National Immigration Law Center - Director, Fundraising Campaigns bei National Immigration Law Center

About the Organization

Founded in 1979, the National Immigration Law Center (NILC) is a leading non-profit organization (501(c)(3)) in the U.S. exclusively dedicated to defending and advancing the rights and opportunities of low-income immigrants and their loved ones. NILC’s mission is grounded in the belief that everyone living in the U.S. regardless of race, gender/gender identity, immigration status, or economic status — should have equal access to justice, resources, and educational and economic opportunities that enable them to achieve their full human potential. Together, NILC and the affiliated NILC Immigrant Justice Fund (IJF), a 501(c)(4) organization, work to advocate more directly for immigrant justice including direct federal immigration policy reform. NILC is committed to advancing its mission — which intersects race, immigration status, and class — through racial, economic, and gender justice and equity orientation. 

About the Position 

Reporting to the Vice President, Development, the Director of Fundraising Campaigns will serve as an integral member and strategic leader of the Development team. Collaborating with the Vice President, Development they will lead in the creation of a strategic and aggressive major gifts plan that includes prospecting, stewardship, and solicitation; oversee all fundraising campaigns and ensure integration within the major gifts plan; oversee the execution and growth of the mid-level program; and oversee the direct marketing program ensuring that this entry level giving program serve as the engine that fuels our acquisition and prospecting for the entire Individual Giving vertical. 

This position will be responsible for cultivating and soliciting their own portfolio of high level prospects and donors – with an estimated portfolio size of 50+ individual donors and/or prospects. 

The ideal candidate is a goal-oriented, strategic, and collaborative professional who seeks to advance our shared priorities and goals. 

This role is not a member of the Bargaining Unit. 

The Director, Fundraising Campaigns will be responsible for providing leadership and driving success in the following key areas:

Specific Position Responsibilities

Development Strategy and Fundraising Campaign Design 

• In coordination with the Vice President, Development conceptualize, develop, and implement a comprehensive, integrated fundraising campaign program for Major and Principal Gifts

• In collaboration with the President, Development, and Director, Institutional Giving, create and execute innovative & robust fundraising strategies for development at both NILC and the IJF (501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4)) including setting financial and process goals and identifying new funding opportunities.

• Work in concert with the Vice President, Development to create and execute a Major and Principal level giving program that embodies a high level of excellence

• Work with key colleagues in Development and Communications to create and launch new programs to foster growth of NILC’s  mid-level donor program

• Collaborate with cross-departmental planning teams to ensure that fundraising campaigns align with programmatic plans, including complex initiatives that may involve other organizational partners. 

• Stay abreast of philanthropic trends in fundraising campaign design oversee research on the giving interests of foundation funders and prospects.

• Maintain knowledge of trends, best practices, regulatory changes, and recent technologies in development & marketing with a focus on fundraising campaigns and provide recommendations to senior leadership on updates to the Development strategy as appropriate.

• May be a part of or lead cross functional/departmental projects using the MOCHA framework/methodology

Donor Communications and Management

• Maintain portfolio of major and principal donors, conducting in person and virtual meetings with donors to cultivate, solicit and steward them

• Create targeted donor proposals in coordination with other members of the Development Department and program staff as necessary

• Partner with the Vice President, Development to create and implement donor recognition and cultivation programs

• Oversee the strategy for small event planning including regular donor briefings, cultivation and stewardship events

• Coordinate with program directors to ensure NILC’s programmatic work is being infused in all donor communications

Leadership

• Serve as key department leader and thought partner to the President and Vice President, Development in providing advice, collaboration, and counsel

• In collaboration with the Vice President, Development, strive to create a culture of philanthropy across the organization

• Participate in weekly check-ins and regular strategy meetings

• In collaboration with the Development Leadership Team, develop effective communication systems and practices across the Development department, coordinating and connecting the dots through the various areas of work that team members are engaged in on a day-to-day basis. 

• Ensure the department is supported through clear and adequate infrastructure, including policies, procedures, and protocols.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Recruits, interviews, hires, and trains staff.

• Oversees the daily workflow of direct reports.

• Acts as a coach and mentor including providing constructive and timely feedback to foster a collaborative environment that develops strengths, improves weaknesses, and encourages creative problem-solving.

• Actively manages direct reports using applicable performance management software including documenting regular check-ins, goal progress, and any other relevant information in the system for performance and coaching purposes. 

• Handles discipline and performance issues in accordance with organizational policy.

• Directly manages employees with possibility for additional staff

• Manages outside consultants, third party administrators, and vendors.

Shared Organization Responsibilities

• Champions NILC & IJF’s mission of advancing the rights of immigrants with low income by demonstrating a commitment to human rights, and racial, economic, and social justice 

• Attends and actively participates in NILC meetings at the organization, department, project, and individual level.  

