ+ rights. The board and staff work to center racial, gender, and disability justice in all aspects of the organization. A scope of research and planning was undertaken in 2019, by a museum planning firm, including national audience and market research and conversations with museum leaders, heads of LGBTQ+ archives, and other non-profit leaders. In 2021, a partnership was established with the New-York Historical Society to house the Museum in a new wing they are constructing beginning in 2024. In 2022, the Executive Director, Ben Garcia, was hired. In 2022-23 monthly public programs were launched, an experience developer was selected to lead the creation of the first tranche of exhibitions and digital experiences, and a $30-million comprehensive fundraising campaign was launched.

The Museum is building its home in New York City because of its cultural context, its historic significance in the LGBTQ+ rights movement, and its popularity as a tourist destination. However, its national scope for exhibitions and educational products will be reflected in a series of traveling exhibitions created with partners across the country, and a digital museum with born-digital and gamified experiences. We are planning an October 2026 opening for the Museum’s galleries in New York.

The Museum aims to:

• Preserve personal stories, and intangible heritage that are being lost every day
• Educate our communities on the evolving and complex narratives of LGBTQ+ history
• Provide a physical space for LGBTQ+ people that fosters individual dignity and unifies across generations and differences
• Support and inspire a new generation of activists to advance social justice

For more information about The American LGBTQ+ Museum, please visit the website.

Vision

The Museum envisions a world in which all people work toward and experience the joy of liberation.

Position Summary

The Director of Development provides the leadership, direction and coordination of fundraising strategies and activities to advance the mission of the American LGBTQ+ Museum. The CDO is responsible for managing all museum fundraising, including campaign fundraising, board of directors fundraising, individual major gifts, and annual fundraising (direct mail), , corporate fundraising and engagement, all donor communications, and donor cultivation events.

Reporting to the Executive Director, the CDO is a high-energy, seasoned development professional with a proven track record in major gift fundraising (ideally campaign fundraising), building strong relationships with current and prospective donors which translate into significant philanthropic support. Working closely with the Executive Director, the Board, and senior staff, the Director will be the catalyst for helping ALM achieve its financial goals. They will be an integral part of the senior leadership team and a key player in the growth and expansion of the organization in donor markets across the US.

The hybrid position is based in New York City and will involve some evening and weekend work and travel.

Job Responsibilities

1. Campaign Fundraising & Management
   • Responsible for the oversight of Campaign strategy and implementation.
   • In collaboration with consultants, responsible for the effective relationship building, donor cultivation, and solicitation of all campaign prospects and donors.
   • Primary staff point for Campaign Committee, the volunteer leadership body of the campaign.
2. Comprehensive Development & Fundraising Management
   • Conceptualizes, leads, implements, and monitors annual resource development strategy/plan.
   • Constantly evaluates progress toward fundraising goals and is accountable to, and works with, ED to adjust strategies.
   • Strengthens a well-balanced and diversified funding stream that includes individual donors, corporate giving, major gifts, public funding, special events, and foundation funding.
   • Coordinates fiscal management with finance and administrative staff.
3. Board and Volunteer Management
   • Works with ED, Development Committee of the Board of Directors, and Campaign Committee members to ensure board and committee members succeed in their fundraising responsibilities.
4. Individual Portfolio Management & Donor Engagement
   • With the Executive Director and Sr. Staff, manage a major gifts portfolio of donors, creating strategic approaches to steward current major donors and cultivate major donor prospects.
   • Develops and implements plan for cultivating, retaining, and upgrading all prospects and donors via participating in all aspects of the gift cycle and moves management.
   • Plans and oversees direct mail program with consultants.
5. Institutional Giving Management
   • Oversees foundation and corporate proposal design, writing, and reporting.
6. Special Event Management
   • Supervises and implements sponsored special events and evaluates endorsed events opportunities.
   • Plans and manages donor cultivation events with Co-Hosts and consultants.
7. Communications
   • Works with Program and Communications teams to ensure all teams’ work is coordinated, strategic and meets donor communication goals.
8. Data Integrity & Prospect Research
   • Conducts prospect research and ensures donor information storage.
   • Ensures the integrity of the fundraising database, as well as online giving, gift processing, recording, and acknowledgement.
9. Other Duties
   • Attends Staff, Program, and Communications team meetings and supports Museum outreach as assigned.

Qualifications

We are seeking candidates with the following experience, competencies and qualifications:

• A minimum of seven years of progressive experience in multifaceted development work, with major gifts experience as a plus. An organized and strategic approach to fundraising with experience in managing, developing, and coordinating successful fundraising efforts.
• Demonstrated success in major gift cultivation, solicitation and stewardship, direct response, foundation, and corporate funding. Public funding experience desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to conceptualize and describe funding needs to potential donors in compelling and comprehensive ways.
• Ability to collaborate across departments as a team player and to engage, activate, and support the Executive Director, the board, and other key volunteer leaders as ambassadors, connectors, and cultivators.
• Leadership and strategic qualities to develop and manage staff, supervise consultants, and to direct day-to-day activities and operations.
• Experience developing solid working relationships with Board members, volunteers, and donors.
• Proven project management skills, including a commitment to careful planning, ongoing organization, and problem-solving with outstanding attention to detail.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and managing budgets; computer literate, strong technical skills including Google Suite and Microsoft Office; comfortable working in Kindful, or similar CRM.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to manage sensitive and confidential situations with discretion, tact, professionalism, and diplomacy.
• Creative, with excellent written and interpersonal oral communication skills.
• Personal qualities of humility and empathy.

We recognize that it is highly unlikely that an applicant meets 100% of the qualifications for the given role. Therefore, if much of this job description describes you, then you are highly encouraged to apply for this role.

ADA Notations

• Regular sitting, standing, walking, climbing stairs, balancing, crouching, stooping, and communication (talking/hearing).
• Occasional lifting/moving up to 30 lbs.
• Vision requirements include close vision and ability to adjust focus.
• Noise conditions range from quiet to moderate noise.

Reporting Relationship

This position reports to the American LGBTQ+ Museum’s Executive Director.

Compensation + Benefits

This is a full-time, salaried position at $200,000 and comes with a generous benefits package. The salary is tied to the Museum’s commitment to pay equity. A 5% cost of living increase will be applied annually.

Location + Travel

The American LGBTQ+ Museum’s offices are currently located at 45 W 36th St., New York, NY 10018.

This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule with two to three days in the office and two to three work-from-home days.

Some travel is expected, including in-person board meetings, partnership and donor meetings, and museum events.

Workdays are generally Mon-Fri with some evening and weekend hours expected.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Equal employment opportunity and having a diverse staff are fundamental principles at the American LGBTQ+ Museum, where employment and promotional opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/affectional preference, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as established under law.

Submission Instructions

To apply, please email Doug Wingo at doug@wingo.nyc or mail to Wingo NYC, 350 Seventh Avenue, Suite 10005, New York, NY 10001. Inquiries and nominations of qualified candidates may also be sent to this address.

Kindly use the position title as the subject line of your email. All inquiries will be held in confidence.

A cover letter is not required with your initial application but is welcomed to help us understand your fitness for this role during our initial evaluation. Candidates invited for interviews with the American LGBTQ+ Museum team will be asked to provide a thoughtful letter of interest indicating their specific qualifications for the opportunity, desire to join the American LGBTQ+ Museum, and connection to its mission.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the successful candidate has been selected.