Director of Development for Development and Alumni Relations - University of Pennsylvania

University Overview


The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.




Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.




The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.








Posted Job Title

Director of Development for Development and Alumni Relations





Job Profile Title

Director, School/Center Development





Job Description Summary

MUSEUM OVERVIEW:


The Penn Museum conducts research, shares stories, and uses the collection of more than one million objects it stewards to provide in-person and virtual experiences that transform the understanding of what it means to be human. Through this mission, its work centers on creating dynamic engagement with the Museum’s world-class collection for our campus, local, national, and global audiences.


Research has been a defining pillar of its mission and a hallmark of the Museum, beginning with Penn’s 1887 excavation at the ancient Mesopotamian city of Nippur—the first American excavation in the Middle East, and a groundbreaking undertaking in the history of archaeological research—and through over 300 field excavations or anthropological research projects around the world. This work is continued today by 20 curators, 9 teaching specialists and research fellows, and over 150 affiliated consulting scholars. Most of the objects in the collection were excavated by the Museum’s archaeologists over the course of a century of fieldwork. They tell a much richer narrative than purchased collections do because they have archaeological contexts and are the end results of carefully constructed research programs.


The Museum welcomes over 180,000 visitors onsite each year, drawn to its permanent galleries, special exhibitions, and an extensive range of onsite public programs which draw audiences across the Greater Philadelphia region and Northeast Corridor, as well as national and international visitors. Many more explore through the Digital Penn Museum, where they can join live events, watch films and lectures, and delve into more than 400,000 objects with online records. Our YouTube views have surpassed three million in recent years.


The Museum is engaged in an extensive renovation and reimagination process, which when completed, will include transformation of more than 44,000 square feet—75 percent—of its signature galleries and public spaces. In November 2019, the Museum celebrated the completion of the inaugural phase of this physical transformation, which made the building fully accessible to everyone for the very first time and opened more than 10,000 square feet of reimagined galleries across the Museum’s Main level: a new Sphinx Gallery, Mexico and Central America Gallery, and Africa Galleries. Along with the Middle East Galleries, which opened in April 2018, and its long-term exhibition Native American Voices: The People – Here and Now, which opened in 2014, all Main Level galleries are bright, accessible, and inviting. These recently renovated spaces follow leading practices in exhibition design and interpretive standards and include cases with localized climate control and screened light levels for rotating displays of textiles. It also unveiled a fully renovated and air-conditioned 615-seat Harrison Auditorium, new restrooms, elevators, and visitor lounges.


The gallery transformation expanded to the Upper Level in November 2022 with the opening of a new Eastern Mediterranean Gallery, using Penn-excavated collections from the Southern Levant, from the monumental to the everyday—the largest collection in the Americas—to tell the story of one of the great crossroads in history, which connected the Mediterranean, Egypt, Anatolia, Syria, and Mesopotamia through trade, migration, religion, and empire.


The next phase, the largest capital and gallery reinstallation project in the Museum’s history with a total budget of $54 million, is the renovation of the Egyptian Wing and an opportunity to showcase a world-class Egypt and Nubia collection across two floors of gallery spaces totaling 15,000 square feet. Excavated mostly by Penn, and second in size in the U.S. only to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the collections span the entire 5,000 years of ancient Egyptian history, including architectural elements of a Middle Kingdom pharaonic ceremonial palace (the only palace so significantly represented in any museum in the world) and an intact Old Kingdom tomb chapel.


Finally, working with brightspot strategy of New York City, the Museum has developed a new strategic vision to address the essential question: how does it retain and increase its relevance amid rapidly changing societal and cultural expectations? This strategic visioning process, completed in May, 2023, engaged stakeholders from the University, the community, and the Museum to identify opportunities for its five core mission areas: research, education, collections stewardship and ethics, visitor experience, and interpretation. The Museum is now working to make the strategic vision a reality.


