Development and Engagement Manager

POSITION/TITLE: Development and Engagement Manager

SUPERVISOR: President and Museum Project Director

HOURS: Full-Time, 32-hours Per Week

ABOUT WONDERTREK CHILDREN’S MUSEUM:

WonderTrek Children’s Museum is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization located in Baxter, Minnesota, operating across Region 5 counties of Crow Wing, Cass, Todd, Wadena & Morrison counties. WonderTrek is led by a dedicated Board of Directors, passionate staff, and an experienced Museum Project Director.

WonderTrek is on a mission to bring back everyday play. Play is a vital part of healthy development and a vibrant community. WonderTrek’s creative spaces enable children to imagine, experiment, and develop essential life skills, such as problem-solving, empathy, decision-making, and teamwork – all while having a blast.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Development and Engagement Manager is an innovative, organized, and relationship-driven leader who spearheads administration of donor relationships and institutional advancement. As a key member of our lean 10-person team, you will support institutional advancement priorities as the primary custodian of our capital campaign strategy, donor pipeline, and stakeholder relationships through our public launch phase into full operations and beyond.

This role requires initiative, collaboration, sound judgment, exceptional organization, and a passion for relationship cultivation so that curiosity and play thrive every day. Charged with growing a sustainable development program, you will stay on top of industry trends and interpret metrics and conversion data in close collaboration with the Marketing and Communications Manager.

This role supports and reports to the Museum Project Director and directly supervises the part-time Volunteer Engagement Specialist to ensure community mobilization seamlessly supports our fundraising and long-term stakeholder cultivation goals.

Responsibilities and Expectations:

The primary responsibility of the Engagement Manager is to achieve WonderTrek’s development goals by managing the administration of relationship cultivation that leads to tangible and lasting support. This role ensures every volunteer, donor, and prospective supporter feels engaged, appreciated, and personally invested in WonderTrek's charge to champion and elevate childhood.

Donor & Development Administration

• Campaign Management: Manage multiple development campaigns to engage priority audiences through digital and traditional interactions and touchpoints. Collaborate closely with leadership to ensure campaign alignment across the organization.
• Affinity Engagement: Develop cultivation pipelines to ensure every supporter and prospective donor is engaged at the level appropriate to their interest and affinities. Strengthen donor relationships with tailored engagement opportunities, such as select volunteer opportunities, special events, and strategic communications that align with the donor’s affinities.
• Manage Donor Database: Maintain data integrity within the CRM system, Humanitru, by building out donor pipelines while tracking contributions, pledges, and constituent interactions accurately.
• Process Acknowledgments: Execute prompt, personalized, and accurate gift processing and tax acknowledgment workflows for all donors, from receiving the donation through on-going recognition and engagement.
• Capital Campaign Support: Coordinate logistical needs, meeting and event preparations, and follow-ups required to close the remaining capital campaign goals.
• Analyze Metrics: Track and review conversion data and evaluate campaign performance to optimize donor retention pipelines that convert interest into support. Prepare staff and board KPI reports, and support analysis discussions that lead to informed decisions and actions.

Stakeholder Engagement & Regional Relations

• Cultivate Relationships: In close collaboration with the Museum Project Director and leadership team, serve as a primary point of contact for regional stakeholders, community collaborators, and other priority partners.
• Communicate Impact: Gather inputs from the leadership team to help the Museum Project Director prepare briefings, presentations, and materials that showcase WonderTrek’s impacts and highlights needs for support.
• Represent WonderTrek: Attend regional networking events and public forums to create connections for follow-up while championing the museum’s mission.
• Maximize WonderTrek’s Voice: Partner with the Marketing and Communications Manager to ensure stakeholder messaging aligns with brand voice and campaign goals.

Volunteer Program Alignment

• Manage Volunteer Coordinator: Provide insightful supervision, support, and professional mentorship to the part-time Volunteer Engagement Specialist.
• Program Alignment: Work together with the Volunteer Engagement Specialist to build an integrated strategic pathway that systematically engages active donors affinities through volunteer opportunities while providing active museum volunteers opportunities for philanthropic support.

