Stewardship Manager

Join the Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA) at a pivotal moment! We are seeking a Stewardship Manager who is excited about exploring every aspect of the museum’s programs and identifying connection points with donors, prospects, and alumni. You will be essential to maintaining key databases, planning events, and creating communication materials for the opening of our new, purpose-built facility, and ensuring the long-term vision of the museum is fully supported.

Under the leadership of the Museum Director and working closely with museum colleagues, the Stewardship Manager is key to telling the story of the next phase of the Williams College Museum of Art to its many stakeholders.

In collaboration with college staff in the Grants Office, Alumni Engagement and Development, this position will maintain databases and research and write proposals, reports, and additional materials related to opening events and ongoing new building endeavors to be shared with existing and prospective museum supporters. The Stewardship Manager will serve as point person for the WCMA pARTners, a group of alumni and friends who support the museum, and work collaboratively with museum staff to produce related communication materials and programming for the group. 

The ideal candidate possesses effective communication skills and the proven ability to produce a wide variety of written materials under deadline and initiate positive in-person interactions with organizational stakeholders. Onboarded during the final construction phase for the first purpose-built museum for Williams College, the Stewardship Manager will be passionate about exploring every aspect of the museum and its programs and identifying connection points with donors, prospects, grantors, and alumni. Williams is deeply committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. The successful candidate will work effectively and respectfully with faculty, staff, students, and vendors from a variety of diverse backgrounds in a collaborative setting.

Responsibilities:

Identification and Tracking of WCMA Prospects, Donors, and Grantors

• Work with Museum Director and college development staff to expand and communicate with the community of WCMA supporters.
• Work closely with WCMA staff, college development and alumni engagement staff, and others to develop and support WCMA engagement with Williams alumni and fundraising efforts
• Serve as primary WCMA point person for the college’s Slate database, retrieving needed information and entering reports of communication with donors, prospects, alumni, and grantors.
• Working in close communication with the Museum Director and Deputy Director, communicate regularly with gift officers regarding gifts of art offers and acquisitions and maintain ongoing records. 

Stewardship of WCMA Donors and Grantors and Cultivation of Prospects

• With the Deputy Director and Building Manager, facilitate the production and installation of new donor recognition signage.
• In partnership with the Manager of Museum Experiences and Events and WCMA content leads, collaborate with development office colleagues to develop and execute WCMA-focused regional events, develop and implement strategy for ongoing stewardship communications and program invitation lists, manage WCMA specific acquisition approval and gift acknowledgment processes.
• Working closely with the Museum Director and Director of Finance and Operations, track all WCMA restricted endowments and contribute to purposeful planning for use of funds and robust stewardship; Coordinate with advancement operations staff on annual solicitation and stewardship for alumni fund donors to WCMA.

Communication Materials and Grant Writing/Reporting

• Compile content and collaborate with museum communication staff to write and publish the museum’s annual report and annual reports for specific programs.
• Manage all grant research, writing and reporting, working closely with WCMA staff and college grants office staff .
• Suggest and respond to requests from the Museum Director and college alumni engagement and development staff to create presentation materials for use during interactions with donors and donor prospects, work with Museum Director and donor relations staff to generate the annual director’s letter, endowed accession reports, and stewardship report spreadsheet.
• Coordinate the design and production of invitations, reports, and other materials.
• Research, write, and produce material related to opening events and ongoing new building endeavors to highlight alumni stories, WCMA history, and other institutional history.

WCMA pARTners Program and Advisory Group

• Serve as the point person for and manage pARTners mailing list, benefits, programs, and communications.
• Work with the museum director to coordinate communications, support materials, and meetings of WCMA Advisory Group.

Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent and a minimum of at least 2 of work experience, or a MA Degree or equivalent and a minimum of at least 1 year experience is required
• Excellent communication (written and verbal) skills and experience preparing professional written correspondence and presentation materials
• Excellent time management, project management, organizational, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to handle complaints, conflicts, or difficult situations calmly and diplomatically to resolve issues 
• Ability to work periodic evening and weekend events
• Preferred: Experience working in art museums, enthusiastic about mission-driven arts and education institutions

This position requires fully in-person work. Remote work arrangements will not be available at this time. 

To Apply:

Application review will begin May 4, 2026. The pay range for this position is from $67,000-$77,000 commensurate with experience.

A cover letter is required in order for your application to be considered. In your letter, please address your interest in this position and the strengths you would bring to Williams College Museum of Art in this role. Applicants should highlight relevant experience with event management in coordination with many stakeholder groups. You are encouraged to include information in regard to meeting the preferred qualifications outlined above. Please attach your cover letter as a separate document in your application.