The Museum is led by Christopher Woods, Ph.D., who was appointed Williams Director on April 1, 2021; Dr. Woods, the Museum’s thirteenth director, also holds the position of Avalon Professor of the Humanities in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations.


The Penn Museum respectfully acknowledges that it is situated on Lenapehoking, the ancestral and spiritual homeland of the Unami Lenape


Reporting jointly to the Williams Director of the Penn Museum and the Senior Managing Director of Arts and Culture within Development and Alumni Relation’s (DAR)’s University Development Program, the Director of Development is responsible for the overall conceptualization, planning and execution of a coordinated program of private and public source fundraising and alumni relations for the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. As the lead fundraiser for the program, the Director of Development is also responsible for growing and maintaining a robust overall pool and individual pipeline of prospects, donors and volunteer leaders on the Museum’s behalf.


The Director of Development serves as an integral member of the Director's senior leadership team and plays a key leadership role at the Museum. They will work closely with the Director, faculty, the Board of Advisors, other advisory boards, volunteer groups, alumni and students, promoting their active involvement in the fundraising and alumni relations process, and orchestrating the use of their time and talent to advance the Penn Museum’s quest for gift and grant support, as well as further alumni engagement and public awareness.


As part of the University of Pennsylvania’s hybrid centralized/decentralized DAR structure, the Director of Development also serves as a valued member of DAR’s University Development Program and will be included in leadership planning within the program. Within this structure, the Director of Development has responsibility for cultivating and sustaining deeply collaborative relationships with Central DAR programs and colleagues in order to fully activate the additional capacity of the University’s centralized functions.


Duties also include supervision, mentoring and professional development of a staff of 7FTEs who lead the major gifts, annual find/membership, corporate and foundation relations, and events work for the Museum.


Both the Penn Museum and Penn Development and Alumni Relations are committed to cultivating a workplace that values equity, diversity, inclusion, and collaboration. We seek talented individuals who will help lead our efforts to create a more inclusive workplace in a community with a substantive institutional commitment to equity and justice. Diversity is prized at Penn as a central component of our mission and helps create an educational and working environment that best supports the University’s commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship.





Job Description


Specific Responsibilities:


Lead a coordinated and comprehensive program of alumni engagement, private and public source funding including:



+ developing and executing multi-year strategic plans involving development and alumni relations -related initiatives;


+ managing staff and budgets;


+ maintaining and analyzing data in support of strategic planning;


+ developing effective cases for support for Museum priorities;


+ building meaningful volunteer and alumni engagement opportunities;


+ overseeing a broad-based annual giving and membership program pointed at both alumni and non-alumni friends of the Museum;


+ organizing events and visibility opportunities in support of strategic initiatives;


+ planning and executing campaigns as needed.





Cultivate, solicit and steward the Museum's top prospects and manage a pipeline of these top prospects. Engage the Director, curators, staff, board and volunteers in executing the required cultivation, solicitation and stewardship activities to advance the Museum’s quest for gift and grant support as well as media and public awareness.




Expand and strengthen the Museum’s fundraising pool and pipeline of potential new donors through sophisticated methods of entrepreneurial prospecting including data analysis, internal prospect research, collaboration with the Central DAR frontline, sourcing leads through board members and other volunteers, etc. Organize practical strategies to secure funding from such sources.




With the Director and in collaboration with both Central DAR and the Office of the University Secretary, establish a plan to manage, engage and expand the Museum’s Board of Advisors, its premier volunteer organization. Responsibility for managing and staffing the Chair of the Board and key Board leaders in a timely and efficient manner.




Manage and Lead a staff to achieve optimum results by:



+ Communicating financial and key performance indicators and results to direct reports


+ Establishing priorities and goals for each staff member


+ Managing staffing needs and identifying areas for organizational development updates or changes


+ Guiding the talent identification and professional development needs, processes and outcomes within the department in line with the University’s diversity and inclusion priorities


+ Setting clear performance expectations and holding staff accountable for outcomes through frequent feedback and coaching


+ Ensuring open communication among staff, engaging in team building efforts and holding regular staff meetings that embrace and support the group’s diversity


+ Inspiring and motivating staff to achieve optimum results





Supervise and mentor the Development and Alumni Relations staff (7 FTEs) to sustain the successful achievement of departmental and individual goals, foster a strong team culture and further professionally develop individual staff members.




