Background:
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps people affected by humanitarian crises to survive, recover, and rebuild their lives. We deliver lasting impact by providing health care, helping children learn, and empowering individuals and communities to become self-reliant, always with a focus on the unique needs of women and girls. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, we now work in over 40 crisis-affected countries as well as communities throughout the U.S., Europe, and Latin America.
The External Relations (ER) Department was created two years ago to mobilize external audiences to raise the requisite funds, influence policies, and achieve practice changes to improve outcomes for our clients while growing and protecting our global brand. The USA Philanthropy (USAP) and International Philanthropy (IP) teams, part of the ER department, lead the organizationโs work with High-Net-Worth Individuals around the world. USA Philanthropy, International Philanthropy, Foundations & Trusts, Corporate, and other teams comprise the High-Value (HV) fundraising function at the IRC. Together, they generate the majority of annual private-sector revenue for the organization.
Scope of Job Description:
The USA Philanthropy team is seeking an Associate Director, Philanthropy (East Coast) with a focus on new business. Within USAP, the New Business function has the goal of building and developing the pipeline of private individual support for the IRC. The Associate Director will identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward five to seven-figure gifts and multi-year commitments from high-net-worth individual supporters with no previous relationship to the IRC.
A dynamic front-line fundraiser and relationship builder, this person will help drive revenue growth by strategically identifying new major giving prospects and maximizing the relationships of existing donors to engage new donor prospects. The Associate Director will serve as a relationship manager and organizational representative, using community-centered fundraising practices and deploying program and IRC leaders to build a strong pipeline of major gift donor prospects and increase revenue across the East Coast.
The Associate Director will be an ambitious professional who excels at front-line relationship building and devising portfolio prospecting strategies. A collaborative and strategic problem solver, the Associate Director will work closely with the Senior Directors to build sophisticated, goal-focused strategies in support of a portfolio of high-net-worth individuals to be qualified. Working across fundraising teams and with Senior Leadership, the Associate Director will collaborate closely with colleagues to develop creative and comprehensive prospecting opportunities, implement engagement plans, and manage solicitations of individuals with sensitivity to broader partnership discussions and status.
Highlights of Major Responsibilities:
- Develop a growing portfolio of high-net-worth philanthropic prospects by using standard processes for donor identification, discovery, and qualification.
- Engage first-time donors to the IRC in relevant stewardship and cultivation for future gifts at their capacity level, applying standard processes and collaborating with internal support teams.
- Provide initial support and follow-up for referred or identified prospects with an interest in giving.
- Leverage existing organizational and donor networks to introduce IRC to new audiences and grow donor pipeline.
- Collaborate with relevant teams (such as Prospect Research and Management, etc.) and support functions to identify and connect with prospective high-net-worth donors, building tailored strategies for each.
- Proactively contact philanthropic prospects, both known and unknown to IRC, and establish initial outreach on behalf of the IRC.
- To engage donors and prospects, create strategic correspondence, including solicitations, cultivation pieces, reports, and other stewardship materials.
- Attend events as an organizational representative with an eye toward engaging attendees for donor identification and pipeline building.
- Choreograph and prepare strategy, briefing, and debriefing materials for face-to-face meetings and solicitations with donors and prospects conducted personally and/or with senior staff and Board leadership.
- Work collaboratively with a dedicated Account Manager to strategize and actively measure progress toward financial and pipeline goals.
- Collaborate across other External Relations teams on initiatives that span departments to include but not be limited to our joint dedication to a diverse, positive, and inclusive work environment.
Job Requirements:
Minimum requirements:
- 6+ years of dynamic fundraising experience and demonstrated expertise in private sector or major giftsโ fundraising or sales, including direct solicitation of donors or clients.
- A consistent track record of closing multiple 6 and 7-figure gifts or contracts from a dynamic portfolio, including qualifying prospects and upgrading donors.
- Consistent record of qualifying donor prospects and securing first-time gifts
Preferred Additional Requirements:
- Driven, motivated, and proactive with a solutions-based demeanor and resilience in the face of setbacks.
- Outstanding communication skills
- Proficient networker with the ability to represent the organization at a senior level and respond to the inquiries of high-net-worth philanthropists.
- Excellent relationship-building skills and a polished public speaker with the confidence and ability to convey sophisticated ideas in a compelling manner to win support internally in IRC and externally with high-net-worth donor prospects.
- Ability to form creative and nuanced donor strategy often carried out in partnership with program staff or senior leadership.
- Adaptable to change in a fast-paced work environment while keeping donor priorities at the center of strategy and relationship building.
- Ability to diplomatically collaborate with others, regardless of distance, and garner support for and complete initiatives effectively.
- Excellent organizational skills, especially the ability to lead a sophisticated, varied and substantial workload.
- Experience with CRM databases, like Salesforce and
- A dedication to fundraising for international development, humanitarian causes, human rights, gender and racial equality, social justice, and US immigrant communities.
Working Environment: Standard office work environment. Up to 10% travel is required.
Compensation:
Posted pay ranges apply to US-based candidates. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirements.
US Benefits:
We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days (depending on role and tenure), medical insurance starting at $145 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus a 3-7% base IRC contribution (3 year vesting), disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.