Director of Development

Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH) presents extraordinary, thought-provoking arts, programming and exhibitions to educate and inspire audiences nationally and internationally.

Established in 1948, CAMH is one of the oldest non-collecting contemporary arts museums in the country, and is internationally known for presenting pivotal and landmark work by artists recognized as the most important of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Description

The Director of Development is a key member of Contemporary Art Museum Houston’s (CAMH) senior leadership team, leading fundraising efforts alongside the Co-Directors and providing strategy and oversight of the Museum’s Development department. This individual is responsible for building, managing, and executing a comprehensive annual fundraising plan to secure the financial resources necessary for the Museum’s growth and long-term sustainability. Central to their responsibilities is identifying, growing, and stewarding individuals, with a specific focus on qualification, pipeline development, annual giving, and major gifts. Additionally, they will supervise and collaborate with the Development team to achieve fundraising goals and objectives for grants, foundation gifts, special events, membership, and program underwriting.

The role offers a rich platform for a passionate development professional to advocate for CAMH’s impactful exhibitions and arts education programs, direct engagement with communities, and initiatives that create new possibilities for artists to work at a civic scale.

The Director of Development brings experienced, energetic leadership, advanced skills in strategy, relationship management, and effective communication, and a proven record of success in individual gift solicitation, donor engagement, and team leadership.

The role will identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors, manage a personal portfolio of approximately 80-100 prospects, and provide support to the Co-Directors' personal portfolios, including developing strategies for cultivating and soliciting gifts of $10,000 and above. The Director of Development will be tasked with developing a moves management system across the team to strengthen individual donor relationships and increase year-to-year giving, membership, special event underwriting, and corporate and foundation support.

The ideal candidate works from a position of deep integrity, curiosity, and ambition. CAMH seeks a leader who balances working in a creative environment with a disciplined approach to managing revenue and cultivation goals. The role requires fostering a collaborative, influence-based leadership style rooted in care for colleagues and a commitment to the broader success of the Museum. As a member of the senior leadership team, this position will manage and advocate for the Development department and counsel and collaborate with the Co-Directors and senior colleagues on strategic goals to realize an annual goal of approximately $4 million within CAMH’s $5 million annual budget, with year-to-year growth estimated at 5-10%.

The ideal candidate understands the specific context and opportunities of contemporary, artist-centered organizations. The Director of Development will steward an innovative path for CAMH that elevates artists, authentically engages diverse audiences, and meaningfully engages the public life of our community and city.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

Strategy:

• Develop strategies for philanthropic support from individuals, organizations (government, foundations,

corporations), and additional earned revenue opportunities (special projects, partnerships), rooted in

CAMH’s mission, programs, and priorities.

• Design, implement, and lead a comprehensive development plan that builds off current success and
• advances the annual giving program with a particular focus on pipeline cultivation and major gifts.
• Collaborate with the Co-Directors and Board of Trustees to build a sustainable and inclusive culture of philanthropy that centers community and anticipates a future capital campaign and campus expansion.
• Effectively articulate and persuasively promote the mission and vision of CAMH in external relationships and development collateral to secure support from CAMH's various constituencies.
• Amplify diversity in all levels of fundraising strategy.

Fundraising:

• Oversee a yearly fundraising plan targeting $4 million annually, tied to CAMH’s strategic priorities to increase annual and major gifts.
• Manage a portfolio of approximately 80-100 prospects to cultivate, solicit, and close annual and major gifts. Metrics will include portfolio management, annual fundraising goals, and monthly meetings to review opportunities, growth, and strategies to mitigate shortfalls.
• Assign team members portfolios that include foundations, corporations, members, and other prospects.
• Implement a moves management system across the Development team to align donors to organizational values and priorities, personalize their experience, and secure their long-term support of CAMH in advance
• of a future capital campaign.

Board Engagement:

• Present fundraising goals, strategy, and status updates to CAMH’s Board of Trustees.
• Routinely engage the Board through donor stewardship, cultivation events, and creating a dynamic portfolio
• of experiences that inspire Board members around CAMH’s impact.
• Collaborate with the chair of the Boards Development Committee to engage the committee members in
• prospect strategy, relationship management with foundations, and corporate sponsors, and planning for
• CAMH PARTY, the Museum's annual benefit.
• Act as staff liaison for the Board’s Development Committee and report on all development activities at
• Board and Board Committee meetings.

Department Leadership:

• Provide clear leadership to Development Team, develop and leverage each team member's talent, and motivate the department, all consistent with CAMH’s priorities.
• Collaborate closely with the Co-Directors and Director of Finance to develop and implement comprehensive long-term financial and revenue planning strategies.
• Support the Development team’s cross-departmental work to enhance cultivation across all museum programs.
• Develop and oversee department budget, forecasting, and reporting for annual and monthly fundraising goals and expenditures with the Assistant Director of Development and in coordination with the Director of Finance.
• In collaboration with the Co-Directors, represent CAMH at special events, public programs, and other related events.
• Assign team members to support donor engagement at programs and events.
• Serve on the CAMH’s Senior Leadership team.

Qualifications and Characteristics

The ideal candidate possesses the following qualifications:

• 6+ years of experience in individual fundraising with 3+ years in a senior leadership role, ideally at an arts organization, with a deep knowledge of developing major gifts from individual donors, foundations, and corporations.
• Experience in managing and developing fundraising teams and strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to manage contributed revenue programs and departments that successfully raise
• more than $3,000,000 annually.
• Preference for experience working within the Houston non-profit community, particularly with individuals,

foundations, and corporate philanthropy that focus on supporting art, artists, and K-12 arts education.

• Experience with national funders.
• Understanding of non-profit gift-acceptance guidelines and ethical fundraising standards.
• Proficiency with donor management software, preferably Raisers Edge, and strong data-driven orientation.
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), Google, and project
• management applications.
• Familiarity with best practices for non-profit data collection.
• Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) certification is highly valued; special consideration and support will
• be given to individuals working towards certification.

Status: Full-time | Exempt

Schedule: Monday–Friday, 9AM–5PM in-person with the option to work remotely one day per week; additional evening and weekend hours per event, occasional travel required.

Salary: $115,000–130,000 annually, full benefits; relocation expenses, as required