Executive Director of Museum Development

Job Description

Department: College Advancement and Campaigning

Pay Rate Type: Salary

Employee Type:

Job Summary:

All interested candidates, nominations, and inquiries can be directed to Mercedes Chacón Vance and Jevon Walton at Col, or apply via Wittkieffer.

ALL applicants must apply via Wittkieffer, and any submissions via the Colby website will not be considered.

Colby College (Waterville, Maine) and the Colby College Museum of Art seek an experienced, strategic, and inspirational Executive Director of Museum Development. The Executive Director will lead the planning and strategic execution of fundraising efforts that support current programming, as well as near‑term plans for a transformational capital project and significantly expanded programming.

Colby’s Dare Northward campaign is one of the single largest campaigns at a liberal arts college in history. After surpassing the original goal of $750M in November 2023, the Board of Trustees voted to extend the campaign to $1B to support the people, programs, and facilities that will position the College as one of the pre‑eminent liberal arts colleges in the world.

With an anonymous nine‑figure gift to the sciences, Dare Northward has surpassed $1B and looks to complete its investments in financial aid, the sciences, and a Colby Museum expansion project.

The Colby College Museum of Art, including the Lunder Institute of American Art, continues to be one of the College’s greatest assets. As one of the best college art museums in the country, the Colby College Museum of Art is renowned in the fields of American art and contemporary art. It remains at the forefront of its peers through an incredible collection, ground‑breaking exhibitions, unique partnerships, and a deep commitment to the communities it serves.

The Colby arts ecosystem also includes the Paul J. Schupf Art Center, Greene Block & Studios, and the Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts. Located in downtown Waterville, the Schupf Art Center includes the Colby Museum’s Joan Dignam Schmaltz Gallery of Art, and the Greene Block + Studios is the home to the Lunder Institute of American Art.

Following the adoption of a new strategic plan, the Carolyn Muzzy Director of the Museum, Jacqueline Terrassa, and the Museum Board of Governors are actively planning future growth opportunities for both capital projects and enhanced programming. Achieving this vision will require a comprehensive fundraising initiative.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all aspects of fundraising and donor engagement for the museum.
• Develop and drive the execution of major and principal gift strategies, including campaign oversight and a comprehensive advancement program.
• Lead a senior advancement team, managing personnel and fostering a culture of collaboration and success.
• Assess and identify opportunities to leverage the museum’s visibility and secure philanthropic support.
• Serve as a champion of the arts, embodying institutional values of honesty, integrity, and personal responsibility.

Qualifications

• At least 10 years of experience in envisioning, shaping, and implementing a successful philanthropic program in a similar scope and complexity.
• Proven track record cultivating major and principal gifts, with experience closing high‑level fundraising initiatives.
• Strong organizational and communication skills, with demonstrated leadership in advance planning and donor engagement.
• Familiarity with art communities is preferred, including responsibility for major gift initiatives within such organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to inspire and lead a team of advancement professionals.

All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as two separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile found at

Witt Kieffer is assisting Colby College in this search, which will remain open until an appointment is made. Application material should be submitted using Witt Kieffer's candidate portal.

Nominations and inquiries can be directed to:

Mercedes Chacón Vance and Jevon Walton

Col

Colby is a private, coeducational liberal arts college that admits students and…