Director of Annual Fund & Donor Relations

Information about the organization

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is a federally chartered, nonpartisan institution that was created by the US Congress to serve as America’s national memorial to the victims of the Holocaust and an educational institution dedicated to the history and lessons of the Holocaust. The Museum seeks to educate Americans from all 50 states and all walks of life as well as international audiences. The Museum has three areas of expertise: Holocaust remembrance, Holocaust scholarship and education, and genocide prevention.

In carrying out its important memorial and educational mission, the Museum is guided by its institutional values for our workplace: Honor the memory of the victims; carry out our work with dignity, humility, integrity and respect for others; and strive for excellence through teamwork, rigor, and a culture of continuous learning. Consistent respect for others is the foundation for trust, collegiality and inclusion. 

Information about the role

The Director, Annual Fund and Donor Relations manages a multi-person team and is responsible for the strategic direction, management and oversight of the Museum’s annual gifts pipeline development process, including integration of the national major gifts and membership direct response programs, to ensure robust and sustained growth of the Museum’s Annual Fund. The Director oversees national cultivation, stewardship communications, and experiential program opportunities for members of the Museum’s major donor recognition societies.

The Director also plays a critical role in managing coordination and liaison functions between the Museum’s regionally-based fundraising teams and the DC-based Marketing and Communications, Program, and Shared Services departments on regional program and event planning. The incumbent works to ensure appropriate prioritization of donor engagement opportunities and fundraising follow-up strategies in all event planning and implementation processes.

This is a full-time donated position (non-Federal) paid with the Museum’s private funds. Salary is commensurate with experience.

This position is located in Washington, DC and is telework eligible, within the local commuting area of the Museum worksite.

Duties, and Responsibilities for the role 

• Manage the major gift development pipeline. Convene and oversee efforts of mid-level regional gift officers as an internal best-practices team to identify, cultivate and solicit $1,000+ donors, with the goal of moving them into higher giving levels. Cultivate and solicit a personal portfolio of prospects at five-figures and higher.
• Lead the major gifts direct response program to sustain and grow membership in the Museum’s Wings of Memory ($5,000+), Leadership Circle ($25,000+), National Patrons (sustaining Leadership Circle giving), and Founders ($1M+) donor recognition societies.
• Drive ongoing integration of USHMM direct response efforts across all levels of annual and planned gift philanthropy campaigns in partnership with the Director, New Audience Engagement and Membership.
• Oversee all stewardship communications with the Museum’s Founders Society, National Patrons, Leadership Circle, and Wings of Memory donor recognition societies.
• Facilitate coordination between the Museum’s regional teams, Marketing & Communications, and Program offices on all regional events and program planning.
• Create strategies for, and oversee implementation of, all experiential opportunities for donors, including:
  • National, regional, community-based, and affinity group missions to the Museum (e., Leadership Circle, Descendants of Survivors, Next Generation);
  • VIP visits to the Museum; donor greets, tours and ticket requests;
  • Development activities for the annual Days of Remembrance commemoration; and
  • Donor Wall recognition and inscriptions processes.
• Conceptualize and implement a long-term strategy to develop and sustain national Next Generation and Descendant of Survivors donor cultivation programs in partnership with regional efforts.

 Minimum Qualifications for the role

• Ten plus years of successful experience in individual development work required, including demonstrated understanding of the donor moves management cycle.
• Understanding of and experience with a variety of fundraising and data management practices.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Commitment to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and a strong desire to champion its mission is essential.
• Ability to travel to communities throughout the country as needed. 

Preferred Qualifications for the role

• Significant experience in personal solicitation of five-figure and higher gifts in a sophisticated, complex environment preferred.
• Four-year college degree.
• Experience with direct response campaigns, including mail, email and online giving, is highly desirable.
• Experience with fundraising event planning and implementation preferred. 

Interested applicants must send their resume and cover letter; applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

The Museum is committed to cultivating and maintaining a culture of diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion (DEAI). Please click here to view the Museum Statement on Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion (PDF).

Benefits Highlights:

The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum values employee wellness, work-life balance and the diversity of what this means for individual employees in life and work. We are proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package for benefits-eligible employees that includes generous paid leave benefits, health, dental, and vision insurance, flexible spending accounts, a health savings account with an employer contribution, 403(b) retirement plan with a generous employer match and contribution, group term and supplemental life insurance, short and long-term disability, commuter subsidy, access to two employee assistance programs, as well as voluntary critical illness and accident insurance coverage, long-term care and pet insurance options. Our policies also support telework and other flexible schedule options based on the job, work and team collaboration requirements.