Director of Development and Communications

DC History Center•Washington, WA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

DC History Center and HumanitiesDC are merging into a single nonprofit dedicated to preserving the District’s history, celebrating its culture, and supporting the humanities. The new organization will offer research, education, grants, and programming opportunities from its base at the Carnegie Library. This role is for a strategic, energetic, and mission-driven Director of Development and Communications to lead fundraising, communications, and marketing efforts. As a member of the Leadership Team, this individual will partner with the Executive Director to shape organizational strategy, grow philanthropic support, and elevate the organization's voice. The role involves leading a Development and Communications Team of three direct-reports, managing a departmental budget, a major gifts portfolio, and the organization's brand and media presence. The position requires a Monday–Friday schedule with regular evening and weekend commitments for organizational events.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
7+ years of experience in fundraising, grant writing, communications, project management, media relations, or marketing
Experience ideally in Washington, DC
Experience creating and stewarding donor and partner relationships that lead to financial support
A track record of leading teams and driving organizational growth and change
Experience working across diverse communities
Excellent written, oral, and presentation skills, with sharp attention to detail
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, SharePoint, Teams, and CRMs

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite and WordPress is a plus
Fluency in Spanish, French, Amharic, or Chinese is a plus

Responsibilities

Help shape organizational strategy and annual fundraising and communications plans
Advise the Executive Director on fundraising and communications
Manage the department's annual budget and long-term goals
Manage a major gifts portfolio while supporting the organization’s institutional relationships
Set annual fundraising goals and oversee workflows to achieve them
Support board fundraising, staff the Development Committee, and help recruit new board members
Supervise grant writing and guide prospecting for new grant funders and individual donors
Develop a planned giving program and a stewardship strategy across donor levels
Supervise annual fund, membership, and events
Set strategy for institutional messaging, media relations, and marketing
Serve as primary media contact and lead the organization's visibility efforts
Oversee production of the annual report, from content to design and distribution
Lead advocacy strategy for the DC humanities sector, particularly with DC government
Represent the organization externally and with key partners such as DowntownDC BID, Events DC, and DC Public Library
Coach and grow a high-performing Development and Communications team
Set staff goals, provide ongoing feedback, and support professional growth