Director of Individual Giving

Historic New England seeks a full-time Director of Individual Giving to lead in advancing fundraising priorities through the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of individual donors. Highly motivated and relationship-oriented, the Director oversees a portfolio of major and principal gift donors and prospects, supervising frontline gift officers, and collaborating closely with colleagues across the organization to strengthen a culture of Individual Giving.

This hybrid-remote position is based at the Historic New England offices in Haverhill or Boston, Massachusetts, with regular New England region travel and flexible availability for evening and weekend work required. New England residency is required within a 40-mile radius of Haverhill or Boston.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Major and Principal Giving: Manage a portfolio of major and principal gift donors and prospects. Develop and execute personalized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies to increase philanthropic support. Conduct regular donor visits, prepare proposals and briefings, and maintain accurate records in Tessitura.

Campaign Planning and Implementation: Partner with the Vice President on the design, planning, and execution of the organization’s comprehensive campaign. Lead prospect strategy development, campaign communications, and donor engagement activities. Support volunteer and campaign committee initiatives and prepare progress reports for leadership and trustees.

Annual Giving Leadership: Provide strategic oversight for the annual giving program, to ensure strong participation, retention, and growth. Collaborate with colleagues in development operations, membership, marketing, and visitor experience to build broad-based philanthropic participation.

Team Leadership and Collaboration: Supervise and mentor individual gift officers. Establish performance goals, monitor progress, and foster a culture of accountability, creativity, and collaboration. Partner with program, marketing, and operations colleagues to create integrated fundraising and donor engagement strategies.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field or equivalent combination of skilled credentials with a minimum seven years of progressive fundraising experience, including direct solicitation of major and leadership annual gifts.

Demonstrated success managing donor portfolios and securing six- and seven-figure gifts.

Experience supervising and motivating development professionals.

Strong understanding of campaign strategy, pipeline development, and annual giving best practices.

Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills.

Proficiency in donor CRM systems (Tessitura preferred), data analysis, and prospect research.

Excellent writing, organizational, and project management skills.

Ability to work evenings and weekends as required for donor meetings and events.

Valid driver’s license and means of transportation.

Strong belief in, and demonstrated commitment to, Historic New England’s mission and values.

Commitment to the highest standards of professionalism, excellence, and Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA).

Preferred Qualifications

Experience working in a cultural, educational, or preservation organization.

Familiarity with comprehensive campaigns and multi-channel fundraising programs.

Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and expanding donor audiences.

Other Duties:

Please note this position description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

About the Organization:

Historic New England—founded as the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities in 1910—is the oldest, largest, and most comprehensive independent preservation organization in the United States. Historic New England welcomes the public to thirty-eight exceptional museums  and landscapes, including several coastal farms.

The organization operates a major collections and archives center in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and has the world’s largest collection of New England artifacts, comprising more than 125,000 decorative arts and objects and 1.5 million archival documents including photographs, architectural drawings, manuscripts, and ephemera. Engaging education programs for youth, adults, and preservation professionals, and awardwinning exhibitions and publications are offered in person and virtually. The Historic New England Preservation Easement program is a national leader and protects 127 privately owned historic properties throughout the region.

To learn more, visit historicnewengland.org

Historic New England is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.