Director of Development at Kentucky Derby Museum – Louisville, Kentucky

Kentucky Derby Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization that sits on the front steps of historic Churchill Downs Racetrack. It is one of the premiere attractions in the Louisville region, celebrating the tradition, history, hospitality and pride of the world-renowned event that is the Kentucky Derby. The Museum welcomes over 258,000 visitors annually; a large percentage of those visitors come from outside of Kentucky, journeying from across the country and the world.

Position Purpose:

The primary purpose for this position is to support the coordination of Museum sponsorships; cultivating and strengthening external partnerships - in a continual effort to generate revenue for the organization. The Development Manager works closely with Senior Management and outside counsel (when necessary) to draft, execute and maintain written contracts. This role is also responsible for overseeing all donor communications. This position will report to the President & CEO. This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities.

Essential Functions/Accountabilities:

• Oversees daily functions of the Museum’s Development Department.
• Coordinates with Museum sponsors and facilitates Museum benefits for sponsorship packages.
• Provides support with concept generation and administers the creation of sponsor packages and drafts proposals.
• Works to develop and maintain relationships with Museum donors, sponsors, members, and supporters.
• Researches grant and funding opportunities and assists with preparation of grant proposals under the direction of Senior Management.
• Supports Senior Management on all major fundraising initiatives.
• Fosters and maintains compliance of grant fulfillment.
• Works cohesively with the Marketing and Communications team on integrating sponsorship promotions for Museum events.
• Works closely with other internal departments to ensure execution of sponsorship benefits.
• Acts as a liaison to the Museum’s Ball Committee. Manages Ball sponsorships and administers the table/ticket sales process.
• Records all donations and coordinate official correspondence of such.
• Coordinates and manages mailings for special fund-raising events such as the annual Museum Ball.
• Drafts written sponsorship contracts with assistance from senior leadership and outside legal counsel, if necessary.
• Works with Senior Management and other departments to ensure proper solicitation, public acknowledgement, and tracking of all sponsorships, invoices/billing.
• Responsible for revenue forecasting and related budget planning alongside Senior Management.
• Conducts sales and customer service calls to corporate members and preferred partners
• Act as an advocate of the Museum, protecting the organizational reputation.
• All other duties as assigned.

While every effort has been made to make this description of the essential functions as complete as possible, it in no way states or implies that this is an exhaustive listing of the only duties you will be required to perform. The omission of specific statements of functions or responsibilities does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or is a logical assignment to the position.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business/Public Administration, Marketing, Communications, or closely related field.
• Minimum of two years relevant work experience handling sponsors and sponsorship development required.
• Experience with grant writing preferred, but not required.
• Able to meet deadlines and handle multiple projects with minimal supervision as part of a team.
• Flexible in accepting and carrying out assignments.
• Excellent planning & organization skills with attention to detail, accuracy, and follow-up.
• Excellent oral & written communication skills.
• Able to work with staff, sponsors, and visitors in a professional manner.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Microsoft Excel, Outlook and Word.
• Must be able to successfully pass a criminal background check.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.

Work Schedule:

· Approximately 40 hours per week during operating hours of 8:00AM – 5:00PM (open all days of the week).

· Attend select fundraising events as needed.

· All team members are required to work additional hours during Derby season. This includes but is not limited to working shifts on Thurby, Oaks, Derby, and the Sunday of Derby weekend. All team members are also required to work the week of the National FFA conference and Breeder’s Cup (when held in Louisville).

Working Conditions:

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to stand for long periods of time, walk, and climb stairs. This individual will be required to lift packages up to 25lbs. The employee is required to have non-standard workday hours during the spring and fall sessions. All indoor spaces are air-conditioned, although some job duties may take place outside, or in another non-climate-controlled space.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to a crowded work area. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to navigate a crowded area and handle a challenging workload.