Director of Development

Date Created:             April 2026

Position:                     Director of Development

Reports To:                Executive Director

FLSA Status:              Full-time Exempt

About Laguna Art Museum

Founded in 1918 by artists, Laguna Art Museum was established to present and support the work of those shaping the cultural life of California. What began as a modest artist-founded organization has evolved into a museum with a collection of more than 5,000 works spanning the nineteenth century to the present, grounded in a continued commitment to artists and their ideas.

Located on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the museum sits within a landscape that has inspired generations of artists. Laguna Beach has long been a place where artists live and work, and the museum continues this legacy as a cultural anchor built by artists and sustained by a community that values creativity, environment and civic life.

Today, Laguna Art Museum operates with a team of 26 and an engaged Board of Trustees of 20. The museum is highly collaborative, partnering with dance, music and other arts organizations to expand how audiences experience the arts. Through exhibitions, programs and community-based work, it serves a broad and growing audience.

The museum maintains an active calendar of fundraising and donor engagement that is central to its revenue strategy. These include the annual California Cool Art Auction, the Directors Circle Dinner and Awards, and a robust schedule of exhibition openings and public programs. Together, these moments generate critical philanthropic support while providing consistent opportunities for the Director of Development to engage donors, build relationships and convert those interactions into giving.

Education is central to the museum’s work. In the past year, Laguna Art Museum has served more than 7,000 students through in-school and on-site programs, reflecting a deep commitment to access, creativity and lifelong learning.

This momentum is matched by significant recent philanthropic investment. The museum has received a $3 million gift that has doubled its endowment, alongside additional lead gifts strengthening its financial position and supporting the strategic plan to grow long-term cash reserves, positioning the museum for its next phase of growth and expanded philanthropic engagement.

Laguna Art Museum operates with an annual budget of approximately $3.6 million and raises approximately $3.2 million each year through major gifts, membership, campaigns and events. This level of support must be sustained and grown. As outlined in the museum’s five-year strategic plan, the museum is working to increase its annual operating budget to $5 million by 2029.

After a year of working with development consultants, the museum is well positioned with a portfolio of more than 150 active donor relationships ready for further cultivation and growth.

The Director of Development leads fundraising in partnership with the Executive Director and is supported by a Membership Development Manager, a part-time Membership and Development Assistant and a Grant Writer.

The Opportunity

The Director of Development reports to the Executive Director and works in close partnership to advance the museum’s fundraising efforts, supporting both immediate priorities and long-term sustainability.

This role is central to strengthening donor relationships and expanding philanthropic support, while contributing to major campaign planning that supports institutional growth.

Working with the Executive Director, Board leadership and experienced fundraiser that make up the Connectors Committee, the Director of Development helps plan and execute events, appeals and strategies that move the development program forward.

This is a hands-on role balancing strategy with execution, with a strong emphasis on performance, donor engagement and accountability. It is suited for a self-directed leader who is eager to build momentum and drive results.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Partner with the Executive Director to implement and refine fundraising strategies
• Manage and grow a portfolio of individual, foundation and corporate donors
• Identify and qualify new prospects to strengthen the major gift pipeline
• Build relationships that result in sustained and increased giving
• Cultivate, solicit and steward major donors
• Lead and execute major gift strategies aligned with institutional priorities
• Execute annual fundraising plans and meet and grow the $3.2 million annual baseline
• Lead exhibition and event sponsorship efforts
• Work closely with the Executive Director, Board leadership and the Connectors Committee on donor engagement and solicitation strategies
• Contribute to planning major campaign initiatives
• Oversee donor communications, acknowledgments and stewardship practices
• Partner with Marketing to align fundraising messaging and outreach
• Prepare and organize donor information for accurate entry and tracking
• Supervise the Membership Development Manager and part-time Membership and Development Assistant

Qualifications

• 5–8 years of progressive development experience with demonstrated fundraising success
• Experience managing donor portfolios and contributing to fundraising strategy
• Demonstrated success in donor cultivation, solicitation and stewardship
• Experience securing major gifts and building long-term donor relationships
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Highly organized, collaborative and relationship-driven
• Ability to work independently while maintaining close collaboration with leadership
• Interest in nonprofit, arts and community-based work
• Experience in arts, education or cultural organizations preferred but not required

Physical Demands / Working Conditions:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel or crouch.

Work Environment:

The Director of Development is expected to use the museum as their primary place of work, remaining closely connected to programs, exhibitions and institutional priorities, and the volunteers and donors who are regularly onsite. Regular in-person collaboration with staff and participation in board and committee meetings is essential.

A work-from-home day is available on Mondays. The role also requires occasional evening and weekend commitments tied to events and donor engagement.

Staff will work in general office conditions. This position requires a significant amount of computer work and use of general office equipment.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Compensation

The salary range is $130,000 - $160,000, plus a generous benefits package.

Applicants

Please send your cover letter and resume to development@lagunaartmuseum.org

Cover letter can be addressed to Executive Director, Julie Perlin Lee and sent along with resume to development@lagunaartmuseum.org