Director of Development - Pre-opening Capital Campaign

The Director of Development of the Kansas City Quilt Museum will lead and execute an ambitious $20–25 million pre-opening fundraising campaign to support the launch of a new cultural institution dedicated to the art, history, and significance of quilting. This is a rare opportunity to shape a new cultural institution from the ground up and lead a significant arts fundraising effort in the Kansas City region.

The successful candidate will play a defining role in establishing a museum that celebrates quilting as both an artistic practice and a powerful expression of cultural identity, community, and storytelling.
This is a build-and-lead role: the Director will design the fundraising strategy, secure leadership gifts, build donor infrastructure, and position the museum for long-term philanthropic success. The role requires a hands-on fundraiser with a proven ability to close seven-figure gifts in a compressed timeline.

The ideal candidate is:

• A closer, not just a strategist
• Comfortable asking for transformational gifts
• Skilled at navigating both grassroots passion and high-net-worth philanthropy
• Energized by building something new, not maintaining something established

The Director of Development will report and collaborate with the Founder/CEO and Executive Director and work closely with the museum Board of Directors.

Primary Responsibilities
Campaign Strategy & Execution

• Lead planning and execution of a $20–25M comprehensive pre-opening campaign
• Develop campaign structure including:
  • Lead gifts strategy
  • Naming opportunities
  • Case for support and campaign materials
• Establish campaign timelines, benchmarks, and reporting systems
• Partner with leadership to align fundraising with construction and opening milestones

Major Gifts & Donor Leadership

• Personally manage a portfolio of 50–100 high-capacity donors and prospects
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and close six- and seven-figure gifts
• Develop tailored engagement strategies for:
  • Individual philanthropists
  • Family foundations
  • Corporate partners
• Lead donor meetings, proposals, and stewardship strategies

Board & Volunteer Engagement

• Partner with Board members to:
  • Identify prospects
  • Open doors
  • Participate in solicitations
• Provide coaching and materials to support solicitation partners

Institutional Giving

• Oversee strategy for:
  • Foundation grants
  • Corporate sponsorships
• Develop compelling proposals aligned with:
  • Arts and culture
  • Education and workforce and economic development
  • Community impact and equity

Development Infrastructure

• Select and implement a CRM system 
• Build gift tracking, reporting, and donor stewardship systems
• Establish policies and procedures for:
  • Gift acceptance
  • Naming recognition
  • Donor acknowledgment

Marketing & Case Development

• Partner with marketing activities to ensure alignment between:
  • Campaign messaging
  • Public brand narrative
• Lead development of:
  • Case for support
  • Donor presentations
  • Campaign collateral

Events & Engagement

• Plan and execute high-impact donor events, including:
  • Campaign launches
  • Private cultivation events
  • Pre-opening previews
• Leverage events as strategic fundraising tools, not just gatherings

Qualifications
Required Experience

• 7–10+ years in nonprofit fundraising, with significant major gifts experience
• Proven success securing six- and seven-figure gifts
• Experience in a capital or comprehensive campaign environment
• Demonstrated ability to manage high-level donor relationships

Preferred Experience

• Background in arts, culture, or museum fundraising
• Experience in start-up or preopening institutional environments
• Familiarity with the Kansas City philanthropic landscape

Core Competencies

• Strategic thinker with strong execution discipline
• Persuasive communicator and storyteller
• Elevated level of personal initiative and accountability
• Comfort operating in a fast-paced, evolving environment
• Strong financial and analytical acumen

Performance Metrics (First 12–18 Months)

• Total funds raised toward $20–25M goal
• Number and value of major gifts closed ($25-100K+)
• Campaign milestones achieved on schedule
• Growth and engagement of donor pipeline
• Board participation in fundraising activities

Compensation & Structure

• Competitive base salary (commensurate with experience)
• Performance-based incentives tied to campaign milestones
• Potential for long-term leadership role post-opening

This position requires regular in-person work and engagement throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area.