• Develops relationships and supports NILC and IJF colleagues across all teams, recognizing that each individual brings a unique background and perspective to the work and assuming good intent from each other. 

• Follows through on commitments acting with a clear sense of ownership individually and collectively by taking personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and failures, establishing clear responsibilities and processes for monitoring work and measuring results, and designing feedback loops into work. 

• Learns quickly when facing new situations by experimenting to find fresh solutions, taking on the challenge of unfamiliar tasks, and extracting lessons learned from failures and mistakes. 

• Acts with integrity by following through on commitments, being direct and truthful, keeping confidence, and showing consistency between words and actions. 

• Commits to centering NILC’s values of racial justice & equity, valuing diversity, fostering partnerships & collaboration, encouraging respect & personal well-being, and striving for transparency, integrity, and honesty in all decisions and actions.  

In recognition of the fluidity of the work and ecosystem that NILC operates in, other duties may be assigned depending on organizational need.

What We’re Looking for in This Role

• Commitment to NILC & IJF’s mission of advancing the rights of immigrants with low income and a demonstrated commitment to human rights, racial, economic and social justice, and equity, inclusion and justice for all.

• Collaborative, proactive, and action-oriented working style with a strong service mentality promoting mutual accountability and inspiring trust and confidence from colleagues, other NILC team members, and NILC leaders alike.

• Demonstrates sound judgment in decision-making, integrity, and utmost respect for confidentiality.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills: ability to read, analyze, and interpret as well as draft documents such as reports, correspondence, and presentations for various audiences. 

• Self-starter with a strong ability to move daily tasks forward in alignment with NILC’s broader organizational needs and goals.

Qualifications Required

• High School diploma required 

• 10+ years of nonprofit fundraising experience focused on designing and executing  fundraising campaigns across multiple fundraising channels, with a broad knowledge of giving landscape and ability to execute effectively on all stages of fundraising campaigns, from prospecting to stewardship, and at least 4 years of supervisory and team management experience. 

• Experience stewarding, soliciting and closing five, six, and seven figure gifts

• Deep attention to detail and strong written and verbal communication skills

• Ability to manage and coordinate multiple projects in a fast-paced environment

• Demonstrated ability to adapt to changing priorities, strategies, and circumstances. 

• Extensive knowledge of fundraising best practices (including moves management) and demonstrated ability to leverage that knowledge in program design.

• History of cultivating lasting and reliable partnerships that create a genuine enthusiasm for the organizational mission and consistent financial support.

Remote work locations are as follows: (Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Maryland, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin).  To be considered, applicants must live in one of the work locations.  

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, MBA, or other higher education preferred

• Experience and knowledge about raising funds for both 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations and the differences between the two, especially regarding federal and state compliance rules, preferred  

• Experience with and strategic use of at least one advanced CRM, Raiser’s Edge preferred.  

At NILC, we know that talented people may have different backgrounds or experiences, and if your education and experience doesn’t exactly align with the above that’s okay! NILC believes that diversity in all dimensions of the organization supports and bolsters the innovative thinking essential to its success and is committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all qualified applicants. NILC’s goal is for our people to reflect the communities in which we live and serve and to ensure representation of people of color, women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities in our organization. We encourage you to apply and let us know in your cover letter why you are qualified and the right fit for this role and NILC. 

Work Environment

Location & Travel: 

NILC's offices are located in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, California. For this role, up to 25% of overnight interstate travel may be required; travel is typically quarterly to the NILC Washington, DC office or another location within the US for 3-5 nights. 

Compensation & Benefits:

NILC’s compensation and benefits philosophy is to provide a competitive offering in the nonprofit sector and ensure equity across the organization.  The salary range for this role is $132,644 – $165,830.

NILC provides an incredible benefit package that includes employer-paid healthcare coverage (100% for employees and 75% for dependents), employer-supported dental and vision coverage, a 403(b)-retirement plan including an automatic contribution from NILC, paid parental leave, monthly cell phone and wellness stipends, pre-tax accounts for transit, health, and childcare benefits (FSA), and employer-paid short- and long-term disability and life insurance. NILC also provides a generous paid-time-off policy, 15 holidays and 22 days of paid time off annually (increased to 32 after 2 years of employment).

NILC is also a qualifying public service employer, which means all full-time NILC employees qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. To learn more about the program, please visit https://studentaid.gov/pslf/. 

Physical Demands:

• Remaining in a stationary position, often standing, or sitting for prolonged periods

• Communicating with others to exchange information.

• Repeating motions, like typing or answering a phone, that may include the wrists, hands and/or fingers.