Director of Individual Giving

THE CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
Director of Individual Giving

The Center for Reproductive Rights (the “Center”), a global human rights organization founded in 1992 with expertise in constitutional and international law, seeks a Director of Individual Giving to be based in its New York City headquarters. The Director of Individual Giving reports to the Director of Development and joins the fund development team of an innovative and cutting-edge organization committed to promoting the equality, reproductive health, and self-determination of women throughout the world. National-level courts, regional human rights courts, and United Nations bodies have increasingly recognized that a woman’s right to reproductive autonomy and reproductive healthcare are basic human rights that must be protected. The Center for Reproductive Rights has played a key role in securing these legal and policy victories and works with attorneys and advocates in the U.S., Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. In addition to its headquarters, the Center has offices in Washington, D.C., Nairobi, Kenya, Bogotá, Colombia, Kathmandu, Nepal, and Geneva, Switzerland. The Center’s current annual operating budget is approximately $15 million.

The Director of Individual Giving will have the benefit of the Center’s many strengths:

• A compelling global human rights mission and cutting-edge legal and policy work that has a reputation for quality and excellence.
  
• A dynamic organization that has consistently grown in budget size and program impact.
  
• Dynamic and articulate spokespeople.
  
• Established relationships with and the respect of opinion leaders, journalists, editors, and legal and NGO partners.
  
• An organizational philosophy that values and supports strong financial management and a proven track record of strong audits and best practices oversight.
  
• An impressive and engaged Board, strong leadership team and a solid balance sheet.

The Director of Individual Giving will be joining the Center at an exciting time for the institution and at a critical time for the nation. In December 2011, the Center’s Board adopted a new strategic plan for 2012-2017. This plan was crafted with the input of both Board and staff during a year-long process of external and internal examination and deliberation. The Center has launched a number of bold new initiatives to go on the offense and change the discourse and policy landscape, while significantly expanding its capacity with new programing and ambitious fundraising goals.

The Center works across the globe on issues including access to life-saving obstetrics care, contraception, abortion services, and comprehensive sexuality information, as well as the prevention of forced sterilization and FGM. It has brought groundbreaking cases before national courts, U.N. committees, and regional human rights bodies, and has built the legal capacity of women's rights advocates in over 50 countries. The Center’s groundbreaking litigation and advocacy has transformed how reproductive rights are understood by courts, governments, and human rights bodies, and its undivided focus on reproductive rights has given it unparalleled expertise in the use of constitutional, international and comparative human rights law to hold governments accountable for failing to ensure women’s access to critical reproductive healthcare services.

The Center is led by President & CEO Nancy Northup, who brings a rich mix of experience in public interest law, government service, and women’s rights advocacy. Under her leadership, the Center has expanded its international work, including the launch of an international litigation campaign that has included the first abortion case decided by the U.N. Human Rights Committee and the first case to frame preventable maternal deaths as a human rights violation. She also led the integration of the human rights framework in the Center’s U.S. work and the establishment of the Law School Initiative. Before joining the Center in 2003, Ms. Northup served as the founding director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School; as a prosecutor and Deputy Chief of Appeals in the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York; and as a law clerk to the Honorable Alvin B. Rubin of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Ms. Northup has taught constitutional law and human rights as an adjunct professor at NYU and Columbia law schools.

The Center is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization governed by a 23-person board of directors. The Center has a diverse staff of over 100 professionals from Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Kenya, Korea, Nepal, Nigeria, the Philippines, Sweden, Slovakia, the U.K., and the U.S.

The Center for Reproductive Rights seeks a highly successful and sophisticated fundraising leader with a commitment to the Center’s mission, vision, and values to become its new Director of Individual Giving (“Director”). He or she is hardworking and systems-oriented, with a track record of success in growing individual support across the United States. The Director takes the lead on significantly increasing revenue from major donors, improving and building upon the direct response program, overseeing the research function of the department, and developing a more structured planned giving program. He or she envisions and leads all aspects of the Center’s individual giving program including major gifts, the direct response program, and the gala, and offers creative solutions and develops strategies to implement long and short-term individual giving goals for all levels of individual donors.

