Institution Overview
Founded in 1947 as an independent nonprofit institution, the George Eastman Museum is the world’s oldest photography museum and one of the largest film archives in the U.S. The museum is located on the 10-acre estate of George Eastman, the pioneer of popular photography and motion picture film, and includes his restored mansion and gardens, which are a National Historic Landmark.
The Eastman Museum holds unparalleled collections—encompassing several million objects—in the fields of photography, cinema, and related technology, as well as an important library of books and archival materials related to photography and cinema. The institution has an active book publishing program and is a longtime leader in film preservation and photographic conservation.
The museum generally presents five concurrent gallery exhibitions: the main exhibition; the Project Gallery exhibition of recent works by a single artist; an exhibition of selected photographs and cameras, from the invention of the medium to the present; contemporary moving image works by a single artist; and an exhibition organized in collaboration with a community group, usually of creative works by young people. The 500-seat Dryden Theatre presents six film screenings weekly.
The George Eastman Museum has 105 full-time and part-time employees, an annual operating budget of $10 million, a $43 million endowment, and welcomes about 125,000 visitors annually. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance for Museums and is a member of the Association of Art Museum Directors.
Context for Recruitment & Position Summary
With collections of photography and cinema that are among the best in the world, the George Eastman Museum is an international treasure. The museum has made tremendous progress during recent years in systematically implementing recommended restorations and repairs and upgrading many of its storage vaults to have appropriate environments for the collection objects and archival materials. All of the highest priority restoration projects have been completed, are pending, or are in the design stage. The exhibition program has made tremendous progress, with longer-term planning improving the quality of exhibitions, enhancing the ability to organize travelling exhibitions or borrow objects, and bolstering the ability to generate sponsorship funding. The museum has concurrently enhanced engagement with visitors, curators, scholars, educators, and the public as well as collaborations with other institutions, independent curators, and scholars—all while inclusively broadening and diversifying the museum audience through various policies and programs.
The Eastman Museum enjoys wide awareness within the Rochester area and is raising its national profile by taking strategic steps to become more effective in press relations with national media and to highlight its online offerings. The development of an Eastman Museum venue in Los Angeles will further bolster overall national awareness of the museum.
The museum is prioritizing the ongoing evolution of a culture of philanthropy that engages trustees, curators, and senior staff members in donor relationships that foster major gifts and grants to the museum, including $10 million in new endowment donations by the close of 2027. Building endowment funds may be the most important objective in supporting the museum’s long-term financial health and stability. The museum has also set the goal of 10% year-over-year increases in donations (whether unrestricted or restricted) to cover current operating expenses. Identifying, developing, and generating new sources of donations and grants from individuals and national and international foundations is central to the museum’s strategic framework for growing contributed revenue.
In the context of its august history, international standing, world-class collections, recent capital improvements, and strong staff and leadership, the George Eastman Museum is seeking an experienced professional to serve as its Vice President for Development (“Vice President”). The role will include developing and implementing a strategic plan to broaden the museum’s base of financial support, especially from national and international contributors; managing the Development Department (seven total positions inclusive of the Vice President); collaborating and coordinating with other museum departments; and developing relationships with individuals, foundations and corporations who are current or prospective donors.
The Vice President will report directly to the Ron and Donna Fielding Director & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the George Eastman Museum. The Vice President will be a key thought partner to the CEO regarding development as well as overall museum strategy as a member of the museum’s Senior Staff. They will entrepreneurially lead expansion of the development program and strategically optimize the role of the CEO, trustees, curators, and other senior-level colleagues in fundraising initiatives, from prospect identification to donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
The Vice President will work toward the development and execution of a comprehensive campaign to build the institution’s endowment, increase and ensure ongoing general operating donations, and upgrade and potentially expand museum facilities, inclusive of the prospective Eastman Museum venue in Los Angeles.
Candidate Profile
While the Eastman Museum will consider a broad range of backgrounds, the ideal candidate will have the following qualifications/experience.
Experience
- At least eight years of experience in a development role in a museum (preferred) or other nonprofit cultural or educational organization.
- Previous management and supervisory experience.
- Experience working with trustees, patrons, and community leaders.
- Experience in securing support from diverse funding sources—individuals, foundations, and corporations.
- Experience in fundraising from a regionally diverse donor base (ideally national and international in scope).
- Demonstrated success in cultivating, soliciting, and securing annual operating support and major gifts.
- Experience in a leadership role in a comprehensive capital campaign.
- Experience with professional museum principles, practices, and procedures.
- Demonstrated accomplishments in fundraising.
- Management and budgeting experience.
Personal Traits
- Powerful connection to the mission of the George Eastman Museum as a cultural and educational institution.
- Self-directed and highly motivated.
- Team player with leadership ability.
- Attention to detail.
- Critical thinking and problem-solving.
- Flexibility and adaptability.
- Effective time management.
- Maintain highest levels of confidentiality and discretion.
- Understand and uphold highest ethical standards.
Skills and Abilities
- Exemplary writing and speaking skills in English.
- Excellent listening skills.
- Ability to think rigorously and to communicate clearly and professionally.
- Well-developed skills in public speaking.
- Strong administrative, managerial, and mentoring skills.
- Ability to interact comfortably with a variety of constituents.
- Collegiality, diplomacy, and constructive interpersonal approach.
- Demonstrated organizational planning, problem-solving, and teamwork.
- Ability to manage and implement change.
- Ability to manage, mentor and motivate staff while improving performance.
- Ability to multitask and manage several projects simultaneously.
- Demonstrated ability to complete projects within deadlines and budgets.
- Ability to conceive, research, develop, and complete fundraising campaigns.
- Willingness and ability to develop productive relationships with individuals, foundations, and corporations.
- Ability to develop and successfully manage annual and project budgets.
- Experience in developing grant proposals for foundation and government funding.
- Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- Experience with Raiser’s Edge (preferred) and other donor databases.
Commitment to Equal Opportunity
The George Eastman Museum believes in equal opportunity for all and is committed to ensuring all individuals have an opportunity to apply for those positions that they are interested in and qualify for without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic. Compliance with laws described in the NYS Division of Human Rights Law Poster, Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination Is Illegal Poster, Employee Rights Under the Fair Labor Standard Act Poster, Employee Polygraph Protection Act Poster, and the Federal and Medical Leave Act Poster, reaffirm this commitment.
The George Eastman Museum is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with a disability so that an individual can perform job-related duties. If you are interested in applying for an employment opportunity and require special assistance or an accommodation to apply due to a disability, please contact museum Human Resources at 585-327-4800.
Click here for more information about the Eastman Museum’s commitment to equal opportunity.
The George Eastman Museum has retained the DSG Fundraising & Advancement Practice of DSG Global to assist in this confidential search process. Inquiries, nominations, and applications (current resumes and cover letters) may be submitted via the following link or directed to the leader of the search team:
https://talent-profile.dsgco.com/search/v2/22778
Gerard F. Cattie, Jr.
Global Managing Partner and Practice Founder – DSG Fundraising & Advancement
DSG Global
New York, New York
[email protected] | 212-542-2587