Job Description

Overview

CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER

Navy SEAL Museum

San Diego, California and Ft. Pierce, Florida

The Navy SEAL Museum is more than its buildings. It is the people and lives touched by a living legacy of service and selflessness.

The origins of the Navy SEALs date back to World War II, when specially organized maritime commando units were formed to conduct unconventional warfare, counter-guerilla operations, and covert reconnaissance in environments involving sea, air, and landthe domains from which their name derives. Theirs was and remains the value system and creed of that generation, The Greatest Generation, typified by and admired for a towering sense of self-sacrifice, patriotism, and personal responsibility.

Since 1985, the National Navy SEAL Museum (NSM or the Museum) has operated in Ft. Pierce, Floridathe original birthplace of the SEALs during the war. For 40 years, it has diligently upheld the mission of preserving history, honoring the fallen, and caring for Special Operations families. The City of San Diego has long been at the heart of the Navy SEAL Enterprise - Naval Special Warfare (NSW). And as home to the NSW Headquarters and the hub for all SEAL training, the city holds an indelible place in SEAL history. As of October 4, 2025, it is also now the site of the Museums newest location, where it will expand outreach, educate local and national audiences, and grow its community service footprint.

The goal: Amplify a national call to serve something greater than oneself a core mantra of the SEALs and one they, through curatorial work, exhibits, and public outreach, hope to instill across all walks of life.

NSM is more than its buildings. It is the people and lives touched by a spirit of service and selflessness. It is a place of remembrance, a center for education, a hub for inspiration, and a vehicle for community engagement and social uplift. By combining state-of-the-art technology with authentic voices and powerful storytelling, the Museum will honor the past while shaping the future. Families will find it an inspiring place to bring children and teenagersoffering lessons in courage, sacrifice, and teamwork. Corporate and civic leaders will invariably be drawn to the parallels between SEAL discipline and leadership to private and public sector business strategy and execution.

This new location is envisioned as the beginning of something even grander.

The October opening serves as a launchpad for a future expanded site in San Diego that will allow for greater impact, larger exhibits, and deeper engagement with the public. In service of this, the Museum Board of Trustees has approved the recruitment of an inaugural Chief Advancement Officer (CAO).

Responsibilities

• Drive transformational gift cultivation and solicitation toward a $300M campaign to commence in Q1 2026.
• Develop and manage nationally and internationally focused fundraising programs for a new museum location and expansion.
• Design, execute, and complete a campaign of this scale, including prospecting and cultivating ultra-high-net-worth donors, soliciting and closing eight- and nine-figure gifts, and securing transformational commitments from corporate partners.
• Lead data- and metrics-driven advancement programs, leveraging emerging AI tools to multiply reach and donor engagement.
• Collaborate with the Museum Board, executive leadership, and external partners to align fundraising strategy with institutional goals.

Qualifications

• 15 to 20 years of experience envisioning and building successful, strategic fundraising operations in partnership with high-speed executives; experience with developing integrated advancement strategy.
• Experience with major gift prospecting and closing eight- and nine-figure gifts; track record of securing transformational commitments.
• Ability to speak publicly as a thought leader on military philanthropy and service; apolitical and heartfelt appreciation for sacrifices of service members.
• Willingness to work nationally and abroad; preference for experience with strategic fundraising operations and use of AI tools.
• Bachelors degree or equivalent; advanced degree preferred.
• (Former Navy SEAL) considered a plus.

Application

Confidential nominations, inquiries, and expressions of interest should be submitted immediately to NavySEALMuseumCAO@JMSearch.com.

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