Communications Director Jobs in Oregon

Position Summary

The Director of Development and Communications is a core member of the Children's Museum of Central Oregon (CMCO) leadership team, reporting directly to the Board of Directors. This role owns CMCO's fundraising strategy and its marketing and communications function, working in close partnership with the Museum Director on donor relationships, campaign strategy, and public messaging. Primary responsibilities include leading individual and major donor cultivation, stewarding CMCO's capital campaign, overseeing grant and institutional funding relationships, and directing all marketing, communications, and brand efforts, from CMCO's Mobile Museum programming today through its first physical location. This is a horizontal leadership role: the Development and Communications Director and the Museum Director each bring distinct expertise to the table and are jointly accountable to the Board for CMCO's growth.

Fundraising Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and execute CMCO's annual and long-term fundraising strategy, aligned with organizational priorities and the capital campaign.
• Build and maintain CMCO's development calendar, covering the annual fundraising plan, campaign milestones, grant deadlines, and donor touchpoints.
• Track and report fundraising progress, revenue projections, and pipeline health to the Board's Finance and Development committees.
• Recommend new revenue strategies and donor segments as CMCO grows toward its physical opening.

Major & Individual Donor Development

• Manage CMCO's donor stewardship program, including cultivation, solicitation, recognition, engagement, and retention, across individual donors, corporate partners, and community supporters.
• Partner with the Museum Director on cultivation and solicitation of major donors
• Support Board members in donor outreach, providing materials, briefings, and follow-up support for their solicitation conversations.
• Maintain accurate donor records, giving history, and next steps in CMCO's donor database to inform ongoing engagement.
• Coordinate timely donor acknowledgments and recognition.

Capital Campaign Management

• Serve as the day-to-day fundraising lead on CMCO's capital campaign for its first physical location, working closely with the Museum Director and Museum Development Committee.
• Maintain and update the Case for Support and Donor Discussion Guide as campaign milestones and messaging evolve.
• Track progress against the campaign's working capital goal and naming-gift opportunities.
• Coordinate campaign collateral, donor-facing materials, and campaign video production in partnership with outside vendors.
• Support donor site visits, campaign events, and cultivation touchpoints tied to the project.

Grants & Institutional Funding

• Research, identify, and cultivate relationships with foundation, corporate, and government funders aligned with CMCO's mission and capital needs.
• Draft and manage grant proposals, reports, and funder communications, in partnership with the Museum Director.
• Maintain a grants calendar and tracking system for deadlines, reporting requirements, and renewal cycles.
• Support the Museum Director on legislative and public funding opportunities as needed.

Development Operations & Systems

• Own and maintain CMCO's donor database, ensuring accurate gift entry, acknowledgments, pledge tracking, and reporting.
• Develop and maintain development SOPs, templates, and historical records to ensure consistency as the organization scales.
• Monitor in-kind and sponsorship contributions alongside cash revenue.
• Ensure development systems and donor data support the philanthropic investment required for the capital campaign and future operations.
• Provide regular reporting to the Board of Directors.

Events & Community Fundraising

• Lead planning and execution of CMCO's fundraising and donor-engagement events.
• Develop event budgets, timelines, and revenue projections in partnership with the Museum Director.
• Manage event logistics, sponsorships, in-kind donations, vendor relationships, and volunteer coordination.
• Coordinate post-event stewardship, reconciliation, and reporting.

Marketing & Communications Leadership

• Own CMCO's marketing, communications, and brand strategy, ensuring consistent voice and positioning across all public-facing materials.
• Direct planning and rollout of major communications milestones, including public announcements tied to the organization's new name and new home.
• Lead content development for fundraising campaigns, donor communications, and impact storytelling across email, social media, and print.
• Draft press releases and manage media outreach, in partnership with the Museum Director on high-visibility announcements.
• Oversee CMCO's website content, social media presence, and annual report production.
• Contribute donor and funder impact stories, data, and testimonials to CMCO's public communications and reporting.

Board & Leadership Partnership

• Report directly to the Board of Directors, providing timely and transparent updates on fundraising, communications, and campaign progress.
• Serve as a peer partner to the Museum Director, aligning development and communications work with organizational strategy and operations.
• Collaborate with the Board's Finance, Marketing, and Museum Development committees to advance fundraising objectives.
• Support Board recruitment and engagement efforts as they relate to fundraising and communications capacity.

Pay: $74,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Bend, OR 97701