Director of Development

The American Philosophical Society, founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1743 and, today, the oldest and most distinguished learned society in the United States, seeks an entrepreneurial, ambitious, and results-driven Director of Development to help usher the Society into its next chapter. The successful candidate will be joining the Society at an exciting time. The Society is on the cusp of launching its first campaign in almost two decades, and it is looking for the right person to lead a successful campaign and expand the Society’s fundraising abilities.

The new Director of Development will play a key role in positioning the Society for the future and their work will be vital to securing the success of the APS.

Today, the American Philosophical Society is a dynamic and multifaceted research institution with a mission of “promoting useful knowledge.” (It should be noted that “Philosophy” in the eighteenth century meant inquiry, and the Society today embraces its motto of nullo discrimine (“without distinction”) by supporting the advancement of knowledge in all fields of knowledge through several program areas.) The Society is led by dynamic, new leadership that honors its venerable history while finding ways to increase its impact in the modern world:

• Research: The Society plays an important role in providing independent research support to the brightest young minds —particularly important in a time when research dollars are scarcer. Its international grants and fellowship program funds over 300 scholars a year and supports research projects on all seven continents and in virtually all disciplines.
• Unique Collections and Resources: With over 14 million pages of manuscripts, including the papers of Benjamin Franklin, the journals of Lewis and Clark, and seven Nobel Laureates, its Library is home to one of the most distinguished research collections in the United States. The Library houses four research centers and supports a museum next to Independence Hall that regularly receives 100,000 visitors from around the country.
• The APS Press, the oldest continuously operating imprint in North America, produces a series of thought‑provoking books and journals every year.
• Convening Conversations: At the heart of the Society sits its many convenings of thought leaders who share cutting edge research in all fields of knowledge, a tradition that dates to the Society’s founding.
• A Home to Pathbreakers: As a learned society, the APS is guided and governed by its elected membership, which includes approximately 1,000 individuals who were elected because of their significant contributions to the advancement of knowledge. It is considered the most distinguished learned society in the United States. Seventeen presidents, dozens of Pulitzer Prize winners, Academy Award winners, Supreme Court justices, governors, and nearly 100 Nobel Laureates have been elected to Membership.

Collectively, the Society’s work and culture embody “the life of the mind.”

The current development operation at the APS currently consists of three staff members: the Director, a Director of the Friends program, and a departmental assistant. The Society anticipates adding staff to the department to meet the institution’s needs and would expect the new Director of Development to make staffing recommendations. The department raises between $3-5 million annually from individual and institutional sources for operational, restricted, and capital purposes.

The Annual Fund accounts for approximately $1.4 million per year. As part of a general effort to increase philanthropic giving to the Society, as well as part of the campaign, the Society expects to dramatically increase annual giving, as well as develop a more robust planned giving and major gifts program. The new Director will, therefore, be expected to develop new strategies to increase philanthropic engagement of Members, Friends, organizations and other constituents.

Chief Responsibilities

• Plan, implement, and execute a successful national capital campaign. This includes frontline fundraising as well as managing the cultivation and…