Associate Curator/Curator of Costume

Position Summary

One of the leading historical societies in the country, the Missouri Historical Society seeks a Managing Director of Philanthropy and Engagement who will help guide the organization into its next chapter. The Society, which operates the Missouri History Museum, Soldiers’ Memorial Military Museum, and the Library and Research Center, is at a pivotal moment. MHS is in the middle of major efforts to transform its permanent galleries, to share more of its collection than it ever has before, and to redefine the role of historical societies by establishing itself as a real civic leader in the St. Louis region.

Scope of Responsibilities

The position is responsible for leading development strategies to achieve the MHS goals for fund raising and membership as well as donor cultivation and stewardship. This includes supervision of staff to plan and implement on-going annual, major and planned giving; and membership, as well as developing strategies when appropriate for implementation of a capital or sustained giving campaign. In addition to development and membership, the position provides cross-departmental leadership working collaboratively with other MHS teams including Marketing and Communications, Community Outreach and Education, Public History, Collections, and Finance to achieve the strategic goals set for the MHS.

Responsibilities for Management and Donor Stewardship

- Provide strategic leadership for the Missouri Historical Society's philanthropy program, fostering a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization and advancing MHS's mission through sustainable fundraising strategies. - Lead, mentor, and inspire a high-performing philanthropy team, creating a collaborative, accountable, and supportive environment that encourages professional growth and exceptional results. The team currently includes a major gift officers, a senior charitable giving officer, a membership coordinator, philanthropy operations support, and an open special events manager position. - In partnership with the President and Board of Trustees, develop and execute comprehensive fundraising strategies, including capital campaigns, principal and major gifts, annual giving, membership, planned giving, foundation and corporate relations, and special initiatives. - Personally manage a focused portfolio of the organization's highest-capacity (Tier 1) donors and prospects, partnering closely with the President to cultivate, solicit, and steward transformational philanthropic investments. - Provide strategic guidance, coaching, and oversight to gift officers in the identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and long-term engagement of individual, corporate, and foundation donors. - Establish measurable fundraising goals and performance metrics, regularly evaluating departmental effectiveness, monitoring progress, and identifying opportunities for growth and continuous improvement. - Lead the department's annual planning, budgeting, forecasting, and goal-setting processes while ensuring accurate reporting and effective stewardship of philanthropic resources. - Oversee and strengthen annual giving, membership, donor engagement, and stewardship strategies that deepen relationships and inspire continued investment in MHS. - Serve as a visible ambassador for MHS throughout the community, cultivating relationships with donors, civic leaders, foundations, corporations, and community partners while representing the organization at key events and public engagements. - Partner closely with the Communications and Marketing teams to develop compelling philanthropic messaging and donor communications that effectively communicate the impact of giving and elevate MHS's visibility. - Serve as staff liaison to the Development Committee and assist the Governance & Nominating Committee of the Board of Trustees, supporting board engagement, strengthening board philanthropy, and providing leadership in trustee recruitment, orientation, and fundraising participation.