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.

Job Description

The External Relations (ER) department is comprised of three main but complementary functional areas: Private fundraising, Communications, and Advocacy. The department’s main objective 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.

Positioned within USA Philanthropy, the Major Giving East team aims to improve private individual support for the IRC. We engage, cultivate, solicit, and steward six- and seven-figure gifts and multi-year commitments from high-net-worth individual supporters of the IRC.
A dynamic front-line fundraiser, the Major Giving Officer will help drive revenue growth by strategically managing a portfolio of major giving prospects (defined as donors, prospective donors, and suspects with wealth capacity ratings of at least $100K and up to $4.9M). With a geographic focus on the eastern region of the United States, the Officer will serve as a relationship manager throughout the donor life cycle. Qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding six and seven-figure gifts, using donor-centric fundraising practices and deploying program and IRC leaders. The Officer will also help build a strong pipeline of major gift donor prospects and grow revenue across the region.

The Officer will be an entrepreneurial professional who excels at front-line relationship building and devising prospecting strategies for their portfolio. This includes crafting and implementing strategies to cultivate, solicit, and steward donors and prospects with the capacity to give six and seven-figure major gifts. A collaborative and strategic problem solver, the Officer will work closely with the Director, Major Giving (Eastern Region) and IRC leadership to handle high-level partnerships and opportunities. The Officer also will collaborate with the Global Partnership & Philanthropic Services team to secure proposals, donor engagement communications and touch points, and stewardship reports.

Major Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of 70 – 100 high-capacity major giving donors, prospects, and suspects. Results in retaining donors and realizing ever-growing size gifts at the high six and seven-figure level.

• Engage donors and prospects and create strategic correspondence, including solicitations, cultivation pieces, reports, and other stewardship materials.

• Work effectively across teams to craft tactics and engagement strategies to deepen donor commitment, increase giving, and fully leverage funding opportunities. This includes multiyear commitments, blended gifts, gifts of securities, and planned gifts.

• Choreograph and prepare strategy, briefing, and debriefing materials for face-to-face meetings and solicitations with donors conducted personally and/or with senior staff and Board leadership.

• Collaborate with colleagues across the IRC, notably Crisis Response, Recovery, and Development, International Philanthropy & Partnerships, Mass Markets, and Global Partnerships & Philanthropic Services, to align donor and organizational priorities in a way that improves income for the IRC and creates multifaceted, deep engagement with the organization.

• Work collaboratively with a dedicated Manager to strategize and actively track and measure progress toward financial goals and movement of prospects and donors across the donor lifecycle.

Candidate Requirements:

Work Experience:

• Minimum 3 to 5 years of progressive nonprofit fundraising experience

• Proven expertise in major giving

Demonstrated Skills and Proficiencies:

• Work successfully in a sophisticated, fast-paced organization serving multiple partners.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills as well as an overall ability to be clear and concise in all communications.

• Strong organizational and time-management skills; proven track record to prioritize and deliver on time.

• Ability to work both independently and in a dynamic, cross-functional team structure.

• Ability to handle and work through change in a proactive and positive manner.

• Have a can-do attitude with a flexible disposition to respond to fast-paced, shifting priorities.

• Experience using databases required; technology expertise is important.

• Dedication to fundraising for international development, humanitarian, human rights, social justice, and U.S. immigrant communities.

Working Environment: This role requires working remotely at least part time (i.e., telecommuting). Applicants must have a home or alternate workspace they can effectively complete their work from during regularly scheduled hours. Successful candidate must be available to occasionally work evenings and to travel domestically as required. Occasional international travel, as needed.

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.