Chief of Development

EXECUTIVE SEARCH CHIEF OF DEVELOPMENT AMERICAS | EMEA | APAC ZRGpartners.com HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL — The information in this position description is highly confidential. Please consider that this email contains confidential and/or privileged information. Any unauthorized copying, disclosure, or distribution of the material in this email is strictly prohibited. Candidate shall not disclose to any person any confidential information concerning this position. If you are not the intended recipient (or have received this document in error) please notify the sender immediately and destroy this document. JN -122025-49552 POSITION DESCRIPTION Cli ent: American LGBTQ+ Museum Role: Chief of Development Lo cation: New York, NY Re ports To: Executive Director W ebsite: americanlgbtqmuseum.org SITUATION OVERVIEW: Aspen Leadership Group, a ZRG company, has been engaged to recruit a Chief of Development for the American LGBTQ+ Museum. ABOUT THE AMERICAN LGBTQ+ MUSEUM: The American LGBTQ+ Museum is a bold new institution dedicated to preserving, investigating, and celebrating the dynamic histories and cultures of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. The Museum will tell the community’s evolving histories in their own voices as they envision a world in which all people work toward and experience the joy of liberation. Beginning with their incubation at The New York Historical, the Museum will be vibrant and welcoming, both visually and cognitively, for the entire LGBTQ+ community. It will be colorful, lively, immersive, and exploratory, running counter to common conceptions of museums. In addition to an active public space, galleries, programming areas, and amenities, there will also be contemplative spaces. Their fundamental goal is to serve people from all parts of the LGBTQ+ community – from all sexual orientations, gender identities, racial backgrounds, nationalities, and income levels. Secondary market segments will be family members, allies, and special-interest users such as educators, media makers, and policy advocates. Their partnership with The New York Historical provides 5,000 square feet of gallery space in addition to shared event and educational spaces. Additionally, they will work other partners POSITION DESCRIPTION around the country to produce rotating and traveling exhibitions, public programs, and a robust “virtual museum” to supplement their physical engagements. The Museum will not present a “fixed singular narrative” of LGBTQ+ history, because such a history would be impossible, biased, and exclusionary. Instead, the core exhibition will be designed so that the elements can be revised or reconfigured easily and visitors can explore a wide range of evolving topics and themes over time. It will reflect their research into the needs, desires, and interests of queer communities while also drawing upon the expertise of LGBTQ+ historians. The Museum currently serves about 10,000 people annually through the 50 public programs it produces with partner organizations. Market research indicates that it will draw about 200,000 visitors annually when it opens. The Museum will complement and build upon the work being done by peer LGBTQ+ institutions, especially the extensive archives and libraries that have been built over generations. These include: • Libraries, archives, and museums • Research and advocacy groups • LGBTQ+ centers • Cultural organizations • Colleges and universities • Social Services Providers The Museum’s Education Department will create programs that are core to their mission and commitment to share LGBTQ+ history with younger generations. Education programs will include school tours and workshops as well as ongoing “signature” youth programs and special programs driven by rotating exhibition content. The Education Department will focus on producing both general and targeted content to serve: • The 4.5 million PreK–12 school children in the New York City metro area, of which 1.1 million students are in New York City public schools; • The 40,000 to 100,000 students in New York City public schools who identify as LGBTQ+ (estimated by PFLAG); • The four states that have mandated LGBTQ+ inclusive curricula in recent years (New Jersey, California, Illinois, and Colorado). New York and Maryland are currently debating the topic, and it is expected that more states will follow. • Gay–Straight Alliances (GSAs) and other youth affinity groups that focus on anti-bullying, inclusion initiatives, and GSA programming. POSITION DESCRIPTION The mission of the American LGBTQ+ Museum is to preserve, investigate, and celebrate 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, they seek to advance LGBTQ+ equality through the lens of social justice movements, including race, gender, class, immigration, and disability. They envision a world in which all people work toward and experience the joy of liberation. POSITION: The Chief of Development (CoD) will provide the leadership, direction, and coordination of fundraising strategies and activities to advance the mission of the American LGBTQ+ Museum. Working with a team of three full-time staff and two consultants, the CoD will be responsible for managing all museum fundraising, including campaign fundraising