Director of Development

Kidspace Children’s Museum is a top-rated cultural institution in Pasadena that serves approximately 400,000 visitors each year with exhibits, programs, and experiences that invite children to learn, grow, and thrive. For more than 45 years, Kidspace has been a welcoming place for exploration and discovery for early learners and their families. We prioritize the most vulnerable children and families in our community, including families experiencing poverty, children with medical challenges, children in the foster system, Title I students and schools, immigrant families, and families and schools displaced by the Eaton Fires.

The Director of Development will provide leadership and direction for the Museum’s fundraising efforts. This position will help develop and implement strategies, plans, policies, and systems to strengthen and expand Kidspace’s contributed revenue. Responsibilities include oversight of and hands‑on participation in fundraising strategy development, donor cultivation and stewardship, annual giving, grant writing, corporate and foundation relations, data management, and friend‑builder events.

The Director of Development will report to the CEO and work closely with the Executive Team, Board of Directors and key external partners. The role offers significant growth potential and the opportunity to build and scale the development function, including hiring staff and/or engaging outside consulting support as contributed revenue grows.

This role blends strategic vision with hands‑on execution, supporting the Museum’s growth through expansion of contributed revenue and cultivation of donor relationships.

You are a talented, solution‑minded, and proactive professional who leads with integrity, enthusiasm, and competence, and who drives results effectively. You are adaptable and can move easily between the relational and operational needs of the Museum’s fundraising department, supporting the organization’s sustainability and growth.

You understand and believe in the mission, vision, and values of Kidspace Children’s Museum and have working knowledge of all aspects of nonprofit fundraising, including individual donor cultivation and major gifts strategy, foundation and government grants, and corporate partnerships. In your everyday decision‑making and communication, you prioritize collaboration and problem solving.

You’re a natural leader and coalition builder – a strategic and creative thinker with the ability to synthesize and analyze information, make data‑driven decisions, and establish benchmarks and best practices for the Museum.

• Lead, manage, and execute a comprehensive development strategy and plan to strengthen, diversify, and grow the organization’s short‑ and long‑term funding base, including annual giving, foundation and corporate support, and individual major and planned gifts.
• Monitor progress toward fundraising goals (~$1.2M in 2026), evaluate the effectiveness of the development program on an ongoing basis, and recommend for improvement, including new and innovative fundraising initiatives.
• Manage the development department’s annual operating expense budget
• Build systems and infrastructure to support efficient, effective fundraising that can grow significantly year over year.
• Develop relationships with and manage a portfolio of major gift donors and prospects; support the CEO, Board of Directors, and Circle of Friends members in donor prospecting, cultivation, and solicitation efforts.
• Ensure proper stewardship practices for the timely, accurate recording and recognition of all gifts.
• Oversee institutional giving by researching grant prospects, processing grant paperwork, monitoring deadlines and requirements, and submitting proposals and reports.
• Build and strengthen donor data management system and practices.
• Ensure the success of cultivation activities and signature fundraising/friend‑builder events.
• Staff the Board’s Development Committee, providing data reporting, dashboards, and strategic input to guide its work.
• Write quarterly fundraising reports and oversee the Annual Report.
• Train and manage staff, volunteers, and…