Director of Development, FDR Presidential Library and Museum

About the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum

Established in 1941, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum was our nation’s first presidential library. It set the precedent for exiting presidents to make their records public, for the good of the people and democracy as a whole. Now, more than ever, as the very definition of closely held American values like freedom and truth are being questioned and debated, the FDR Library must remain relevant—preserving history while also providing a space for open discussion and critical analysis.

The Roosevelt Institute is the nonprofit partner to the FDRL, which is run by the National Archives. The institute provides financial support for the library and museum in areas that the federal government cannot, including special exhibits, education, and public programs. Historically the FDRL’s fundraising strategy has been focused on New York and the Greater Hudson Valley region, leveraging the library’s reputation as an important local institution. However, as Franklin and Eleanor’s legacy continues to live on in public discourse, it is increasingly clear that we are missing an opportunity to take advantage of the FDRL’s potential as a national and international resource for research, study, and interpretation of the Roosevelts, the New Deal era, and World War II. A successful candidate for this role will have a vision for how the FDRL can gain more national prominence.

Job Summary

The Roosevelt Institute seeks a Director of Development to oversee fundraising for the FDR Presidential Library and Museum (FDRL). Responsibilities entail developing and executing a comprehensive development strategy for the FDRL, overseeing a diverse portfolio that includes major gifts, foundation grants, corporate partnerships, public funding, planned giving, membership, and special events. The Director of Development will report directly to the Senior Vice President of Development and manage a Development Manager. This is a full-time, non-unionized management role.

Department: Development
Reports to: Senior Vice President of Development
Salary: $120,000 – $130,000

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

The Director of Development will be responsible for driving a comprehensive development strategy that ensures the FDRL’s long-term sustainability, with the goal of raising $3-5M in new funding over the next three years. They will work in close partnership with the Roosevelt Institute’s Chief Executive Officer and Senior Vice President of Development, as well as the Director of the FDR Presidential Library and Museum, and they will manage and be supported by a Development Manager.

Key responsibilities include:

• Fundraising
  • Manage the overall fundraising pipeline, including advising on strategy, tracking progress toward goals, and leveraging data to inform decisions.
  • Identify and pursue grant opportunities from foundations and government sources.
  • Leverage the FDRL’s robust suite of programs to develop corporate partnerships and sponsorship opportunities.
  • Cultivate and steward relationships with donors at all levels, including library trustees and members.
  • Build a robust pipeline of donors, including identifying new prospects while ensuring current donors are as engaged as possible.
  • Support trustees in their donor and prospect development activities.
  • Develop and oversee an event strategy to cultivate new donors and increase sponsorships.
  • Build toward a capital campaign to enhance the FDRL’s long-term sustainability.
  • Explore potential for direct marketing and small-donor fundraising via mail, email, digital ads, and other approaches.
• External Relations
  • Help expand the FDRL’s profile from a local institution to a national presence, piloting new marketing and communications tactics and leveraging external resources as necessary.
  • Serve as a public representative of the organization, fostering relationships with external stakeholders, including elected officials, major donors, and prospective funders.

Experience Requirements:

• Minimum of 10 years of fundraising experience in the nonprofit field, preferably with a cultural institution.
• Familiarity with the full gamut of development approaches, including institutional giving, events, corporate partnerships, major gifts, planned giving, etc.
• Experience managing relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders, including laterally and vertically with internal staff, as well as external audiences such as trustees, donors, elected officials, etc.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work fluidly across all levels, build collaboration and buy-in, and generate support from internal and external stakeholders.
• Understanding of philanthropic environment and best practices in fundraising and marketing.
• Highly organized, with outstanding attention to detail.
• Experience with NY-based fundraising a plus but not required.
• Experience using donor databases like Salesforce is preferred.
• Experience working on a capital campaign a bonus.