Assoc. Director of Development & Membership

CALIFORNIA STATE RAILROAD MUSEUM • Sacramento, CA

19h • $80,000 - $100,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director of Development is responsible for planning, executing, and managing the Foundation’s annual fund and membership fundraising programs, overseeing donors and members giving up to $1,500 annually. Working in close partnership with the Development Director, this role leads the day-to-day strategy and execution of fundraising campaigns and membership programs that generate sustainable, unrestricted revenue and strengthen the donor pipeline. This position provides direct management of the membership team, supervises frontline fundraising and membership operations, and plays a central role in donor stewardship, campaign performance, and cross-departmental coordination. The Associate Director does not manage major gifts but ensures strong cultivation and stewardship at the annual fund and membership levels in support of developing major donors.

Requirements

• Commitment to the mission and public-serving role of the California State Railroad Museum Foundation.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.
• Minimum of 7 years of professional experience in nonprofit development, annual giving, membership fundraising, or related roles.
• At least 5 years of management experience, including direct supervision of staff.
• Demonstrated success planning and executing multi-channel fundraising campaigns.
• Strong writing and editing skills for compelling donor-facing communications.
• Experience working with donor databases and fundraising reporting tools; DonorPerfect or similar CRM experience preferred.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively across departments and with external partners.
• Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends for campaigns and events.
• Influence in the absence of authority.
• Comfort working within a collaborative environment that includes public-sector partners.
• Sense of humor.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in a membership-based organization, museum, or cultural institution.
• Familiarity with statewide or regional giving days.
• Experience supporting donor pipeline development.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute the Foundation’s annual fund strategy in partnership with the Development Director, aligned with organizational revenue goals and priorities.
• Lead all fundraising campaigns serving donors and members giving up to $1,500 annually, including: Year-end appeal, Big Day of Giving, Targeted digital, direct mail, and acquisition or renewal campaigns, as appropriate.
• Coordinate fundraising calendars, production schedules, and internal deadlines across departments.
• Draft and refine donor-facing appeal copy, solicitation emails, and campaign messaging in collaboration with Communications & Marketing.
• Support testing, segmentation, and continuous improvement of annual fund efforts.
• Provide strategic and operational oversight of the Foundation’s membership program in coordination with fundraising objectives.
• Supervise the Manager of Membership, and through them oversee two Membership Assistants responsible for frontline member services and engagement.
• Guide membership acquisition, renewal, and upgrade strategies consistent with donor and member experience goals.
• Ensure alignment between membership benefits, fundraising appeals, and stewardship communications.
• Partner with events, education, curatorial, and interpretation teams to support meaningful member engagement opportunities.
• Manage a portfolio of individual donors and members giving up to $1,500 annually through personalized outreach, stewardship, and targeted communications.
• Support donor retention and upgrade strategies by identifying patterns of engagement and giving potential.
• Coordinate with the Chief Development Officer to identify donors with emerging major gift capacity and support smooth pipeline transitions.
• Assist with donor recognition activities, acknowledgments, and impact communications appropriate to giving level.
• Share oversight of the Development and Membership Coordinator (or Specialist) with the Director of Development, ensuring clarity of roles, workload balance, and performance expectations.
• Partner with development operations staff to ensure timely gift processing, acknowledgments, data integrity, and reporting.
• Monitor and analyze fundraising and membership performance metrics, including retention, response rates, and revenue trends.
• Prepare regular reports and insights for the Director of Development to inform planning and forecasting.
• Coordinate with external vendors (print, mailing, digital services) as needed to support campaigns.
• Work closely with Communications & Marketing to ensure consistent messaging, timing, and brand alignment across fundraising and membership efforts.
• Collaborate with Finance to ensure compliance with gift acceptance policies, IRS requirements, and internal controls.
• Represent the Development team at internal planning meetings and selected donor or member events.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the Foundation’s mission and goals.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level