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 organization’s 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.

Job Overview:

In partnership with USAP and IP senior leadership, the Director, Donor Strategy, will be responsible for creating and driving strategy to transform and deepen donor relationships with a view to growing gift size, encouraging more multi-year gifts, and unlocking donor networks. The Director, Donor Strategy, will work closely with teams across External Relations, including the Global Partnerships and Philanthropic Services (GPPS) team, the Strategic Events team, and others to build products and engagement opportunities for frontline fundraisers to achieve our revenue, prospecting, and relationship management goals. This is a highly creative, collaborative, and facilitative role in a fast-paced and dynamic environment that requires outstanding interpersonal, communications, and project management skills. The Director, Donor Strategy, will also co-supervise our Officer, Board Philanthropy, with the potential for additional management responsibilities in the future.

Major Responsibilities

• Co-create overall USAP and IP fundraising strategy in partnership with senior leadership based on standard processes and with knowledge of emerging innovations.
• Partner with senior leadership and frontline fundraisers to improve existing donor strategies and needs with a focus on upgrading current donors, increasing retention, developing more multi-year givers, increasing unrestricted revenue, increasing funding for innovation, and stewarding first-time emergency donors toward future gifts.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to identify strategies to attract new and diverse donors to build our prospect pipeline.
• Understand IRC’s programmatic and funding priorities deeply to ensure they are reflected in accessible, appealing, and encouraging donor content.
• Collect feedback from frontline fundraisers and provide this information to stewardship teams (GPPS), acting as the primary representative for USAP & IP fundraisers in cross-departmental collaboration meetings.
• Work with enabling teams and business units (GPPS, Strategic Events, Board Engagement, Analytics, Business Operations, Communications, etc.) to create more effective donor engagement tools and refine existing tools that are centered around donor strategies and needs, such as:
  • Cultivation and stewardship events
  • Donor education briefings
  • Donor materials that reflect programmatic priorities
  • Donor materials that speak to the interests of diverse groups
  • Donor trips to IRC program sites
  • ‘IRC University’ pilot
  • Potential board, advisor, and donor summit
  • IRC giving circles
  • Donor testimonials
• Co-supervise Board Philanthropy officer with the potential to directly supervise other staff as programming and team grow in coming years.
• Have a strong cultural competency and ability to understand how to effectively engage with donors outside of the United States.

Job Requirements:

Minimum Requirements

• 8-10 years (or more) of work experience
• 5-7 years (or more) of dynamic experience in fundraising-related roles
• Deep experience in private major donor fundraising at the $100K+ level, preferably as a frontline fundraiser
• Entrepreneurial, creative, tailored, and organized approach to major donor fundraising
• Demonstrated collaboration within large, sophisticated organizations
• Considerable experience in developing strategy in collaboration with multiple stakeholders
• Effective collaborator management skills across an organization, especially with cross-functional partners
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize as appropriate
• Outstanding interpersonal, presentation, and writing skills
• Ability to connect with colleagues on all levels in a distributed, multicultural professional environment

Preferred Requirements

• Experience in humanitarian settings or development contexts
• Experience/familiarity with NGO professional setting

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.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity:

IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.

Gender Equality:

IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Professional Standards:

The IRC and IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Equality 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.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

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.