Director of individual giving & events- full time

Houston, TX, USA|Onsite

Job Overview

Employment Type

Full-time

Work Schedule

Standard Hours

Benefits

competitive compensation

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

paid life insurance

long term disability

403b Retirement Savings Plan

Paid Time Off

Job Description

The Lone Star Flight Museum (LSFM) is a prestigious non-profit 501(c)3 aviation museum located at Ellington Airport in Texas. Founded originally in Galveston, TX, the museum opened its state-of-the-art $38 million facility in September 2017, showcasing a rich history and offering educational experiences centered around the theme of aviation and its inspiring impact on achievement and possibilities. The museum's mission is to celebrate Texas aviation history and achievements in a captivating environment to engage visitors and students of all ages. Emphasizing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), LSFM is widely recognized as a dynamic and interactive educational flight museum that promotes learning and career interests in aerospace for the people of Texas.

The museum has experienced rapid growth in recent years, welcoming over 100,000 visitors and more than 25,000 school-age students in 2024, reflecting a 170% increase over the past three years. This impressive uptrend exemplifies the museum's commitment to community building and providing exceptional educational programs that enhance youth involvement in aerospace and STEM fields.

The Director of Individual Giving & Events is a mid-level, full-time, exempt position vital to the museum’s continued success. Reporting to senior leadership, this role is tasked with designing and implementing comprehensive strategies to grow philanthropic contributions from individual donors while managing key fundraising and stewardship events. The Director functions in a hands-on capacity, overseeing daily activities and strategic initiatives to secure sustainable funding to advance LSFM’s mission.

The individual in this role needs to build and nurture authentic relationships with donors, members, event sponsors, and aviation enthusiasts, fostering long-term engagement through personalized stewardship. This includes managing diverse fundraising events such as the annual gala, clay shoot fundraiser, Girls in Aviation Day, and the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Luncheon. The Director coordinates event production, budgeting, vendor relations, and execution, often collaborating with the museum’s Director of Events and development team.

Further, this position ensures that each donor interaction is meaningful, emphasizing the unique stories and artifacts that the museum offers while strengthening the donor and supporter community. The Director plays a pivotal role in the museum's fundraising effectiveness by closely tracking donation and event metrics, reporting to leadership and board committees, and maintaining meticulous records within the museum’s CRM system.

This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated, detail-oriented fundraising professional with a passion for aviation, education, and community engagement to make a visible and rewarding impact within a collaborative and mission-driven organization. The Lone Star Flight Museum offers competitive compensation and an attractive benefits package, including health, dental, and vision insurance, paid life insurance, retirement savings plans, and generous paid time off.

Job Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
four to seven years of nonprofit fundraising experience
demonstrated success in individual giving
experience in event fundraising
strong project management skills
excellent communication skills
knowledge of donor databases preferred
ability to work evenings and weekends
interest in aviation, history, museums, or STEM education
professionalism and discretion
ability to manage multiple tasks
collaborative attitude
attention to detail
resourcefulness

Job Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree required
proven success with four to seven years of nonprofit fundraising experience
demonstrated success in individual giving and fundraising events
experience managing donor relationships and direct solicitations
strong project management and organizational skills
multitasking and resourcefulness
excellent written and verbal communication skills
successful collaboration and adaptability
knowledge of donor databases preferred
interest in aviation, history, museums, or STEM education
professionalism, integrity, and discretion
ability to work occasional evenings and weekends
creative problem solver and collaborative team player

Job Duties

Develop and execute annual and multi-year comprehensive individual giving strategies
develop and manage the individual giving program including annual funds and major gifts
maintain and actively manage a portfolio of donors and prospects
work closely with the CDO and board for donor cultivation
execute personalized donor stewardship activities
plan and implement high-impact fundraising and stewardship events
establish event sponsorship benefit levels and coordinate sponsor communications
manage all aspects of event coordination including budgeting and vendor management
use events to cultivate donor relationships and identify new prospects
collaborate with marketing for sponsor recognition
manage relationship with event chairs and honorees
maintain donor records and gift processing
track giving and event metrics and prepare reports
coordinate planning with staff and vendors ensuring schedule and budget compliance
manage part-time staff, interns, and volunteers
ensure timely delivery of grant and fundraising reports