Description

Position Summary

Managing Director of Philanthropy

One of the leading historical societies in the country, the Missouri Historical Society seeks a Managing Director of Philanthropy and Engagement who will help guide the organization into its next chapter. The Society, which operates the Missouri History Museum, Soldiers’ Memorial Military Museum, and the Library and Research Center, is at a pivotal moment. MHS is in the middle of major efforts to transform its permanent galleries, to share more of its collection than it ever has before, and to redefine the role of historical societies by establishing itself as a real civic leader in the St. Louis region.

We are looking for a dynamic leader who believes in the power of local history to strengthen communities and who will lead our fundraising efforts to support initiatives designed to build emotional connections to place; who will increase our annual giving, which averages $2.5 to $3 million from more than 4,000 donors and members, and who will look for creative new ways to connect with established donors and to identity new ones; who will manage a team responsible for fundraising and donor cultivation and who will lead that team with a sense of vision and optimism; and who will partner with the president and the leadership team to share our mission of engaging and inspiring audiences by connecting them to their shared past and helping them use that past to better plan the present and future.

MHS has a $28 million annual budget and a staff size of 200. We are generously supported by the Zoo Museum Tax District, which provides roughly half of our yearly funding.

Scope of Responsibilities

The position is responsible for leading development strategies to achieve the MHS goals for fund raising and membership as well as donor cultivation and stewardship.  This includes supervision of staff to plan and implement on-going annual, major and planned giving; and membership, as well as developing strategies when appropriate for implementation of a capital or sustained giving campaign. In addition to development and membership, the position provides cross-departmental leadership working collaboratively with other MHS teams including Marketing and Communications, Community Outreach and Education, Public History, Collections, and Finance to achieve the strategic goals set for the MHS.

Responsibilities for Management and Donor Stewardship

• Provide strategic leadership for the Missouri Historical Society's philanthropy program, fostering a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization and advancing MHS's mission through sustainable fundraising strategies.
• Lead, mentor, and inspire a high-performing philanthropy team, creating a collaborative, accountable, and supportive environment that encourages professional growth and exceptional results. The team currently includes a major gift officers, a senior charitable giving officer, a membership coordinator, philanthropy operations support, and an open special events manager position.
• In partnership with the President and Board of Trustees, develop and execute comprehensive fundraising strategies, including capital campaigns, principal and major gifts, annual giving, membership, planned giving, foundation and corporate relations, and special initiatives.
• Personally manage a focused portfolio of the organization's highest-capacity (Tier 1) donors and prospects, partnering closely with the President to cultivate, solicit, and steward transformational philanthropic investments.
• Provide strategic guidance, coaching, and oversight to gift officers in the identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and long-term engagement of individual, corporate, and foundation donors.
• Establish measurable fundraising goals and performance metrics, regularly evaluating departmental effectiveness, monitoring progress, and identifying opportunities for growth and continuous improvement.
• Lead the department's annual planning, budgeting, forecasting, and goal-setting processes while ensuring accurate reporting and effective stewardship of philanthropic resources.
• Oversee and strengthen annual giving, membership, donor engagement, and stewardship strategies that deepen relationships and inspire continued investment in MHS.
• Serve as a visible ambassador for MHS throughout the community, cultivating relationships with donors, civic leaders, foundations, corporations, and community partners while representing the organization at key events and public engagements.
• Partner closely with the Communications and Marketing teams to develop compelling philanthropic messaging and donor communications that effectively communicate the impact of giving and elevate MHS's visibility.
• Serve as staff liaison to the Development Committee and assist the Governance & Nominating Committee of the Board of Trustees, supporting board engagement, strengthening board philanthropy, and providing leadership in trustee recruitment, orientation, and fundraising participation.

Requirements

Qualifications

Education

• A Bachelor’s degree is required; a Master’s degree in a related field is preferred. CFRE or CAP designation is preferred.

Experience

• A minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in fundraising, including major gifts, special events, and team leadership.
• Experience planning and executing multi-million-dollar fundraising campaigns with verifiable results.
• Knowledge of museum or nonprofit best practices in philanthropy.
• Proven track record of successfully closing 7 and 8-figure gifts.
• Extensive experience serving as an institutional spokesperson and ambassador; comfortable with media appearances and formal presentations.

Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain key relationships and raise funds through annual giving, membership, major gifts, capital campaigns, planned giving, special events, and grants.
• Demonstrated proficiency with all planned giving vehicles (e.g. bequests, charitable trusts, endowments) and a broad and thorough knowledge of the principles of tax-encouraged philanthropy.  
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Outstanding analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Must be organized, results oriented, creative and able to motivate others toward team goals.
• Demonstrated success leading in a team environment – fostering a productive, collaborative, and respectful culture within the department
• Track record as an effective communicator with excellent writing and public speaking skills.
• Participate in relevant museum and philanthropy professional development organizations as appropriate including identifying opportunities for team members.
• Experience with donor management software, particularly Altru and its interface with Financial Edge.