Director of Development

Director of Development

Chester County History Center (CCHC) West Chester, Pennsylvania

About the Organization

Founded in 1893, the Chester County History Center (CCHC) is the official history museum, education center, and historical repository of one of Pennsylvania’s oldest counties.  CCHC preserves and interprets over 300 years of national, regional, and local history through exhibitions, educational programs, community partnerships, and unparalleled archival and artifact collections.  Situated in the heart of West Chester, CCHC stewards extensive museum collections, a research library of nearly 800,000 manuscripts, and robust public programming that reaches communities across Chester County and beyond.

CCHC is in a period of growth, expanding membership, deepening community partnerships, preparing for America250 initiatives, and advancing ambitious capital, programmatic, and philanthropic goals.

Position Overview

The Director of Development is a key member of CCHC’s leadership team and the chief architect of a comprehensive development program that strengthens and expands the Center’s culture of philanthropy.  Reporting directly to the President, the Director leads all fundraising activities, including the annual campaign, membership, major gifts, grants, corporate sponsorships, planned giving, and donor stewardship.

This role combines strategic vision with hands on execution, managing a growing development team and working closely with the President, Board of Trustees, community leaders, and donors. The Director of Development also plays a significant leadership role in preparing for major initiatives including America250 programming, growing collections care resources, expanding CCHC’s county wide partnerships, and developing long-term financial sustainability.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy & Leadership

• Design, implement, and evaluate fundraising strategy that strengthens annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, membership, grants, corporate partnerships, and sponsorships.
• Establish annual contributed revenue goals and manage progress toward targets through data driven planning, forecasting, and reporting.
• Serve as a strategic partner to the President in aligning fundraising priorities with institutional objectives.
• Serve on the Executive Leadership Team and collaborate across departments to support organizational goals.

Major Gifts & Donor Portfolio Management

• Manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects; conduct regular cultivation visits, stewardship meetings, and solicitations.
• Partner with the President and Board in major asks and high-level donor engagement.
• Develop clear pathways for donor upgrade pipelines, including planned giving and leadership gifts.

Annual Fund, Membership, & Community Support

• Direct the annual fund, including mailings, digital campaigns, membership appeals, stewardship communications, and donor recognition.
• Support and strategically grow CCHC’s membership program, working closely with the Development Manager.
• Oversee donor communications that reinforce CCHC’s mission, impact, and case for support.

Grants, Sponsorships, & Institutional Giving

• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward corporate, foundation, and government funders.
• Lead or support grant writing, reporting, compliance, and relationship management.
• Oversee sponsorship strategies for exhibitions, programs, events, and America250 initiatives.

Special Events & External Engagement

• Lead the planning and execution of fundraising events, cultivation gatherings, and major donor experiences.
• Serve as a visible representative of CCHC at community events, donor settings, and countywide initiatives.

Development Operations & Team Management

• Manage development staff including the Development Manager and Rentals Manager; provide mentorship and professional development.
• Maintain policies and best practices for data integrity, recording, reporting, and analysis in DonorPerfect.
• Develop and oversee the development budget and revenue projections.
• Serve as staff liaison to the Board Development Committee and support capital or special campaigns as needed.

Qualifications

Required

• Minimum 4 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, ideally in a museum, cultural, or nonprofit setting.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising, donor cultivation, and securing gifts across multiple revenue streams.
• Strong writing, communication, and storytelling skills; ability to articulate a compelling case for support.
• Experience with development databases (DonorPerfect preferred) and data driven fundraising practices.
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently, manage multiple priorities, and adapt in a dynamic environment.
• A passion for history, education, community engagement, and CCHC’s mission.

Preferred

• Experience supervising staff or volunteers.
• Grant writing experience with demonstrated success in securing foundation and corporate funding.
• Familiarity with Chester County, the region’s philanthropic landscape, or the broader cultural sector.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.

Personal Qualities

• Creative, energetic, and strategic thinker.
• Relationship driven with strong emotional intelligence.
• Entrepreneurial spirit and comfort with ambiguity.
• High integrity, judgment, and discretion.
• A sense of humor and collaborative leadership style.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary Range: $70,000–$80,000 (commensurate with experience)

To Apply

Please submit the following materials:

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Contact information for two professional references

Email to Conor Hepp, President

CHepp@MyCCHC.org