for a $30mm comprehensive campaign, board of directors fundraising, individual major gifts, annual fundraising (direct mail), corporate fundraising and engagement, government fundraising, memberships, all donor communications, and donor cultivation events. The CoD will be a high-energy, seasoned development professional with a proven track record in major gift fundraising (ideally campaign fundraising) in the museum or cultural sector, researching and building strong relationships with current and prospective donors which translate into significant sustainable philanthropic support. Working closely with the Executive Director, the Board, and senior staff, the CoD 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. RESPONSIBILITIES: CAMPAIGN FUNDRAISING & MANAGEMENT The Chief of Development will • be responsible for the oversight of Campaign strategy and implementation; • in collaboration with staff and the Executive Director, be responsible for the effective relationship building, donor cultivation, and solicitation of all campaign prospects and donors; and • serve as the primary staff point for Development Committee, the volunteer leadership body of the campaign. COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT & FUNDRAISING MANAGEMENT The Chief of Development will • conceptualize, lead, implement, and monitor annual resource development strategy and plans; POSITION DESCRIPTION • constantly evaluate progress toward fundraising goals and be accountable to, and work with, the Executive Director to adjust strategies; • strengthen a well-balanced and diversified funding stream including individual donors, corporate giving, major gifts, public funding, special events, and foundation funding; • coordinate fiscal management with finance and administrative staff; and • help advance the Memorandum of Understanding and ongoing collaboration with The New York Historical. BOARD AND VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT The Chief of Development will • work with Development staff, the Executive Director, and the Development Committee of the Board of Directors to ensure board and committee members succeed in their fundraising responsibilities; and • prospect, vet, and recruit future board members and high-net-worth volunteers. INDIVIDUAL PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT & DONOR ENGAGEMENT The Chief of Development will • support the Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving, Executive Director, and trustees to manage a major gifts portfolio of donors, create strategic approaches to steward current major donors, and cultivate a diverse pool of major donor prospects; • support Development staff to develop and implement plans for cultivating, retaining, and upgrading all prospects and donors by participating in the gift cycle, member benefits, and moves management; and • plan and oversee the direct mail program with staff. INSTITUTIONAL GIVING MANAGEMENT The Chief of Development will • oversee foundation, government, and corporate proposal writing, calendaring, and reporting; and • take direct responsibility for developing and stewarding corporate donors. SPECIAL EVENT MANAGEMENT The Chief of Development will • set expectations and approach for sponsored special events and evaluate endorsed events opportunities; and • plan and deliver fundraising events such as anniversary, opening, and gala celebrations, nationally, and manage donor cultivation events with staff and Co-Hosts. COMMUNICATIONS The Chief of Development will • create fresh, compelling cases for philanthropic support; and • work with the Communications consultants to ensure their work is strategic and meets donor communication goals. POSITION DESCRIPTION DATA INTEGRITY & PROSPECT RESEARCH The Chief of Development will • conduct prospect research and ensure donor information storage; and • work with staff to ensure the integrity of the fundraising database, as well as online giving, gift processing, recording, and acknowledgement. OTHER DUTIES The Chief of Development will • stay current with industry trends and assist in adapting and redirecting ALM plans; • work in close conjunction with Chiefs of Programs, Exhibitions and Collections, Operations, and the Executive Director to ensure the Museum navigates institution-building in line with its values; • attend Staff, Program, Exhibitions, and Communications team meetings and support Museum outreach as assigned. QUALIFICATIONS: The American LGBTQ+ Museum seeks a Chief of Development with • a commitment to the mission of the American LGBTQ+ Museum – to preserve, investigate, and celebrate 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; • 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, and foundation and corporate funding; • an ability to conceptualize and describe funding needs to potential donors in compelling and comprehensive ways; • an ability to collaborate across departments as a team player and to engage, activate, and support the staff, 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 direct day-to-day activities and development operations; • experience developing solid working relationships with colleagues, 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 literacy with strong technical skills, including with Google Suite and Microsoft