Museum Development Specialist
About the Kentucky Museum
The Kentucky Museum opened in 1939 as a place for "Kentuckians to know Kentucky." Today, the Kentucky Museum continues this charge while increasing interdisciplinary knowledge of, appreciation, and respect for a collection representative of Southcentral Kentucky. As a teaching museum part of Western Kentucky University, we conduct research and preserve and interpret artifacts in a variety of fields, with special emphasis on fine, decorative, and folk arts; clothing and textiles; toys; political memorabilia; and other culturally significant items from our community.
About Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University (WKU) is a student-centered, applied-research institution committed to providing its students with a transformative academic and social experience and to elevating its surrounding communities. Founded in 1906, WKU is the third largest public four-year institution in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with approximately 16,293 students and nearly 2,612 faculty and staff employees.
Western Kentucky University is committed to empowering its campus community. At the heart of our mission, we seek to provide holistic education and employment experiences that prepare students, faculty, and staff to become effective scholars, contributors, and leaders in our ever-evolving communities.
Located 65 miles north of Nashville, TN, and just over 100 miles south of Louisville, KY, WKU's main campus is in Bowling Green, KY - a city with approximately 70,000 residents. Our population is ethnically diverse, with more than 85 languages spoken in and around Bowling Green, and people from 35 nationalities call our community home.
Western Kentucky University seeks to attract talented faculty and staff who are inspired individually to contribute to WKU's strategic plans and ongoing success. We offer comprehensive wellness and health benefits to employees and their families, including domestic partners and other qualified dependents and take pride in providing a workplace culture that supports balancing the responsibilities of work and family life. Paid-time off for holidays, vacation and sick leave, and a tuition discount program for employees and dependents are also provided. Learn more about WKU and Bowling Green at wku.edu/about.
Job Description:
Position Summary
The Museum Development Specialist advances the Kentucky Museum's fundraising, grant development, external relations and communications, and exhibitions planning and execution activities. The position researches and develops funding opportunities, writes grant proposals, cultivates relationships with funders and community partners, supports the museum's membership and development initiatives, and guides exhibitions through the planning and creation process. Exhibition work will include helping museum staff identify guest curators, manage project schedules and budgets, facilitate communication between internal staff and external partners, and support the successful development and implementation of exhibitions.
Primary/Key Responsibilities
Development, Grant Writing, and Funding (50%)
Work with Museum Director, museum staff, and WKU Philanthropy to identify funding priorities and translate museum exhibitions, programs, education initiatives, collections, research, and other activities into persuasive funding proposals.
Research, identify, and pursue grant and fundraising opportunities from foundations, government agencies, corporations, individuals, or other potential fundraising sources.
Work with museum director and WKU Philanthropy staff to identify funding opportunities.
Stay up to date on emerging trends in funding opportunities related to museums, higher education, arts, humanities, and cultural organizations.
Write compelling grant proposals, letters of inquiry, project narratives, budgets, supporting documents, and other funding materials.
Manage grant submission calendars, deadlines, reporting requirements, renewals, and other deliverables. This includes ensuring principal investigators complete any needed reports and documentation.
Exhibition Project Management (30%)
Responsible for managing the development of exhibitions by leading the exhibitions committee, identifying guest curators (often WKU faculty) and other external collaborators, and managing timelines.
Assist museum staff in identifying and evaluating potential guest curators whose expertise aligns with proposed exhibition themes and museum priorities.
Serve as exhibits and special projects manager, coordinating project schedules, meetings, contracts, deliverables, budgets, and communications in collaboration with museum staff.
Coordinate purchasing supplies required for exhibition creation.
Ensure guest curators and external collaborators know the museum's processes and policies.
Facilitate communication between guest curators, external collaborators, and museum staff.
Document exhibitions committee meetings, project decisions, assignments, and deadlines, ensuring all team members are kept up-to-date throughout the project.
Assist with writing, editing, designing, and coordinating exhibition labels, interpretive panels, educational materials, exhibition descriptions, website copy, press materials, and other audience-focused content.
Provide editorial and project-management support for exhibition content and team while recognizing that primary curatorial responsibility may rest with the assigned curator or guest curator.
Communications and Membership (20%)
Develop the museum's regular external communications, including press releases, member communications, and social media content that informs public audiences about the museum's exhibitions, programs, activities, and institutional priorities.
Collaborate with the Museum Director to cultivate and steward membership through our existing membership program.
Manage museum's Adopt-an-Artifact campaign to continue raising funds for collections care
Other Responsibilities
Participate in museum staff meetings, planning activities, and institutional initiatives.
Share duties related to departmental purchasing, including acquiring quotes and working with agents in the WKU Purchasing Department.
Along with museum staff, work occasional evening and weekend museum events outside regular work hours.
This is not a remote or hybrid job. Work will be physically conducted at WKU's main campus.
Occasional independent travel required to meet with donors and/or external collaborators and make public presentations.
Other duties as assigned.
Must apply through WKU online job portal below:
WKU Application portal: https://wku.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=204673
