Senior Director of Philanthropy

The Position

The National Women’s Law Center seeks a strategic, experienced Senior Director of Philanthropy to oversee foundation fundraising efforts and lead a team that is expanding and deepening relationships with individual, corporate, law firm, and foundation donors to fund an ambitious gender justice agenda. Working in close partnership with both internal and external stakeholders, the Director will develop and execute a comprehensive plan to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward foundation donors. Maximizing unrestricted foundation support while simultaneously prioritizing support for new and underfunded projects and programs, the Senior Director will personally manage a $10+ million donor and prospect portfolio and will supervise three Senior Managers of Foundation Relations/Grant Writers.

This is a full-time, exempt position of 37.5 hours per week.

Overview of NWLC

The National Women’s Law Center fights for gender justice — in the courts, in public policy, and in our society — working across the issues that are central to the lives of women and girls.

We use the law in all its forms to change culture and drive solutions to the gender inequity that shapes our society and to break down the barriers that harm all of us — especially those who face multiple forms of discrimination, including women of color, LGBTQ people, and low-income women and families.

For more than 50 years, we have been on the leading edge of every major legal and policy victory for women, and we need you with us to continue this fight.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the execution of a comprehensive foundation fundraising program, with an emphasis on securing unrestricted grants, funding for new and underfunded projects and programs, and new donors—while retaining, and growing, existing foundation support. Such program must include a strong cultivation plan.
• Develop and implement a strategic plan for increasing the Law Center’s visibility among foundation funders nationwide.
• Craft compelling frames and narratives for the Law Center’s work—collaborating closely with foundation relations staff, Vice President for Development, Chief of External Affairs, program staff, and finance staff to develop general and issue-specific program proposals, reports, and related budgets and expense reports.
• Lead and manage the foundation relations team within the Development department, including supervising, developing, and mentoring both new and experienced staff.
• Directly manage a portfolio of foundation funders—including key existing and prospective donors—on a range of issues, including reproductive rights and health, workplace and education justice, and income insecurity and child care.
• Work closely with the Vice President for Development to coordinate with and appropriately leverage the contacts and involvement of the President and CEO, COO, Chief of Staff, Chief of External Affairs, program Vice Presidents, Board of Directors, Board Development Committee, Leadership Advisory Committee, and other executive-level leaders, to engage with foundation prospects.
• Lead the foundation relations staff’s prospect research and the effective use of contact management systems and processes to oversee foundation donor acknowledgements and to track pertinent donor and prospect information in Raiser’s Edge, including overseeing data entry for all foundation donor contacts, research, and analytic reporting—supervising the foundation team and coordinating with the Development Database Manager.
• Collaborate with the Vice President for Development, Database Manager, and colleagues in Finance to develop and monitor the Center’s annual and longer-term foundation revenue plan—leading foundation revenue and expense budgeting and tracking within the foundations team and serving as the foundation relations team lead in coordinating with Finance to prepare the annual budget and related financial materials.

Key Relationships

The Senior Director reports directly to the Vice President for Development, and collaborates with the Senior Director of Development, President and CEO, Chief of External Affairs, and key program staff, as well as colleagues in Development, Campaigns and Communications, Office of the President, and Finance. The Senior Director supervises three Development staff.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate for this position will possess the following attributes:

• At least 10 years of progressively responsible development and/or related programmatic experience, including significant experience in managing a foundation fundraising program, proposal and report writing, supervising experienced foundation relations teams, and engaging in related programmatic work, preferably at a major national advocacy organization.
• Fundraising strategist with passion for fundraising for social justice and equity-centered organizations; experience in issue-advocacy fundraising and gender justice preferred.
• Natural collaborator and role model for inclusive leadership.
• Proven track record in fostering professional relationships with foundation program officers and staff, managing a dynamic portfolio of foundation donors and prospects and personally implementing cultivation strategies;
• Superior communicator and storyteller, with the ability to frame and write in compelling language about the Center’s work and to prepare complex proposals, reports, and related materials;
• Expertise in revenue planning, budget development, and expense reporting for foundation funders;
• Demonstrated ability to influence and engage diverse audiences and to build long-term relationships, including experience leveraging executive-level staff to achieve fundraising success;
• Working knowledge of Raiser’s Edge (or similar database) and prospect research tools required;
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage multiple, multi-faceted projects, meet deadlines, maintain composure and perform well independently in a fast-paced, deadline-driven setting;
• Sound judgement and ability to exercise discretion when dealing with confidential information regarding the Center’s business and sensitive donor information; high degree of self-motivation, personal discipline, and integrity;
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.

Compensation

A salary within the range of $172,765-194,605 will be provided to the successful candidate with at least 10 years of experience, consistent with the National Women’s Law Center’s compensation framework. The successful candidate’s salary within this range will be determined by the number years of relevant experience they bring to the role.

The Center offers a comprehensive benefits package, and four weeks of annual vacation.

NWLC is a non-profit organization whose headquarters and staff are based in Washington, D.C. at our new office at 1350 Eye Street N.W. This role is based in D.C. and will be eligible for some telework while also being expected to work in person on a regular basis. The successful candidate will need to live in or relocate to the DMV (broadly defined as DC, Maryland, or Virginia).

The first 90 days of employment will be considered a probationary period.

Classification

This position is a management role and as such is not included in the union-represented bargaining unit, NWLC United, affiliated with the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union/IFPTE Local 70.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit a resume and a cover letter outlining how your professional background is a good fit for this position. Resumes should include exact start and end dates (month and year) of employment, as well as the average number of hours worked per week in each job. Applications accepted until position is filled.

Applicants will be contacted if selected for an interview. We kindly request that interested parties refrain from calling, emailing, or visiting NWLC’s offices to express interest or check on the status of their application.

The National Women’s Law Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values a diverse workforce. We strongly encourage and seek applications from people with disabilities; people of all genders, gender identities and sexual orientations; people of color; and veterans. 

At NWLC, our diversity is our strength, and the variety of lived experiences that connect our teammates to the mission of gender justice is our superpower. We know that members of marginalized groups tend to apply for positions only if they believe they are a 100% match for the role. If you are passionate about NWLC’s mission and think you can be successful in this role, please apply. We’d appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

Reasonable Accommodations

If you require reasonable accommodations during any part of the hiring process, please email NWLCHR@nwlc.org.