Director of Development

ABOUT HANDS ON CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

Located on Olympia’s East Bay waterfront, Hands On Children’s Museum (HOCM) is the leading play-based, early learning institution in Southwest Washington and the most visited children’s museum in the Pacific Northwest, hosting over 300,000 guests annually. Founded in 1987, HOCM has a long history of growth including three expansions in two decades prior to building its permanent home on the waterfront. Now the museum is embarking on its next major expansion due to open in late 2027 with 70% of the funding already secured.

The Museum’s mission is to stimulate curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking through fun, interactive learning experiences. HOCM’s award-winning education programs include camps, workshops, an onsite preschool, parenting classes, field trips, community outreach, and family support programs.

Hands On is a regional treasure featuring a state-of-the-art LEED Gold facility with 150 indoor exhibits, a half-acre Outdoor Discovery Center and nature play space, Art Studio, MakeSpace for tinkering and inventing, café, and gift shop. Focused on the arts and early STEAM learning experiences, the Museum encourages children to build, garden, cook, create, and get their hands dirty.

Frequently voted a “Best Place” in regional and statewide competitions, the Museum attracts visitors from every state and 20+ countries each year. Hands On is featured in numerous Blippi videos, ranks as a top attraction on Google, Yelp, AAA, and was awarded the Traveler’s Choice Award by TripAdvisor.

THE POSITION

This position will build on the fundraising success achieved by current and past leadership, the Board of Directors, and the surrounding generous community, evolving the development program into its next phase of growth. With record-setting visitation for the size of the museum and the community, Hands On is embarking on its next major expansion campaign. With 28 years of steady growth and successful financial performance, we are looking for a senior development leader to help take us to the next level—an experienced and organized professional who can demonstrate planning and execution skills to achieve both capital and operating fundraising goals. The Director of Development will report directly to the CEO and will work closely with peers and colleagues to craft and tell the story of the Museum.

The Director of Development is responsible for leading and managing all aspects of the organization’s fundraising work including, but not limited to, the Summer Splash! Festival & Gala, major gifts and sponsorships, annual giving, grants, the capital campaign, and a planned giving program. A successful Development Director will demonstrate expertise and ability to perform detailed work as well as manage it, along with a willingness to learn and be flexible. The position will oversee 3-4 positions and work closely with the Director of Data & Administrative Systems, the Senior Manager of Strategic Communications, the CFO, CEO, and other leaders across the organization to achieve shared goals.

This role requires an individual who is a strong relationship builder and demonstrates confidence in navigating relationships with senior leaders, donors, and community members. This position also requires active participation with the team in detailed work whenever necessary. All employees are expected to center, model, and champion the values of the Museum.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Director of Development will have the following responsibilities:

• Partner with the CEO and CFO to clearly define the Museum’s strategic philanthropic vision and achievable fundraising goals.
• Participate as an effective member of the leadership team, providing input on programs, activities, and events to support membership development and increased visitation.
• Attend Board of Directors and Board Committee meetings and regularly prepare and present development reports.
• Oversee HOCM’s efforts to further increase its connection to relevant business, nonprofit, government, education, children-focused, and philanthropic communities; foster these relationships to both increase revenue and enrich programming, offerings, and reputation.
• Follow best practices in all areas of work and represent HOCM well when interacting with individuals, organizations, and the community.
• As a representative of the museum to the community, serve as an ambassador in support of the museum’s mission, vision, values, institutional goals, Board, and staff.
• In collaboration with the CEO, CFO, and Board of Directors, strengthen and successfully implement the comprehensive annual development plan raising $1.6M annually in addition to supporting a $35M capital campaign for expansion which is already 70% complete. Create clear short-term and long-term goals, objectives, and timelines.
• In collaboration with the CEO, obtain new capital and operating funds for the organization through diverse revenue streams. Maintain an active portfolio of active donors and sponsors.
• Work closely with staff, Board members, and other volunteers to develop, attract, steward, and retain donors, and maximize the capacity of existing donors.
• Oversee the annual Summer Splash! Festival & Gala, the Museum’s most important annual fundraising event generating over $600K. This includes all event planning, management, sponsorship solicitation and leading the Board’s Gala committee.
• Obtain new revenue funds for the organization through the acquisition of gifts, donations, and by diversifying revenue streams. Maintain an active portfolio of major donors and sponsors.
• Write proposals for major gifts and sponsorships, develop collateral pieces and work with the Museum grant writer to manage the comprehensive annual grant plan.
• Grow HOCM’s Leadership Circle and Corporate Membership programs by identifying cultivating, and soliciting individuals and businesses.
• Advance the team’s understanding and use of data and analytics in all aspects of Development work to improve performance and gain key insights to achieve results.
• Manage and motivate the fundraising team of 3-4 staff (Development & Events Manager, Database Manager, Senior Grants Manager, Development & Events Coordinator) to meet annual fundraising goals, with clear expectations and measures for success. Complete performance evaluations.
• Responsible for supervising, and directing a fundraising team to effectively cultivate, solicit, and steward individual, corporate, foundation, and government funders in support of the Museum.
• Ensure best development processes are followed in gift recording, acknowledgements, and development operations.
• Lead regular Development/Communications team meetings, provide on-going coaching, and ensure key deadlines and outcomes are met.
• Develop and maintain annual development budgets; oversee all development related expenditures and establish methods of maintaining budget control.
• Collaborate with the CFO, CEO, and key staff members to ensure that funds are collected and expended to the best possible advantage and in accordance with any benefactors’ or grant makers’ restrictions and requirements.
• Build upon the culture of excellence, relationships, collaboration, and the well-being and education of all children at the core of all practices.

QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will possess most of the following qualifications:

• At least four or more years of progressive leadership experience in development or advancement; experience leading major and planned giving, capital campaigns, and partnerships preferred.
• A genuine commitment to the mission, vision, and values of HOCM and a general interest in the work of the Museum; experience in children’s museums is an advantage.
• Proven track record of achieving fundraising goals, major gift solicitation, stewardship, and donor cultivation; thorough understanding of earned revenue in addition to contributed revenue and the value of a diversified funding base.
• Record of cultivating and securing significant gifts. Ability to prospect, cultivate, and manage new donors, while effectively stewarding and re-engaging the Museum’s existing donor base.
• Strong financial analysis skills including familiarity with typical financial documents, ability to develop and manage both revenue and expense budgets.
• Experience collaborating with a Board of Directors to achieve fundraising goals.
• Ability and commitment to working with diverse groups of people.
• Successful experience managing staff.
• Demonstrated success in building productive, collaborative, long-term relationships with the CEO, senior team, board members, donors, and volunteers.
• Comfort and expertise in leveraging metrics and data for reporting and goal-setting.
• Persuasive writing and verbal skills, including public speaking and strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to both lead and perform detail-oriented work.
• Strategic, collaborative, an adept storyteller, with strong relationship building capacities, as well as comfort working in a dynamic, energetic environment.
• Entrepreneurial, curious, self-starter, comfort navigating ambiguity, growth-oriented, and has a general interest in continued learning.
• Familiarity with Altru by Blackbaud, Raiser's Edge, or Greater Giving software is an advantage.
• Stays current and up to date with industry trends and leading development practices.
• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant experience is required; an advanced degree is desirable.
• Alignment with HOCM’s Workplace Values.