The Director of Individual Giving is an important member of the Development Department, which consists of ten (10), of which three (3) report directly to the Director including the Major Gifts Manager, the Manager of Direct Response, and the Manager of Donor Research and Trends. Other positions in the department include the Director of Development, Director of Foundations Relations, Manager of Donor and Data Analysis, Development Associate for Foundations Relations and Development Associate. He or she partners with the program staff to remain well-versed in the Center’s accomplishments, current priorities, legal developments and emerging issues on both the domestic and international fronts to develop sound and compelling cases for support. The Director interacts with the Center’s Executive Team, which includes the President and CEO, Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer and the Vice President of Programs, and other members of the Management Team which includes the Directors of the U.S. Legal Program, Global Legal Program, Government Relations, Communications, and Development. He or she engages with the Board of Directors to leverage their connections and execute personalized cultivation plans, and manages external consultants and agencies

The Director is a results-oriented leader who promotes a culture of high performance and continuous improvement for the individual giving staff while also supervising them in a supportive and direct manner with a minimum of ego. He or she has strong interpersonal skills, meticulous written and oral communication skills, a hands-on management style that can delegate and define job requirements, and the ability to address and solve problems or issues as they arise. In addition, the Director possesses initiative, confidence and energy, is of the highest integrity, has sound judgment, and possesses grace as well as a sense of humor.

The successful candidate has a bachelor’s degree and at least ten years of strategic fundraising experience with significant major gifts responsibility, ideally for national giving campaigns. He or she has a demonstrated track record of personally identifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding high net-worth individuals, the ability to develop and implement strategies for acquiring, reinstating, cultivating, and retaining low/mid dollar range donors, and the ability to direct major fundraising events. Collection and analysis of considerable donor data is integral to the success of the development programs, and the Director possesses solid understanding of data analysis and collection best practices, and particularly of Prospect Management or Moves Management within Raiser's Edge.

Responsibilities

• In collaboration with the Director of Development, provide vision and leadership for all aspects of the Center’s major gifts program, including the management of a comprehensive strategy to implement highly ambitious long and short-term individual giving goals.
  
• Establish and maintain a highly engaging donor cultivation cycle and gift stewardship program to ensure that new major donors are developed, existing donors are encouraged to upgrade and all major donors benefit from a close relationship with the Center.
  
• Oversee all prospect donor research, prepare comprehensive donor profiles and briefing materials for donor calls and visits, and manage all correspondence and reporting to prospects and major donors.
• Conceive, plan and implement donor cultivation and recognition events and manage other fundraising events.
  
• Work with Board members and key volunteers to identify new communities and critical contacts to build a broader, more geographically diverse base of support both in the U.S. and internationally.
  
• Develop strategies for incorporating planned giving opportunities into the individual giving program.
  
• Oversee the multi-channel direct response program in collaboration with the Manager of Direct Response and direct response consultants.
  
• Working with the Manager of Donor Data and Analysis, create and execute a moves management plan within Raisers Edge.
  
• In partnership with the Manager of Direct Response and the direct response consultants, evaluate and analyze campaign progress and implement recommendations to improve results on a regular basis.
  
• Oversee internal controls to safeguard donor data and ensure its integrity, and supplement with new policies and procedures when necessary.
  
• Mentor and lead the individual giving team to support the development and execution of the major gifts strategy.
  
• Promote a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality.
  
• Establish and monitor staff performance and development goals, assign accountabilities, set objectives, establish priorities and conduct annual performance appraisals.
  

• Commitment to the Center’s mission, vision, and values.
  
• Bachelor degree is required.
  
• Minimum 10 years of experience working in a strategic fundraising position at the Major Gifts or Director level.
  
• A successful track record of personally identifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding high net-worth individuals in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
  
• Proven ability to implement new initiatives that significantly increase revenue from individual donors and inspire new donors.
• Innovative thinker with a track record for translating strategic thinking into action plans and output.
  
• The knowledge, intellect, temperament and flexibility to work effectively in a fast-paced, collegial and energetic environment.
  
• Experience in facilitating organizational change and development within a dynamic organization and in building, mentoring and coaching a team.
  
• Excellent judgment and creative problem solving skills, including negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
  
• Upbeat, positive attitude with the fortitude to conduct successful campaigns and build long term relationships.
  
• Stature, gravitas, and confidence to gain the credibility and respect of high-performing executives and potential donors.
  
• Calm demeanor and works well under pressure.
  
• Strategic and creative visionary with the drive and organizational skills necessary to ensure that strategies are implemented, objectives achieved, and success measured.
  
• Exceptional writing, editing, and oral communication skills.
  
• Principled, ethical, and professional and committed to exceptional work quality and standards.
  
• Experience with sophisticated fundraising software, preferably Raisers Edge.
• A high level of energy and initiative; grace and a sense of humor.
  
• Ability to travel occasionally.
• Salary will be commensurate with experience and previous compensation.

For more information on the Center for Reproductive Rights please visit their website at www.reproductiverights.org

To Apply:

The Center for Reproductive Rights has retained the services of Harris Rand Lusk to conduct this search. Inquiries, nominations, and applications may be directed in confidence to:

Jack Lusk, Managing Partner or Debbie Farrell Nelson
Harris Rand Lusk
261 Madison Ave. 11th Floor
New York, NY 10016
CRR-DIG@harrisrand.com