Director of Development

  • Location:
  • Salary:
    negotiable / YEAR
  • Job type:
    FULL_TIME
  • Posted:
    3 months ago
  • Category:
    Management and Strategy
  • Deadline:
    10/02/2025

JOB DESCRIPTION

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 50 countries and more than 25 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

The Airbel Impact Lab is the IRC’s “R&D” team, founded with a mandate to generate the breakthroughs needed to maximize the impact of every dollar of aid to help address the widening gap between humanitarian need and available financing. Airbel’s team of multi-disciplinary problem-solvers focuses on 4 main levers for change:

● Designing and testing new solutiosns and delivery models

● Generating evidence on what works and what doesn’t

● Unlocking more dollars for impact, through new capital and cost-efficiencies

● Driving sector-wide transformation through policy and practice changes, informed by all of the above.

We are seeking a Director of Development to join our team to lead private resource mobilization. This position will focus on securing venture-minded “risk capital” from donors passionate about supporting innovation-based approaches to problem solving, scaling impactful and cost-effective solutions, and pursuing systems changing work. Our hypothesis is that this primarily requires cultivating new high capacity individual donors, whether they are reached directly, through their family office or DAF holder, or relevant networks (such as donor collaboratives, investor networks, etc). This work will be driven by a senior fundraising professional capable of developing and successfully driving strategies for reaching, securing, engaging, and stewarding new funders.

Success looks like: Within a year, thanks to your vision and leadership, Airbel has grown its annual revenue to $10-15M of flexible funding to invest in its innovation portfolio each year, for the coming 3 years.

Key Responsibilities:

● Develop and deliver on a resource mobilization strategy that enables Airbel to achieve its goals;

● Identify and action outreach strategies in order to generate active pitch and engagement opportunities;

● Implement built-for-purpose cultivation and stewardship plans to cultivate donor relationships, including crafting and managing engagement opportunities as needed;

● Secure and action pitch opportunities, developing persuasive narratives and adapting materials and bringing in Airbel colleagues as needed;

● Ensure alignment and coordination of Airbel’s fundraising strategies and activities with IRC’s overall fundraising goals and systems;

● Serve as a resource and strategy partners for other IRC high value fundraisers to engage their donors in the work of Airbel.

Job Requirements:

● Bachelor’s degree in a related field, or commensurate experience;

● 12+ years of related professional experience;

● A demonstrated track record in mobilizing a similar level of capital from this donor segment and similar kinds of social innovation / ventures (for example, have secured >$10M in flexible funding for a new organization or initiative) ;

● Within the context of resource mobilization, proven ability to build and implement new approaches, strategies, and relationships;

● Existing relationships within relevant networks (donors or relevant nodes); at senior levels strongly preferred;

● Excellent communication and storytelling skills; ability to engage both in-depth in the substance of programmatic work and to distill the “so what” in an energizing and accessible manner to non-technical audiences;

● Superior relationship building and management skills.

Working Environment: This role may be worked remotely from any US location. Preference for Bay Area.

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:

The IRC offers a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. All US employees are eligible for sick time, a 403b retirement savings plans: up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus an 3-7% additional IRC contribution, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support in times of crisis and mental health struggles.

In addition, full-time employees are eligible for 10 US paid holidays, 20-25 paid time off days, disability & life insurance, medical, dental, and vision insurance (employee contribution starting at $135, $7, and $5 per month respectively) and FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs. Part-time employees are eligible for a proportionate amount of paid time off. These additional benefits apply to employees who work at least 6 months within a 12 month time period.

Standard of Professional Conduct: The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.

Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: The IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of the IRC persons in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures.