Associate Director, Major Giving

Job Description

The External Relations (ER) department is comprised of three main but complementary functional areas: Private fundraising, Communications and Advocacy. The main objective of the department is to enable this organization of more than 15,000 staff to have the resources needed to continue serving 18 million people worldwide in places affected by war and disaster, shape the humanitarian sector by influencing key policies and reforms and build and grow IRC’s reputation. The USA Philanthropy unit, part of the ER department, leads on the organization’s work with USA-based High-Net-Worth Individuals.

Positioned within USA Philanthropy, the Major Giving team has a goal of maximizing private individual support for the IRC. The Major Giving team engages, cultivates, solicits, and stewards six- and seven-figure gifts and multi-year commitments from high-net-worth individual supporters of the IRC.

The Associate Director will collaborate with Officers focused within the United States with a goal to renew and upgrade gifts of $100,000 and more and build a strong pipeline of major gift donor prospects and identify new, creative multidimensional partnerships. S/he will craft and execute strategies to cultivate, solicit, and steward donors and prospects with the capacity to give major gifts in partnership with the Director, IRC Leadership and the IRC's Board of Directors and Advisors who are themselves engaged in fundraising.

The Associate Director, Major Giving serves a critical role in helping to develop and implement strategies that are informed by ambitious revenue targets and devise, monitor, and analyze results of initiatives and metrics to guide future endeavors. S/he will be expected to understand the needs and performance of donors and prospects, communicate and collaborate superbly with colleagues, business partners and supporters, think strategically, make recommendations, offer creative solutions and manage systems to continually grow and improve the IRC's donor relationships, and prospecting with high-net-worth individuals and families.

Major Responsibilities:

•Provide dynamic and effective thought leadership for the Major Giving team's efforts towards increased financial revenue and other modes of private sector engagement that support impactful delivery of the IRC's mandate and mission.

•Partner with the Director, Major Giving to develop a coherent and ambitious strategic plan, including setting annual goals and key outcomes for the team, and to develop and implement standards, tools and procedures towards a best-in-class approach to individual donor engagement and fundraising.

•Manage a portfolio of 50-70 high net worth individuals by moving the IRC's relationship with each through cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. Design tactics and creative, long term engagement strategy to deepen donor commitment and increase giving.

•Collaborate with colleagues across the IRC, notably International Philanthropy and Partnerships colleagues and program staff, to align donor and organizational priorities in a way that maximizes income for the IRC and creates multi­faceted, deep engagement with the organization.

•Undertake special projects through proactive initiative and/or as requested.

Candidate Requirements:

•6+ years of progressive fundraising experience and demonstrated expertise in private sector or major gifts fundraising, or sales, including direct solicitation of donors or clients;

•Proven track record of closing multiple 6- and 7-figure gifts or contracts from a dynamic portfolio, including qualifying prospects and upgrading donors or clients.

•Exceptional communication skills, including writing, listening, verbal presentation and speaking;

•Demonstrated history of being an empowering, supportive and inclusive manager and/or mentor to front line fundraisers;

•Ability to diplomatically and sensitively collaborate across teams internally, regardless of distance, and garner support for and execute initiatives effectively;

•Responsive to change in a fast-paced work environment while keeping donor priorities at the center of strategy and relationship-building;

•Ability to identify, create, and execute business processes necessary to support effective donor relationships;

•Commitment to fundraising for international development, humanitarian, human rights, gender and racial equality, social justice, and US immigrant communities and the IRC mission!

Preferred Experience & Skills:

•Proven track record of developing blended and multi-year funding opportunities;

•Ability to analyze and interpret financial data;

•Ability to navigate CRM systems;

•Bachelor’s degree preferred but not required.

Working Environment: This role requires working remotely part-time (i.e., telecommuting). Applicants must have a home or alternate workspace they can effectively complete their work from during regularly scheduled hours.

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Equality, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.