Serve as a member of the Director’s senior administrative leadership team and participate in key Museum-wide initiatives where Development and Alumni Relations is a meaningful partner. Collaborate with other senior leaders on Museum-wide priorities.




Collaborate with colleagues and partners throughout the University’s Central Development and Alumni Relations department as well as other schools and centers across Penn to communicate Museum priorities, collaborate around key strategies and solicitations, provide data, coordinate external activities and otherwise maximize the University’s DAR capacity in support of the Museum’s development and alumni relations efforts.




Please provide a resume and cover letter in order to be considered for this role. Please upload all documents in the “Resume/CV” section of the application prior to submitting.




Qualifications:




The Penn Museum and Penn DAR actively seek and welcome people of color, women, the LGBTQIA+ community, persons with disabilities, and people at intersections of these identities, to apply.



+ Bachelor of Science and 5 to 7 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required. A minimum of ten years of successful fund-raising experience including a proven record of success in securing six and seven figure gifts with increasingly more responsible fund-raising duties desirable, preferably at a major research university comparable to Penn. Master’s degree preferred. Experience with museums, anthropology or archaeology helpful.


+ Familiarity and appreciation of the role and mission of the Penn Museum and its relationship to the University as well as understanding the importance of education; capacity to articulate that role and interact comfortably with those individuals and constituency groups crucial to the advancement of the Penn Museum.


+ Demonstrated track record in the identification, cultivation and stewardship of leadership and major gifts ($100,000+).


+ Strong management and program administration skills and the ability to establish objectives, set performance standards, and organize and motivate staff, faculty and volunteers to achieve fund-raising goals.


+ Demonstrated experience in establishing effective relationships with volunteers.


+ Strong written and oral communication skills.


+ Adaptability, flexibility and diplomacy.


+ High motivation and a capacity for hard work within the context of a goal-driven environment.


+ A demonstrated ability to analyze funding sources and relate their potential to the Museum's long range goals; more particularly, to organize practical strategies to bring closure to gift and grant opportunities is required.


+ Ability to function well independently, yet relate comfortably to a centralized framework for fund raising, participating in and contributing to a total team effort.


+ Travel and evening work required.


+ Driver’s license required.











Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in this profile.


Lindauer is assisting the Penn Museum of the University of Pennsylvania in this search, which will remain open until an appointment is made.


Application materials should be submitted using:


https://www.lindauerglobal.com/career-opportunity/director-development-for-development-alumni-relations-penn-museum-archaeology-anthropology/


Nominations and inquiries can be directed to:


Lindauer


amachado@lindauerglobal.com (https://www.lindauerglobal.com/about/our-team/?member=andrew-machado)


fmontgomery@lindauerglobal.com (https://www.lindauerglobal.com/about/our-team/?member=faith-montgomery)






Department / School

Development and Alumni Relations





Pay Range

$74,476.00 - $183,753.36 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile.










Affirmative Action Statement Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.




Special Requirements Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.




University Benefits

+ Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts : Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

+ Tuition : Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits . You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

+ Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

+ Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

+ Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

+ Wellness and Work-life Resources : Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

+ Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

+ University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

+ Discounts and Special Services : From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

+ Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

+ Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

+ Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.




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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay



The University of Pennsylvania's special character is reflected in the diversity of the Penn community. We seek talented faculty and staff who will constitute a vibrant community that draws on the strength that comes with a substantive institutional commitment to diversity along dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, veteran status, interests, perspectives, and socioeconomic status. Grounded in equal opportunity, nondiscrimination, and affirmative action, Penn's robust commitment to diversity is fundamental to the University's mission of advancing knowledge, educating leaders for all sectors of society, and public service. The University of Pennsylvania prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.