ABOUT THE CENTER FOR CURATORIAL LEADERSHIP
The Center for Curatorial Leadership (CCL) trains art museum curators to assume leadership positions in the rapidly evolving cultural climate of the 21st century. Founded in 2007, CCL organizes and hosts four annual professional development programs: the CCL Fellowship for senior curators; the CCL/Mellon Foundation Seminar in Curatorial Practice for advanced PhD candidates; a partnership with the Museum of Modern Art focused on curators of modern and contemporary art from around the globe; and an ongoing Alumni Platform that connects a growing network of 425+ graduates from across all programs. Combining finance, strategy, and management coursework with mentorship, practicum exercises, and other activities in the field, CCL empowers participants with the skills, network, and experience necessary to assume and succeed in leadership positions. As a result of both the skills it imparts and the immense respect it enjoys in the field, CCL has an extraordinary record of empowering curators and placing its fellows in the uppermost ranks of the museum world.
CCL is at an exciting moment of transformative organizational growth. In 2022, CCL completed a strategic plan with the goal to ensure it remains relevant and responsive to the dynamic societal shifts of recent years while staying true to its mission, as well as to guide the organization’s sustainable and strategic future growth. A critical next step of strategic plan implementation is to bring on a Director of Development to sustain and advance CCL’s mission as an essential service to the field.
JOB DESCRIPTION
CCL seeks a dynamic professional to serve as the organization’s first Director of Development. As Director of Development, you will be responsible for initiating and executing a comprehensive fundraising strategy that includes all aspects of giving totaling approximately $2.5M per year, alongside an ongoing $15M quasi-endowment campaign to secure CCL’s long-term financial stability. You will develop and steward new and existing relationships with major gift prospects, corporate and foundation donors, individuals, and alumni – with a focus on growing the individual donor base – to raise funds for the programs and special initiatives that serve CCL’s network of art curators across the arc of their careers, from Ph.D. students to mid-career curators, department heads, and museum directors. This position will report to the Executive Director and serve as a critical partner to the Board of Trustees on high-level fundraising strategies. This position will lead overall Development operations, manage the consulting Grants Writer, and work closely with staff across the organization to support strategic program growth and gift management.
Exceptional candidates will have demonstrated success in creating and executing fundraising plans covering major gifts, corporate and foundation giving, individual giving, and alumni stewardship. As the leader of a high volume of development activities, candidates must also have excellent organizational skills and expertise in all aspects of organizational fundraising, including the production of annual appeals and campaigns, strategies for gift and grant prospecting, solicitation, and stewardship, and management of a robust funding portfolio. As an integral member of the CCL team, the essential responsibilities of the Director of Development will be to:
- Work closely with the Executive Director and Board of Trustees to develop and implement fundraising strategies to secure funding at all giving levels;
- Perform the identification, research, solicitation planning, cultivation, and stewardship of all donors and implement systems for these activities;
- Conduct research to identify new funding opportunities and sources and grow pipelines for all aspects of giving;
- Achieve sustainable revenue growth through diversification, raising organizational visibility, and pursuing new opportunities through strategic partnerships; and
- Monitor and report on key performance metrics and progress toward fundraising goals.
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
The Director of Development will:
- Create and execute the annual fundraising plan and solicitations for programs and operating support;
- Grow and expand individual giving. Use effective and creative strategies to cultivate and steward potential donors with a focus on establishing recurring and long-term relationships;
- Support the Executive Director in managing Board relations and cultivation. Develop strategies to increase Board-level giving and guide prospecting through personal networks;
- Supervise all activities related to grant writing and fiduciary reporting, supported by the Grant Writer. Ensure IRS and audit-related compliance;
- Guide strategy for the ongoing $15M quasi-endowment campaign;
- Research and cultivate relationships with corporations and foundations capable of making significant gifts and grants in alignment with CCL’s mission;
- Maintain organizational donor database. Track touchpoints and ensure proper and timely recognition and acknowledgment of all contributions;
- Lead the content, editing, and production of the Annual Report;
- Represent the interests of the Executive Director with key stakeholders including the Board, major donors, and the leaders of foundations and government agencies, among others;
- Liaise with the Board Fundraising Committee. Prepare and present Development reports at Board meetings;
- Develop and manage the Development department’s budget. Track and analyze fundraising performance metrics, from fundraising pipeline to cash flow, prepare regular reports on fundraising progress and results, and ensure all fundraising goals are met;
- Collaborate with the Programs and Finance & Operations teams on an as-needed basis; and
- Due to the nature of CCL’s programmatic activities, be available for in-person work during “off hours” on mornings, nights, and weekends while programs are in-session 5-7 weeks per year.
KEY REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS
CCL seeks to field applicants with both traditional and non-traditional professional experiences. A Bachelor’s degree is required, and a Master’s degree is preferred. Candidates with a demonstrated ability to successfully fundraise in the non-profit sector, preferably in an arts and culture and/or higher education context, are encouraged to apply. Those with a minimum of 8-10 years of successful fundraising experience with a primary focus on major gifts and high-level donor cultivation are also welcome. Other key qualifications are:
- Facility aligning multiple stakeholders in support of a shared goal, and a commitment to building strong relationships;
- Ability to capture the voice of CCL and produce language appropriate for target audiences. Fluency in communicating as a spokesperson for the organization;
- Demonstrated success in cultivating and securing major gifts through prospecting, research, proposal and relationship development, and face-to-face solicitation;
- Strong budget management experience required;
- Previous staff management experience preferred;
- Confidence to assess priorities and provide strategic recommendations to CCL leadership and team members;
- Ability to work independently, collaboratively across departments, and simultaneously and efficiently on multiple projects. Comfort navigating a complex calendar of activities;
- Exceptional interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills, and ability to thrive on a small team;
- Proficiency in DonorPerfect, Kindful, or other CRM databases;
- Fluency in Mac OS, Microsoft Office, and Google Workspace;
- Openness, curiosity, and a sensitivity to the range of issues in the cultural field; and
- Discretion, good judgment, patience, a positive attitude, and a sense of humor.
LOCATION REQUIREMENTS
At time of employment, employees are expected to be located within commuting distance of the CCL offices located in the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. “Commuting distance” means that they are located in one of the following states: New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut (the “Tri-state” areas), and able to commute to and from the office in a single day. Staff is currently working on-site 10AM-6PM Monday through Thursday, subject to change.
Application Instructions / Public Contact InformationPlease submit a completed application form with your cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information of three references. Questions about your application can be directed to jobs@cclcurators.org. No phone calls please. Applications are being accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until the position has been filled. In the event that your application is shortlisted we will reach out again to you directly to schedule an interview. Due to the large number of applications we receive, we cannot respond to every application.
Research shows that women and people from underrepresented groups often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the qualifications for a role. If much of this job description describes you, then please apply for this role.
The Center for Curatorial Leadership firmly commits itself to provide equal opportunity of employment to all employees and applicants. No person will be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, citizenship status, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, personal appearance, marital or familial status, pregnancy, childbirth, military or veteran status, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics. CCL is dedicated to ensuring the fulfillment of this policy with respect to all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment including recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, working conditions, scheduling, training, compensation, benefits, disciplinary action, termination, employee activities, access to social, educational, and recreational programs, and general treatment with respect and dignity during the employment of our employees. In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions at CCL will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities.
