The mission of the Nido & Mariana Qubein Children’s Museum is to inspire wonder, discovery, and play for children and families through engaging learning experiences. Since opening, the museum has welcomed more than 600,000 guests from all 100 North Carolina counties, becoming an important part of family life in the region. Families enjoy vibrant exhibits, hands-on STEM and art programming, field trips, camps, celebrations, and seasonal activities in a welcoming, thoughtfully maintained space. Strong community response, repeat visitation, and local and state recognition reflect the museum’s growing impact. Through the Museums for All program, families receiving federal food assistance can visit at significantly reduced rates, ensuring access to exploration and learning for all children.
The Nido & Mariana Qubein Children’s Museum seeks a highly organized, relationship-focused Director of Development to steward existing donors, secure new philanthropic support, and manage strong fundraising systems. This hands-on role emphasizes donor relationships and strategic fundraising, with events playing a supporting role, and includes donor outreach, proposal writing, database management, and accurate record keeping.
Working closely with the Executive Director, the Director of Development will help shape the museum’s fundraising strategy, grow philanthropic support, and deepen relationships with donors and community partners. This central role connects donor generosity to the daily experiences of children and families, while expanding a strong and engaged community of supporters for the museum’s mission.
The museum values a collaborative team culture. As a small, mission-driven organization, staff work closely together to support shared goals and occasionally assist with museum-wide initiatives.
Key Responsibilities
Donor Stewardship and Relationship Management
Donor Database and Record Management
Fundraising and Development Strategy
Communications and Donor Materials
Reporting and Impact Measurement
Grants and Sponsorships
Community Engagement
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree required
Minimum 3 years of nonprofit development, fundraising or management experience preferred
Strong organizational and project management skills
Demonstrated experience managing donor databases and fundraising data systems
Excellent attention to detail and accuracy in record keeping and reporting
Strong relationship-building and networking skills
Strategic thinker with creativity, initiative and a positive “can-do” attitude
Experience working with volunteers and collaborating with staff and community partners
Experience executing fundraising events
A passion for the museum’s mission and the impact it has on children and families
Benefits
Full-time employees receive healthcare, paid time off and a 401(k)
A thorough background check will be conducted prior to employment
Qubein Children’s Museum has engaged Capital Development Services (CapDev) to conduct a search for this position. Candidates are required to submit a cover letter and a resume. All materials will be kept confidential. Application materials will be reviewed as received. Additional inquiries may be directed to search@capdev.com
Founded in 1984, Capital Development Services (“CapDev”) has an established reputation as trusted advisors in philanthropy and executive search, serving all types of nonprofits across the Southeast. The firm has provided search, development and campaign services for hundreds of organizations and institutions, including educational, cultural, health and human services, arts, environmental, social, religious, and others, all with an emphasis on planning and capacity-building.
Our Campaign Group specializes in major campaign planning and implementation, feasibility studies, development assessments, staff and board training, strategic planning, major gift solicitations, prospect identification and research, leader/donor development, planned giving, and grant writing.
Our Executive Search Group partners with nonprofit organizations and institutions to place high-level professionals in development and executive positions. By customizing our comprehensive search process to best fit each client, we guide the selection of the strongest candidate.
Our mission is to empower nonprofit organizations by partnering with them to successfully fulfill their missions. Our strategy is to build personalized and sustainable fund development programs and recruit executives in partnership with nonprofits. Our team provides each client with the dual benefit of counsel devoted to achieving success, and the rich resource of an experienced team of professionals. Our commitment is to apply our knowledge and expertise to deliver results that achieve goals.
Our History bears deep roots and relationships with nonprofit and philanthropic leaders, and includes the 1988 beginning of publishing directories on philanthropic giving, which quickly became known as the most definitive and comprehensive source for foundation giving in the country.
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