Associate Director of Development

Position description

Kennedy Human Rights Center is seeking an Associate Director of Development to lead our individual giving strategy as we enter a historic chapter. Inspired by the legacies of Senator Robert and Ethel Kennedy, we fight mass incarceration and serious human rights abuses in U.S. and Int'l criminal and immigration systems. By partnering globally, advancing social good business practices, and educating future change makers, we drive systemic reform. Our Associate Director of Development would fuel this impact - building trusted donor relationships and securing transformative investments that turn justice into action.

As we approach the organization’s 60th anniversary in 2028, we are scaling our individual giving program to fuel bold human rights advocacy in the US and around the world. As a key member of our growing development team, this role will be responsible for identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding relationships with individual donors and prospects capable of making gifts of $10,000 and above.

Reporting to the COO and working closely with the Institutional Fundraising Officer, the ideal candidate is a dynamic relationship-builder with a deep commitment to human rights, social justice, and adept at fundraising as a tool for systemic change. You thrive in collaborative environments, are confident managing up and across, and have experience navigating the priorities of diverse and engaged stakeholders - including high-profile board members and senior leaders.

Scope of Work:

This role builds on a strong foundation of committed donors and offers significant opportunity for growth.

• Expands our base of donors giving $10,000+
• Manages a pipeline of individuals capable of $100K–$1M transformational commitments
• Activates board members and senior leaders in confident, values-aligned solicitation

Responsibilities:

Donor Strategy & Relationship Management

• Design and implement a major gifts strategy focused on sustainable, values-aligned growth;
• Manage a portfolio of current donors and grow this base with additional 75-100 prospects giving greater amounts;
• Confidently solicit gifts of $10,000+ with a clear pathway toward $100K+ commitments.
• Identify and develop a pipeline of new major gift prospects in close partnership with the board, development committee and senior leadership team
• Create individual goals for each donor based on the donor’s giving history and knowledge of the donor’s potential;
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward donors through personalized communications, events, and meaningful engagement opportunities;
• Conduct one-on-one meetings and events to engage donors;
• Create briefings, proposal materials, and other donor communications.

Collaboration & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner with the COO and leadership team to align fundraising goals with organizational priorities.
• Work closely with the Institutional Fundraising Officer and Chief Governance Officer to ensure coordinated efforts across fundraising streams.
• Collaborate with program and communications teams to surface compelling stories and impact metrics for donor engagement.

Board & Leadership Engagement

• Support board members in their fundraising efforts, securing introductions, preparing for solicitations, and following up solicitations to close pledges, as well as preparing materials and donor briefs.
• Confidently “manage up” by guiding senior leaders and board members in donor relations and solicitations.

Systems & Reporting

• Coordinate with Development Operations Associate to maintain accurate, complete, and up to date donor records and MOVES management in our CRM (Salesforce).
• Track progress against fundraising goals and provide regular reports to leadership and the development committee.
• Identify and execute ways to achieve shared impact across other RFKHR programs, to mobilize RFKHR stakeholders in support of the work, and to increase the visibility of RFKHR and our work before the general public;
• All new staff will undergo an introductory period of three (3) months as a training and learning period;
• Do your part in keeping our operations running smoothly - tracking your hours and submitting timecards in a timely manner.

A successful candidate must have the following skills and experiences:

• 5–7 years of relevant experience in nonprofit frontline fundraising, with a focus on individual giving/major gifts.
• Experience across the donor lifecycle including the successful cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of gifts over $10,000;
• Experience managing a portfolio of $100k-$1MM+ in donations;
• Demonstrated experience with MOVES Management;
• Working experience on a CRM system (Customer Relationship Management), such as Salesforce or similar;
• Experience working in or alongside NYC-based and/or international community organizations, advocacy groups, or movement-centered nonprofits strongly encouraged.
• Proficiency in Google Workspace applications and Microsoft Office, especially Excel;
• Demonstrated experience working on online platforms such as Zoom and Google Suite;
• A demonstrated passion for RFKHR’s mission and demonstrated commitment to community-centered advocacy;
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with a natural ability to build trust and rapport;
• Experience with social media to help drive awareness and inspire engagement;
• Adept at managing up and across, especially in environments with passionate, high-profile stakeholders;
• Strong attention to detail and able to scope out errors, including a willingness to own and fix mistakes;
• Exceptional initiative and time management, including the ability to manage multiple tasks and projects at once;
• Comfortable developing new systems and working independently to build a function from the ground up;
• High level of integrity and discretion in handling confidential information;
• Innovative thinking, willingness to voice your opinions, and a strong work ethic are essential;
• Strong sense of teamwork that builds positive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders, and a willingness to help others;
• Comfort, experience, and commitment to inclusivity when working with colleagues with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives;

Preferred but not required qualifications:

• Experience in a start-up or growth-stage nonprofit environment is a plus;
• Professional or academic knowledge of human rights theory and practice;
• Proficient/fluent in a second language, Spanish is a plus;

Benefits and other Perks:

• Flexibility and independence to help manage your work and home life: Staff have the ability to work from home 3-4 days a week, working at least 1-2 days in the office. Staff accrue 15 days of PTO and then have access to 15 additional personal days.
• KHRC values your health: KHRC covers 100% of individual-only costs of our platinum medical, dental, vision benefits, and subsidizes the cost for dependent coverage.
• KHRC understands the importance of financial planning and saving:
  • An automatic contribution of 7% of your salary after your first year of employment.
  • A College Saveup/Loan PayDown program with an automatic $200/monthly contribution for any current loans or future loans.
  • An automatic monthly cell phone & internet speed stipend of $125/monthly to offset any phone & internet expenses.
  • Employees receive a $1,000 benefits card each calendar year to use at your discretion towards food and home & life purchases.
• KHRC values your growth: We provide an annual $1,000 professional development stipend to all full-time staff to use towards any courses, board memberships, conferences, or training that would further one's professional learning and development. As well as professional development days/hours to complete these courses.
• KHRC loves to celebrate human rights advocates and our hard work! We do so by hosting award ceremonies, galas, summer outings, holiday parties, book clubs, potlucks, staff retreats, and spur-of-the-moment social outings.

Application instructions