Office; POSITION DESCRIPTION • an ability to work with data analysis and evaluation through an advanced CRM (Bloomerang is the current CRM); • excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to manage sensitive and confidential situations with discretion, tact, professionalism, and diplomacy; • creativity, with excellent written and interpersonal oral communication skills; and • personal qualities of humility and empathy. A minimum of ten years of progressive experience in multifaceted development work is required. REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS: The Chief of Development will report to the Executive Director, Ben Garcia. The CoD will oversee a team of three staff. Additionally, the Museum employs a contract grant writer and some contract event support. FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: The Chief of Development has the opportunity to establish the American LGBTQ+ Museum as an anchor institution in New York’s museum landscape and a nationally significant cultural force. We have a committed board, a growing base of supporters, a compelling mission, and real momentum. What we need now is a values-aligned Chief of Development who can bring talent, focus, and strategic clarity to a development program ready to scale. Our development team is small, capable, and deeply invested — and it is stretched. We have made meaningful progress in building systems, routines, and early performance metrics, particularly in major gifts and grants. At the same time, the volume of activity has at times diluted focus, and the quality of work has suffered as a result. This role exists to change that. The work ahead is to build a high-performing development shop — one defined not by how busy it is, but by how effective it is. We need a leader who can establish clear rhythms and habits; who knows when to say no; and who can align us around the highest-value work. We also need a leader who approaches development through the lens of arts and culture — someone who understands how donors give to cultural institutions. We have built a strong base of activist supporters; now we must deepen and expand our base of arts and culture philanthropy. Major gifts and grants are central to this moment. We have fewer than 40 highly rated major donors and fewer than 20 six-figure target asks — alongside a deep bench of donors who could become much more. The challenge now is not prospecting alone, but activation. Moving donors — especially board-led relationships — from identification to meaningful cultivation and confident solicitation will require exceptional project management, accountability, and leadership across lines of authority. POSITION DESCRIPTION Our grant portfolio is stabilizing, but it requires more strategic stewardship and additional capacity to thrive. Our impact evaluation and reporting systems are not yet where they need to be, and our case for support still leans too heavily on how much we are doing, rather than how well it is working. We need a Chief of Development who understands how to articulate and measure the impact of a cultural institution. Our base and mid-level donor strategies are improving. We have strong retention rates, solid automation, and increasingly effective data management. Yet conversion rates remain lower than we want them to be — signaling an opportunity to sharpen messaging and asks. Our event fundraising is designed to serve our major donor strategy. We have developed a playbook that supports cultivation and stewardship, and we now need clearer decision- making about when an event advances our goals — and when saying no is the stronger choice. As we approach the Museum’s opening, we look to the development team to help keep the institution on schedule. We aim to double revenue in 2026. We think we laid the groundwork to make this possible, but our new Chief of Development will join us at a time of quick acceleration. We aim to raise $22 million over the next three years. This growth will not be achieved by adding more activity — it will be achieved through focus, execution, and leadership. We are looking for a Chief of Development who is ready to work with us in what still feels like a startup phase. Someone who brings structure without rigidity, ambition without ego, and accountability without anxiety — and who is ready to help this Museum claim its rightful place not only as a cultural institution, but as a social movement. Thank you for your interest in joining the team at The American LGBTQ+ Museum. — Ben Garcia, Executive Director SALARY & BENEFITS: The salary for this position is $227,150. The salary is tied to the Museum’s commitment to pay equity. A 5% cost of living increase will be applied annually. The American LGBTQ+ Museum offers a comprehensive package of benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, a 401(k) plan, and generous paid time off. LOCATION: New York City is a place that rewards ambition, creativity, and resilience. With industries ranging from finance and tech to fashion, media, and the arts, the city offers an unmatched density of opportunity. It’s the kind of place where ideas collide on subway platforms, in coworking spaces, and over late-night coffee runs, and where professional growth often comes from simply being immersed