Minimum Qualifications

• Professional Background: Minimum of 3–5 years of professional experience in non-profit development, volunteer management, or community organizing.
• Educational Foundation: Bachelor’s degree in Non-Profit Management, Museum Studies, Communications, Business Administration, or a closely related field (or equivalent practical experience).
• CRM Proficiency: Proven hands-on experience managing Humanitru, or similar non-profit CRMs or donor databases.
• Data Literacy: Competency in reading marketing data, interpreting digital conversion metrics, and translating numbers into actionable outreach.
• Administrative Setup: Ability to make recorded information useful to multiple team members in day to day decision-making with strong digital literacy with administrative suites such as Google Workspace and other administrative systems and processes.
• Organizational Acumen: Excellent project management habits with a proven ability to prioritize tasks independently while leaning into strategic collaborations in a lean startup environment.
• Communication Skills: Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal skills tailored for interacting with diverse community groups, volunteers, and high-value donors.
• Team Player: Actively support broader museum operations, special pre-opening preview events, and peak attendance days as an integrated member of our 10-person staff.
• Culture of Accountability: As a key member of WonderTrek’s management team, positively foster workplace culture with insightful supervision, support, and collaboration while demonstrating initiative, accountability, sound judgment, and professionalism.
• WonderTrek Vibe: Enthusiasm for local outdoor recreation activities and play based learning while interacting with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Inclusivity: Commitment to a welcoming, inclusive, and engaging environment for all children, families, educators, volunteers, donors, and stakeholders.
• Flexibility: Ability to quickly adapt to the rapidly changing environment of a start-up, working a semi-varied schedule, sometimes including weekends, evenings, and holidays while maintaining work-life balance.
• Transportation: Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation to travel across Central and North Central Minnesota.
• Background Check: Must pass a background check.
• Other duties as assigned: This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee for this position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Preferred Qualifications

• Museum Background: Direct experience working within a children's museum, science center, cultural institution, or visitor-facing non-profit.
• Launch Experience: Background assisting an organization through a major capital campaign, building transition, or high-profile public grand opening.
• Engagement Strategies: on top of industry trends with experience personalizing engagement strategies of key stakeholders and contributors.
• Local Insight: Established familiarity with the philanthropic, civic, and educational landscape of North Central Minnesota (Crow Wing, Cass, Morrison, Todd, and Wadena counties).
• Seasonal Residents: Familiarity with connecting seasonal residents and repeat visitors to local philanthropic opportunities.
• Advanced Analytics: Deep understanding of digital fundraising funnels, email marketing platforms (e.g., Mailchimp), and donor segmentation strategies.

Other Details:

• Work Location: WonderTrek’s campus in Baxter, MN, its studio and office location in Brainerd, MN, and at locations around the region as needed.
• Option for at home remote work for specific work tasks.
• Schedule: primary business hours with adjustments required for special events and weekend activities.

Compensation and Benefits:

Compensation

• Starting Salary: $52,000 – $60,000
• Classification: Full-time, Exempt, Minimum 32-hours a week
• Placement: Starting salary is dependent upon the candidate's direct non-profit fundraising background, CRM database experience, and local stakeholder networks.

Benefits Package

• Monthly stipend for medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage options.
• Life and long term disability insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer matching contribution.
• Paid Time Off and Family Support:
• Generous PTO;
• Minnesota Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST): accrued in accordance with state law.
• Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML): in accordance with state law.
• Employee Assistance Program
• Professional development and training opportunities.
• Flexible Work Options: Standard core office hours with flexible scheduling permitted around required regional evening/weekend community engagement events.
• Travel Reimbursement: Standard IRS-rate mileage reimbursement for mandatory travel across the 5-county North Central Minnesota service region.

Let’s make every day a wonder-filled adventure!