Director of Development

Title: Director of Development 

Department: Development  

Reports to: Executive Director 

The Mark Twain House & Museum, the home of Samuel Langhorne Clemens “Mark Twain” located in Hartford, Connecticut, seeks an experienced Director of Development to join our team and provide strategic direction and guidance for the development department. 

Mark Twain remains one of our nation’s strongest and most persistent cultural and historical icons. The books he produced when he lived in Hartford – among them Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Life on the Mississippi, The Prince and the Pauper, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court – represent his greatest achievements. His work changed the course of American writing and our nation’s view of itself.  

Position Summary 

The Director of Development (DOD) is a dynamic, results-driven fundraising professional responsible for creating, implementing and managing all the Museum’s fundraising and donor relationship activities. Reporting directly to the Executive Director (ED), this position will support the ED and Board of Trustees by implementing successful fundraising strategies to secure and increase short and long-term support from individual, corporate, and foundation donors. The DOD will manage a portfolio of current donors as well as identify, qualify, cultivate, and solicit prospective supporters; the DOD will steward all donors to align donor interests to Museum goals and identify opportunities for financial support of the Museum’s work.  The DOD will lead the Museum’s development team including a Grants Manager and Development Associate. 

Core Responsibilities 

Strategy, Board and Leadership 

• Partner with the Executive Director to advance all fundraising activities and priorities. 
  Serve as staff liaison to the Development Committee.
• Educate, energize and train Trustee and leadership volunteers in donor cultivation and fundraising best practices.
• Prepare and present development reports to the Board, synthesizing fundraising progress, impact, and trends, and attend all Board meetings.
• Support Board efforts in identifying, researching, and cultivating potential new members.
• Maintain regular communication with current and former Trustees through stewardship and strategic touchpoints throughout the year, reinforcing ongoing connections and philanthropic commitment. 

Fundraising

• Lead the efforts to raise current budget of $1 million in contributed support annually, with plans to increase revenue year-over-year through individual, foundation, and corporate funding.
• Oversee the Museum’s membership program, including renewals, engagement initiatives, and strategies to deepen relationships and convert members into long-term donors.
• Design and manage all fundraising initiatives, including annual funds, major gifts, planned giving, capital projects, endowment campaigns, special projects, and online giving.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate an annual development plan with measurable goals and metrics.  
  Cultivate and maintain relationships with donors through strategic solicitation and stewardship, partnering with the ED and Trustees as appropriate.
• Oversee grant writing and proposal development for foundations and corporations in collaboration with the Grant Manager.
• Expand donor base year-over-year through research and outreach at regional, national and international levels.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive planned-giving program as part of a broader strategy for individual giving.
• Oversee planning and execution of fundraising events including annual gala and donor appreciation events.
• Attend community events and meet with donors to support cultivation efforts, serving as an ambassador for the Museum.
• Set goals and develop strategies to increase contributed income.
• Create and implement communication strategies for national fundraising campaigns in collaboration with marketing and senior staff. 

Internal Management and Infrastructure

• Establish systems to support development operations, reporting, and special projects, including clear processes, accountability, and cross-functional coordination.
• Manage departmental resources (human and financial) in a way that efficiently produces optimal results and achieves stated financial objectives for revenue and expense management.
• Oversee donor and gift record-keeping, including gift processing and documentation, to ensure timely entry and accuracy in partnership with the Development Associate.
• Coordinate prospect research activities to inform donor strategy and portfolio development.
• Ensure that accurate and thorough records are maintained in the database, including contact reports, giving history, biographical data, etc.
• Oversee pledge reminders and donor acknowledgements, ensuring timely and consistent donor communications and stewardship.
• Collaborate with marketing and senior staff to develop public relations plans for fundraising initiatives.

Qualifications 

• Minimum of 7 –10 years of professional fundraising experience, including 5 years in senior development roles (preferably in a museum setting).
• Demonstrated success in securing major gifts and building long-term donor relationships through effective cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Experience designing and managing development and membership programs.
• Exceptional interpersonal, presentation, and advocacy skills, with the ability to build trust and communicate effectively with diverse donors, volunteers, and community stakeholders.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills, with proven ability to tailor messaging for a variety of constituencies and audiences.
• Proven ability to take initiative and work independently, with attention to detail, sound judgment, and follow-through in a deadline-driven environment.
• Strong ability to think strategically and creatively about fundraising opportunities, manage competing priorities, and collaborate effectively across departments.
• Demonstrated leadership and team collaboration skills, including the ability to drive shared accountability toward fundraising goals.
• Experience with budgeting, forecasting, and financial oversight, including using data to inform decision-making and resource allocation.

Location

This role is based in Hartford, CT. Periodic evenings and weekends are required for meetings, events, or public engagements.

Salary and Benefits  

Salary is commensurate with experience in the range of $130,000–$150,000. Benefits include paid time off, company-wide holidays, health, dental, and vision insurance, and more.