Employment

Position Overview:
The Lyman Allyn Art Museum seeks a dynamic, strategic, and relationship-driven Manager of Membership & Annual Giving to support the Museum in an exciting next chapter. With a reinvigorated Board of Trustees and the soon to open Lyman Allyn Park (an extraordinary milestone that completes the founder’s original vision) the Museum is poised for significant growth in community engagement and philanthropic support.

The Manager of Membership & Annual Giving plays a key role in expanding the Museum’s base of members and donors, strengthening relationships, and driving the annual revenue that fuels the Museum’s mission. With the Director of Development, this position is responsible for developing and implementing strategies that increase membership acquisition and retention, enhance donor stewardship, and support a comprehensive annual giving program. The ideal candidate is collaborative and thrives when thinking “outside the box”. This individual is a motivated self-starter with exceptional communication skills, strong attention to detail, and a passion for connecting people with ideas during this important phase of institutional transformation.

This full-time position reports to the Director of Development and works cross-functionally with staff across: the Business Office, Visitor Services and Communications, Exhibitions, as well as Learning and Engagement.

Key Responsibilities:

Membership Program Management

• Develop and execute a comprehensive membership strategy focused on growth, retention, and engagement across all membership levels.
• Execute the day-to-day management of the membership program, ensuring timely
  fulfillment of benefits, acknowledgments, renewals, and stewardship.
• Collaborate with Communications and Visitor Services on promotional campaigns, onsite materials, digital content, and member-centric messaging.
• Plan and support member events, previews, and special experiences to deepen engagement and cultivate loyalty.
• Track membership statistics, analyze trends, and prepare regular reports to guide decision-making.

Annual Giving

• With the Director of Development, plan, implement, and evaluate the Museum’s annual giving campaigns, including year-end appeals, challenges, and targeted donor outreach.
• Maintain a portfolio of 50-75 donors of growth potential.
• Draft compelling solicitation materials in collaboration with Communications, ensuring cohesive messaging across print and digital channels.
• Identify, cultivate, and steward annual fund donors, with a focus on encouraging upgraded giving and reengaging lapsed supporters.
• Coordinate donor recognition and stewardship processes, ensuring meaningful and timely communication.
• Support the Director of Development in donor research, screening, qualification, and rating (using integrated wealth screening software), database management, and overall fundraising strategy.
• With the Director of Development develop and launch a LAAM community council.
• Organize annual LAAM community cultivation trips.

Data, Systems, and Development Operations Management

• Take lead on implementing digital membership cards.
• Maintain accurate donor and member records in the Museum’s CRM (Donor Perfect), ensuring data hygiene and effective segmentation.
• Generate mailing lists, reports, and analytics to evaluate program performance and support strategic planning.
• Partner with the Business Office to reconcile Development and Business Office records for contributed income.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work with Visitor Services to ensure front-line staff have the tools and training needed to promote membership.
• Support Public Programs and Curatorial staff in delivering engaging member experiences.
• Partner with the Development Director and Executive Office on donor cultivation, moves management, and special initiatives as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree emphasizing the liberal arts, nonprofit management, arts administration, communications, marketing, or a related field.
• 3-5 years of experience in membership, annual giving, or a related development or marketing role, preferably in the cultural sector, higher education, or nonprofit environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience in donor-focused messaging.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects, meet deadlines, and work collaboratively across teams.
• Experience with CRM systems (Blackbaud, Neon One, Salesforce (Patron Manager) Donor Perfect) and comfort with data analysis and reporting.
• Creative problem-solver with a high level of initiative and attention to detail.
• Passion for the arts, museums, and community engagement.
• Exceptional acumen for all Microsoft Office Suite applications.

Compensation & Benefits
This is a full-time (32-hour/ four day), salaried position with benefits. Hybrid schedule negotiable after the first six (6) months of employment. Salary is commensurate with experience. The Lyman Allyn Art Museum offers a competitive benefits package including health insurance, paid time off, and opportunities for professional growth within a supportive, collaborative, team-oriented environment.

How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit a resume, cover letter, and three references to Mike Beasley, Director of Development [email protected] with the subject line “Manager of Membership & Annual Giving – Application.”