Development Officer

The Position

MCA Denver is looking for a highly organized and collaborative individual who will play a critical role in fundraising activities for the museum.  On day one, you will be responsible for managing an existing portfolio of donors and donor prospects and conducting research to cultivate new prospective donors. Your teammates will include the Director of Development & Membership and the Database Manager. 

We are headquartered, and this position is based, in the downtown Denver area. The position requires a minimum of two days per week onsite to connect with the larger team and additional day time and evening hours to attend donor events, while planning and written solicitations may productively occur remotely.  

About You

• You enjoy bringing people together around a love and passion for arts and culture.  You are adept at building lasting relationships with donors through in-person cultivation, events, and written solicitations.
• You understand the moves management process and are skilled in working together with the larger team to develop new strategies that will result in reaching our fundraising goals.
• You have strong organizational and problem-solving skills, and you excel at logistical planning. 
• You know your way around an Excel spreadsheet and CRMs, and you can effectively manage and communicate prospect status along a moves management strategy. 
• You enjoy working independently but also thrive as being part of a dynamic team.
• You can communicate with a variety of audiences, and you would describe yourself as collaborative and resilient.
• You have the desire to work with a creative, diverse, and collaborative team, mostly during regular museum operating hours and, infrequently some nights and weekends to support our epic programs and events.

A Day in the Life

Fundraising

• Relationship management of an existing portfolio of individual donors who give between $500 and $5,000 per year and donor prospects, with the goal of deepening engagement, renewing gifts, and increasing affinity and giving. 

• Create compelling communication assets related to all aspects of the Annual Fund (via digital, print, and face-to-face communication), inclusive of annual fund appeal, philanthropic member communications/newsletters, and invitations, that inspire donors and connect them to the museum’s mission. Assist, where necessary, in the generation of content to be used in marketing efforts for events, appeals/campaigns, and other communications.
• Support the moves management process by tracking donor interactions and documentation in MCA Denver’s donor database (Altru), conducting prospect research (with an emphasis on $2,500+ capacity levels), and working with the Database Manager to generate queries and reports to facilitate recommendations for improvements or shifts in strategy.
• Manage the museum’s philanthropic membership program, Contemporary Circles, with an eye towards increasing annual membership and retention, and upgrading existing members into major gift prospects.
• Provide event support related to the planning and logistics of annual fundraising events including LUMINOCITY Gala, the spring fundraiser, and other development-focused programs, such as receptions and invitation-based events. 
• Act as the team project manager for in-person and virtual donor fundraising events.
• Generate content for various marketing assets for events, initiatives, and monthly newsletters. 
• Acknowledge donors through public and private recognition.
• Manage Development & Membership systems and software to track and cultivate donors and prospects.

Finance

• Work with the Director of Development & Membership to establish and achieve fundraising goals, particularly as relevant to the Annual Fund, philanthropic membership, and fundraising events. 
• Manage annual fund-related budgets for end-of-year giving, fundraising events, and Contemporary Circles. 
• Work with the Database Manager and other staff members to maintain and update the monthly Development financial dashboard.

Collaboration

• Collaborate within the Development & Membership Team to align efforts and set goals in support of a culture of philanthropy at the Museum.
• Work closely with Marketing/Communications staff members to create and manage timelines for deliverables related to annual fund-related content, newsletters, invitations, and other collateral.
• Manage external vendors for fundraising events.
• Assist in the preparation of bimonthly Development & Membership Committee meetings of the Board of Trustees, other donor solicitations, and private donor events.
• Complete necessary administrative tasks in support of the Development & Membership team as a whole.

What You Bring to Us

1. 4-year degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience, or both.
2. A minimum of 5 years’ experience in professional fundraising with a preference for specific experience in annual giving, membership, or special events.
3. Experience fundraising for a museum or arts and cultural organization is an additional asset.
4. Demonstrated success in building and sustaining relationships with a substantial portfolio of diverse stakeholders.
5. Requires adaptability to produce and meet deadlines in a fast-paced, multi-faceted and changing environment. Must be comfortable working both independently and collaboratively; possess well-rounded communication skills and the ability to handle sensitive information with diplomacy.
6. Experience with a variety of computer software platforms, including Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite, Slack, fundraising or CRM systems (Altru is preferred), and project management systems. Willingness and ability to learn new technologies or data systems is important.  

Physical Requirements

• The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by a staff member to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Ability to speak, understand, and communicate in English effectively, in person and in writing.  Ability to hear adequately in person and by phone, in personal and group settings. 
• Ability to sit or stand for up to 6 hours per day. Ability to reach for, move and/or lift up to 25 pounds and use your hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls, mobility to access a wide variety of meeting and museum settings, and to perform a variety of tasks that involve standing, walking, sitting, stooping, kneeling, bending, and twisting, climbing stairs or using an elevator, possibly reaching chest high and overhead for materials, with reasonable accommodation.

About Us

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA Denver) is a nonprofit organization providing an innovative forum for contemporary art that inspires and challenges, creating understanding and dialog about the art of our time. MCA Denver is paving a new path for a 21st century museum that is Both/And: We are both advancing the field of contemporary art and providing a platform for creative expression, in the broadest sense of the term.  We present both world-class exhibitions and quirky events, serious lectures and epic parties.  We are both sophisticated and unpretentious. We welcome all audiences, celebrate all voices, and share all stories to provide one-of-a-kind experiences for our community. 

Our Core Values

We are:

Adventurous – We are risk-takers. We are creative, open, curious, and sometimes weird.

Excellent – We strive to be the best in our field, we have high expectations, we believe in being resilient, creative problem-solvers, and professionals.

Human Centric – We are collaborative. We strive for emotional intelligence, and we value relationships.

Inclusive – We are welcoming to all audiences, voices, and stories. We believe in being authentic and inclusive.  We actively seek and engage with diverse perspectives.

MCA Denver is committed in policy, principle, and practice to maintaining an environment that prohibits discriminatory behavior and provides equal opportunity for all persons. MCA Denver affirms its commitment to provide a welcoming and respectful work and educational environment, in which all individuals within the museum community may benefit from each other’s experiences and foster mutual respect and appreciation of divergent views.  All employment decisions at MCA Denver are based on business needs, job requirements and individual applicant qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, or belief, ancestry, age, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), family or parental status, or any other status protected by law. MCA Denver will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.

Our History

MCA Denver was founded in 1996 by philanthropist Sue Cannon and a group of committed volunteers and artists who responded to the community’s need for a contemporary art museum in Denver. In 2007, we opened our new, 27,000-square foot, environmentally sustainable facility in the Riverfront neighborhood of lodo Denver. Our building has five galleries on two floors as well as dedicated education spaces, a gift shop, an innovative art lending library, and a rooftop bar and café.  In 2021, MCA Denver opened a satellite location at the Holiday Theater in Denver’s Northside.  This 380-seat auditorium is the site of some of the museum’s programming and events.

Visit us at https://mcadenver.org to learn more.

Application Process

• This is an exempt, salaried position. The salary range is $64,000 to $68,000 commensurate with experience and includes our standard benefits package, including a medical plan, dental plan, basic term life insurance, long term disability, 403b retirement, holiday pay and generous paid time off.
• Please submit your interest via our applicant portal here.
• Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but priority consideration will be given to those received by August 30, 2024.