Associate Director, Principal Giving

  • Contractor
  • New York, NY
  • TBD USD / Year
  • International Rescue Committee profile




  • Job applications may no longer being accepted for this opportunity.


International Rescue Committee

Requisition ID: req24789

Job Title: Associate Director, Principal Giving

Sector: Fundraising

Employment Category: Regular

Employment Type: Full-Time

Open to Expatriates: No

Location: New York, NY HQ USA

Job Description

Job Overview:

The External Relations (ER) department has been created in February 2020 and is comprised of three main but complementary functional areas: Private fundraising, Communications and Advocacy. The ER department is at the beginning stages of crafting a new ground-breaking and ambitious strategy that will improve IRC’s ability to ‘punch above its weight’ in private income, advocacy and brand awareness. The main objective of the department is to enable this organization of more than 12,000 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. We are seeking an experienced fundraiser and relationship cultivator to serve as the Associate Director of Principal Giving. In this role, you will work closely with the Principal Giving Director to build strategy in support of a growing portfolio of ultra-high net worth individuals and their families. Working across fundraising teams and with senior leadership, you will collaborate closely with colleagues to craft creative and comprehensive cultivation strategies, implement engagement plans, and manage solicitations of individuals with sensitivity to broader partnership discussions and status. The ideal candidate has demonstrated experience in understanding the motivations of philanthropists and is able to assess the inclination of a donor or prospect’s willingness to make a principal (seven to eight-figure) gift to the IRC over a number of years.

Major Responsibilities

  • Lead, expand and manage a portfolio of 50+ ultra-high net worth individuals by moving the IRC’s relationship with each through, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
  • In collaboration with the Director of Principal Giving, plan and implement long-term strategies to cultivate new ultra-high net worth individuals and expand the team’s portfolio.
  • Serve as mentor to gift officers and lead prospect strategy sessions on an ongoing basis.
  • Qualify a portfolio of prospects using best-in-class research and discovery practices to unearth new donor relationships.
  • Create strategic correspondence, including solicitations, cultivation pieces, reports, and other stewardship materials, to engage donors and prospects.
  • Design tactics and creative, long term engagement strategy to deepen donor commitment and increase giving.
  • Choreograph, and prepare strategy, as well as briefing and debriefing materials for face-to-face meetings and solicitations with Principal donors conducted personally and/or by senior staff and Board leadership.
  • Collaborate with colleagues across the IRC, notably International Philanthropy and Partnerships colleagues and field staff, to align donor and organizational priorities in a way that increases income for the IRC and builds multi­faceted, deep engagement with the organization.
  • Work collaboratively with Managers to strategize and actively track and measure progress toward financial goals and movement of prospects and donors across the donor lifecycle.

Candidate Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
  • 7+ years of progressive fundraising experience and demonstrated expertise in private sector, major gifts, or principal gifts fundraising; or sales, including direct solicitation of donors or clients.

Preferred Experience & Skills

  • Experience managing or mentoring front line fundraisers;
  • Consistent track record of closing multiple 7 figure gifts from a dynamic portfolio of donors and prospects, including qualifying prospects and upgrading donors;
  • Proven track record of developing blended and multi-year funding opportunities;
  • Outstanding communication skills, including writing, listening, verbal presentation and speaking;
  • Ability to develop creative and nuanced donor strategy;
  • Adaptable to change in a fast paced work environment while keeping donor priorities at the center of strategy and relationship building;
  • Ability to diplomatically and sensitively collaborate across teams internally, regardless of distance, and garner support for and complete initiatives effectively;
  • Ability to identify, build, and complete processes vital to support effective donor relationships;
  • Ability to analyze and interpret financial data;
  • Ability to navigate CRM systems;
  • Dedication to fundraising for international development, humanitarian, human rights, gender and racial equality, social justice, and US immigrant communities.

Working Environment: Requires remote/flex-time work.

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.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our organization. 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.

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 $120 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with immediately vested matching, 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.

To apply for this job please visit rescue.csod.com.


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