POSITION DESCRIPTION in its relentless energy. For newcomers, the city’s diversity is more than just a talking point – it’s a daily experience that broadens perspectives and fuels innovation. NYC’s cultural fabric is woven from its immigrant roots, making it one of the most linguistically and ethnically diverse cities in the world. Its culinary scene is legendary, with everything from Michelin-starred dining to iconic street food. NYC is deeply passionate about the arts, with world-class museums, theaters, and music venues enriching everyday life. Green spaces like Central Park offer peaceful escapes, and seasonal festivals and outdoor events keep the city buzzing year-round. Public transportation via the subway and buses makes it one of the most accessible cities in the world, and walkability is a major perk for residents and visitors alike. Beyond work, New York offers a cultural richness that makes putting down roots feel exciting and meaningful. Whether you’re drawn to world-class museums, endless dining options, or the sense that something extraordinary could happen on any given night, the city has a way of making life feel expansive. 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. APPLICATION PROCESS: The American LGBTQ+ Museum will consider candidates with a broad range of backgrounds. If you are excited about this role and feel that you can contribute to the Museum, but your experience does not exactly align with every qualification listed above, we encourage you to apply. All applications must be accompanied by a cover letter and résumé. Cover letters should be responsive to the mission of the American LGBTQ+ Museum and the responsibilities and competencies presented in the position prospectus. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the successful candidate has been selected. To apply for this position, visit: Chief of Development, American LGBTQ+ Museum. POSITION DESCRIPTION ABOUT ZRG PARTNERS: ZRG is a global talent advisory firm that is changing the way companies find, hire, and manage talent through its data-driven approach to executive and professional search. The company’s digital Zi platform combines talent intelligence, candidate insights, and process improvement to dramatically deliver executive searches quicker and with proven better results. ABOUT ASPEN LEADERSHIP GROUP: Aspen Leadership Group (ALG) supports exceptional careers in the nonprofit sector, recruiting presidents, executive directors, and chief advancement officers and helping them recruit, train, and inspire high-performing teams. The company’s search services and leadership consulting focus on building teams that enable an organization to engage all its potential donors and volunteers and to drive unprecedented fundraising results. Steven Wallace Managing Director and Vice President, Stewardship & Partnerships stevenwallace@aspenleadershipgroup.com Steven W. Wallace brings 28 years of philanthropy experience to his work in executive search and leadership consulting with clients. His expertise covers a wide array of disciplines, including: fundraising; team building; donor relations, recognition and stewardship; board management; and the increasingly important field of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I). Throughout his career, Steven has helped some of the nation’s most prestigious healthcare and higher education institutions expand their programs and achieve their philanthropic goals. Previously he served as an associate vice president in the Office of Philanthropy at City of Hope (COH), working with major donors and leading a team of fundraisers focused on the Hematologic Malignancies Research Institute. He was a member of the leadership team at COH’s Division of Health Equities, helping to lead development for both internal and external DE&I programs. Prior to joining City of Hope, Steven worked for 12 years with Providence Health & Services, one of America’s ten largest health systems, serving as vice president of development for both Providence Holy Cross Foundation and Providence Little Company of Mary Foundation – fundraising roles that included a heavy emphasis on stakeholder engagement, as well as Board recruitment and management. Prior to entering the healthcare field, Steven successfully fundraised for California State University, Northridge (CSUN), where he also managed a volunteer advisory board for the Jewish Studies program. Before joining CSUN, Steven served as senior associate director of development for the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business where he established new recognition and communications programs for alumni donors, including The Harper Society, which still exist to this day. Before moving to Chicago, Steven was director of donor relations for Columbia POSITION DESCRIPTION University in New York, and held administrative positions at Hunter College’s School of Health Sciences in New York. His first fundraising position was at UC San Francisco School of Dentistry. A frequent presenter at Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) in Donor Relations conferences, Steven received his Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from the University of California, Berkeley and Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of San Francisco.