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Job Opening: Director of Development

Director of Development

The Wendell Gilley Museum in Southwest Harbor, Maine is seeking a full-time Director of Development to support annual and project-based fundraising in a busy, year-round museum on the “quiet side” of Mount Desert Island (MDI), Maine that has the goal of bringing people closer to nature through art.

Founded in 1979, the Museum’s mission is to inspire artistic creativity and engagement with the natural world on Mount Desert Island and Downeast Maine for current and future generations through education, exhibitions, and programs, while honoring the legacy of noted bird carver Wendell Gilley.

The Development Director will oversee the organization’s fundraising, cultivation, and development, managing new and developing relationships with current and future donors. Duties include planning fundraising events, interacting with donors past and present to encourage ongoing contributions, and seeking out opportunities for financial support through grants and sponsorships.

This is a largely in-person position with some ability to work remotely from time to time. There is an expectation of attendance at many after-hours events, primarily but not exclusively on MDI with potential donors.  While the Gilley Museum remains open year-round, the bulk of donor interactions and events take place during the summer months.

Duties include:

  • Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising plan to meet the organization’s annual and project-based revenue goals.
  • Identify and cultivate major gift prospects, as well as corporate and foundation donors.
  • Plan and execute special events as part of a team that engage donors and raise funds for the organization.
  • Collaborate with the Communications team to develop and execute effective donor communications and marketing materials.
  • Work closely with the Board of Directors and Executive Director to develop fundraising strategies and goals.
  • Lead fundraising committee of the Board providing organization, accountability, training, and inspiration.
  • Oversee tracking of events, donors and acknowledgments with the Museum’s Little Green Light database.
  • Monitor and analyze fundraising data to evaluate performance and adjust strategies as needed.

Preferred qualifications include:

  • Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, business administration, or a related field.
  • Minimum of 5 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, with a proven track record of success in major gifts, corporate and foundation giving, and special events.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write compelling donor communications and marketing materials.
  • Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with colleagues, board members, and volunteers.
  • Experience with fundraising software and donor databases including Little Green Light
  • A deep commitment to the mission and values of our organization.
  • Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Excel, Google business suite)

This position reports directly to the Director of the Wendell Gilley Museum and joins a team of four full-time staff and eleven part-time/seasonal staff. Be part of our collaborative, community-focused workplace committed to connecting people, nature and art. Salary range is $55,000 - $60,000 commensurate with experience, plus benefits.

Equal Opportunity Employer. Apply with cover letter and resume todirector@wendellgilleymuseum.org, with Director of Development in the subject line. Please direct inquiries to the same email address.

Community Art Show & Open House!

The Wendell Gilley Museum is gearing up for the annual Community Open House & Art Show featuring carvings, drawings, paintings, linocuts and more that were created as part of a visit, class, or workshop with the Museum – everyone from grade-schoolers to grandparents.

And we welcome everyone through our doors that day for free to check out the Museum and enjoy all the art, along with some light refreshments.

Submit something you created at the Gilley for this year's show, set for Sunday, Dec. 15, from 1-4pm. Please drop off your art by Friday, Dec. 8, and be sure to leave us your name, the name of the piece, and its medium when you come in. Ask for Melinda Rice-Schoon, Jane Holland, or Sean Charette when you bring your art to the museum. Then join us on Dec. 15 to mingle with the other artists and enjoy the art.

If you have questions, email Melinda Rice-Schoon at mel@wendellgilleymuseum.org.

Open the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving!

The Wendell Gilley Museum will be open and welcoming visitors on the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 29 and 30, 10am to 4pm, with new exhibits, and special activities for kids.

There also will be a sale in the Museum Store. Everything except consignment items will be 10% off for non-members and 20% off for museum members.

Admission is $10 per person (free to members) with anyone 12 and younger admitted for free.

The museum is closed Thanksgiving Day.

Opening at noon on Nov. 15, 2024

Due to the chance for icy roads on the morning of Friday, Nov. 15, the Gilley will opening at noon instead of 10am. Please call us at 207-244-7555 if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you.

New Open Hours

The Wendell Gilley Museum is moving to its fall/winter hours. As of the week beginning Oct. 27, the Gilley will be open Fridays and Saturdays, from 10am to 4pm each of those days through the end of April. People-Nature-Art presentations will continue to happen one Tuesday night each month, and Paint ‘n’ Sips will continue to be offered on one Friday night each month from 4:40 to 6:30pm. School programs can be scheduled Tuesday-Friday. Occasionally, other events will be scheduled outside the standard Friday-Saturday hours. Be sure to check the website, or sign up for the News from the Nest e-newsletter for the most up-to-date information. Watch for new exhibits, new workshops, and new opportunities to gather with the community at the Gilley where we bring people closer to nature through art.

Special Exhibit Extended!

The Museum’s current special exhibit, Inspired Flight: Highlights from the Collection of the Museum of American Bird Art, will be staying the Museum a bit longer! The 48 works that comprise it were supposed to head home Sept. 8, but their stay has been extended and they will remain at the Gilley through Saturday, Oct. 26. This exhibition showcases some of the most important works from the unique collection of the Museum of American Bird Art at Mass Audubon, many of which are being shown for the first time outside of Massachusetts in this exhibit. This collection includes works in diverse media by artists including Andy Warhol, Charley Harper, Larry Barth and more. The pieces highlight our complex relationship with birds as well as the varying ways in which artists have engaged with and interpreted birds throughout the history of art. Come see this exhibit during the Gilley's regular open hours, Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-4pm.

Closing at 3pm July 11

The Wendell Gilley Museum will be closing at 3pm on Thursday, July 11 for a private event instead of at the usual 4pm. We apologize for any inconvenience. We will reopen to the public on Friday, July 12 at 10am and will be open until 4pm as usual going forward.

 

Closed for Independence Day

The Wendell Gilley Museum will be closed all day on Thursday, July 4, 2024 in observance of Independence Day. We will be open our normal hours – 10am to 4pm – on Wednesday July 3, Friday, July 5 and Saturday, July 6.

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January 2020

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November 2019
October 2019 - Fall Fun
August 2019
June 2019 - People, Nature, Art and Parties
Winter 2017
Fall 2016
Summer 2016
Summer 2012
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September 2011
July 2011
May 2011

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