A meaningful job serving a place with purpose
Vaux-le-Vicomte, a 17th-century architectural and landscaped masterpiece, is the largest privately owned château in France designated as a historic monument.
Open to the public since 1968, it offers more than 300,000 annual visitors a lively, immersive, and innovative experience of the creative genius of the Grand Siècle, nestled in a lush green setting.
Engaged in an ambitious ecological transition, Vaux-le-Vicomte is a sustainable estate aiming to become a point of reference in corporate social responsibility (CSR) among historic monuments.
A Strategic Department
The development department is responsible for securing the funds necessary to enable the operations and ongoing restoration of the château and gardens. The two main strategic geographic areas of this fundraising are in the United States, focusing on individuals, and in France, targeting businesses.
Today, American fundraising accounts for half of all funds raised. Our ambition is to increase this fundraising in the U.S. by 3.5 times to achieve over €2 million per year by 2026.
A Capital Campaign: Retour aux Sources
The fundraising for the next ten years will be structured around a Capital Campaign titled Retour aux Sources, focusing on the restoration and daily maintenance of the 22 basins and fountains in the gardens of Vaux-le-Vicomte, the last gravity-driven network inherited from the 17th century in a Jardin à la Française.
This major project addresses water resource management issues, which are at the heart of global challenges today, especially in light of climate change. Beyond its historical and heritage significance, this modern and innovative project will provide valuable insights that can contribute to the ongoing efforts to tackle climate change.
US operations
Vaux-le-Vicomte raises funds in the United States and offers tax deductions to its donors through a partnership with Myriad USA, its fiscal sponsor. Alexandre de Vogüé, the owner of Vaux-le-Vicomte, travels to the United States approximately four times a year to cultivate and strengthen our relationships with American donors. An annual gala dinner is organized in France for Americans, as well as a trip in France every two years.
Director of Development - Role Overview
The goal of Vaux-le-Vicomte's long-term presence in the United States through its Director of Development is to multiply our fundraising power and optimize service performance, particularly by improving its strategy.
The Director of Development will be responsible for strategic leadership of American fundraising and improving practices that the French team may be inspired by. They will also execute fundraising strategies to meet concrete and ambitious goals.
Profile
- Based in the US (East Coast, NYC ideally).
- Fluent in French and English.
- Experience in development/Fundraising in a US or UK institution, preferably in the cultural field, and ideally in France.
- Good knowledge of Capital campaigns and Major Donors cultivation/stewardship, and capacity to develop a Major Donors approach strategy.
- Real interest in culture and history.
- Excellent relational and writing skills.
- Formal grant writing experience.
- Francophile.
Missions
Under the supervision of Alexandre de Vogüé, co-owner of Vaux-le-Vicomte, and in close relation with Vaux-le-Vicomte’s Development team:
- Participate in the definition of a long-term fundraising strategy for Vaux-le-Vicomte in the US.
- Develop the appropriate prospect research related to Vaux-le-Vicomte mission and needs.
- Fine-tune the knowledge of Vaux-le-Vicomte's donors and prospects, and contribute to the qualification of the database through the CRM system.
- Develop actionable strategies toward individuals, foundations, and corporate donors in order to collect through grants, sponsorships, gifts, donations and bequests.
- Coordinate of one-to-one and one-to-many meetings as well as cultivation, solicitation and stewardship events (meeting, cocktails, dinners, lectures, fundraising galas…) and find the appropriate funding to cover related expenses when needed.
- Within this frame, plan the travels to the United States of Alexandre de Vogüé related to fundraising.
- Together with Development Staff: plan and oversee all fundraising events.
- Annual Gala Dinner at Vaux-le-Vicomte.
- Private dinners at Vaux-le-Vicomte and Paris.
- Upcoming fundraisers and Gala Dinner in the United States.
- Explore the relevance to create a 501©3 vs a hosting by a local foundation (e.g. Fondation de France or King Baudouin Foundation).
- Board management and liaison.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $120,000.00 - $200,000.00 per year
Schedule:
- Evenings as needed
- Monday to Friday
- Weekends as needed
Work Location: Remote