Chief Development Officer

Social Impact Guide; New York, Northern (NY, KY); Hybrid; USD 350,000 - 400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Total Rewards package

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Human Rights Watch is seeking a Chief Development Officer to lead its development and outreach efforts from its New York-anchored leadership team. The role drives strategy, equity, and donor engagement across a globally distributed organization.

The CDO will build and oversee major gifts, foundations, and campaigns while mentoring a high-performing team. Flexible, travel-heavy, and focused on inclusivity, strategy, and impact.

Qualifications

• Minimum 12–15 years in fundraising, with 5+ years in a senior leadership role.
• Strong ability to communicate mission with passion and conviction.
• Proven leadership of fundraising teams in a complex, global org.
• Expertise in major gifts, foundations, campaigns, and planned giving.

Responsibilities

• Shape overall strategy and multi-year financial planning with the Exec Committee and Finance team.
• Translate priorities into a multi-year development and fundraising plan and campaigns.
• Provide strategic direction across all fundraising and outreach activities.
• Represent the organization to donors, prospects, and the Council; cultivate support.
• Set fundraising objectives, monitor progress, and pivot strategy as needed.
• Develop compelling funding proposals to engage top-tier donors.

Skills

Fundraising leadership

Strategic planning

Donor relations

Communication

Team leadership

Job description

Chief Development Officer

Full time job vacancy. Development and Outreach Department.

Multiple locations considered (NYC Preferred).

Application deadline: open until filled.

Key Responsibilities

• Play a critical leadership role in shaping the organization's overall strategy and multi-year financial planning, working closely with the Executive Committee and Finance team to align revenue growth with organizational priorities;
• Translate those priorities into an ambitious multi-year development and fundraising strategy, developing and implementing compelling plans and campaigns that inspire donors and partners to join HRW in addressing unprecedented challenges to human rights;
• Provide strategic direction across all aspects of HRW fundraising and outreach activities, including leadership gifts, foundations, marketing, donor experiences, planned giving, development operations and analysis, donor committees and board engagement;
• Represent HRW’s work to donors, prospects, and the Council to cultivate and grow the organization’s base of support;
• Set and meet fundraising objectives, monitor and evaluate progress, and pivot strategy as needed to capitalize on emerging opportunities and maximize impact;
• Develop comprehensive, ambitious funding proposals that will engage and inspire top-tier donors to make transformational gifts;
• Champion diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Development & Outreach Team and across relationships with donors, board, and committee members;
• Determine the appropriate short and long-term investments in development, setting budgets, leveraging data analytics, and maximizing revenue while building a robust pipeline of major and planned giving donors;
• Collaborate across the organization to ensure development activities are well coordinated with and supportive of organizational priorities;
• Support and amplify fundraising efforts of the Executive Director, senior leadership, and Development & Outreach Team;
• Sustain and strengthen Board of Directors engagement and stewardship in consultation with organizational leadership;
• Lead, motivate and mentor a high performing team, setting clear expectations, establishing performance objectives, providing timely and constructive feedback, supporting professional growth, and attending to staff well- being and resilience;
• Foster an inclusive, positive work environment where all staff feel welcome, heard and able to succeed, actively soliciting diverse perspectives, advancing equity and inclusion, and addressing any bias or discrimination proactively;
• Perform other tasks as may be required.

Candidate Profile

The Chief Development Officer will be a collaborative, innovative, and visionary leader with exceptional people, communications, and management skills and the passion and capacity to lead a sophisticated global fundraising operation. They will bring high intellectual and emotional intelligence, sharp cultural awareness, and the ability to communicate and influence effectively across a complex, highly distributed organization. The ideal candidate will understand the nuances of fundraising across multiple geographies and cultures, inspire and motivate experienced teams, and embody a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. They will be passionate about HRW's mission and able to articulate a compelling vision that engages staff, volunteers, advocates, and donors, and catalyzes giving.

Ideal Experience

• At least 12 to 15 years of fundraising experience, with at least five (5) years of experience in a senior role such as Chief Development Officer, Deputy Chief Development Officer, or equivalent.
• A deep commitment to HRW's mission of defending the rights of people worldwide, and the ability to communicate about its work with passion and conviction.
• Proven experience leading and motivating fundraising teams in a complex, global organization, setting ambitious objectives, managing performance, and driving results.
• Expertise across major gift fundraising, marketing, capital campaigns, and planned giving, with a keen awareness of evolving trends and best practices.
• A strong track record of cultivating and closing transformational gifts from major donors, including foundations.
• The ability to master, represent, and compellingly communicate the organization's mission and programs to diverse audiences.
• A global perspective on philanthropy and the cultural competency to work effectively with staff, donors, and board and committee members across geographies.
• An ability to foster an inclusive team culture characterized by creativity, collegiality, mutual respect, and professional growth.
• Outstanding oral and written communications skills in English; proficiency in additional languages is a plus.
• A data-driven approach to developing, implementing, and measuring fundraising strategies, with a demonstrated ability to drive transformational growth.
• Superior analytical, strategic planning, and problem-solving skills.

Location and Compensation

This position is preferably based in HRW's New York office, with other HRW offices a possibility, and requires a flexible schedule to accommodate colleagues across multiple time zones. The role involves both domestic and international travel, approximately 25–40% of the time.

The estimated compensation for this position if based in the United States is $350,000 - 400,000. Compensation ranges in other locations vary according to the local market. Additionally, HRW offers comprehensive Total Rewards package. Relocation assistance and immigration support are available if required, and people of all nationalities are encouraged to apply.

Human Rights Watch – Diversity and Inclusion

Human Rights Watch is strong because it is diverse. We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. Human Rights Watch does not discriminate on the basis of ability, age, gender identity and expression, national origin, race and ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or criminal record. We welcome all kinds of diversity. Our employees include people who are parents and nonparents, the self-taught and university educated, and from a wide span of socio-economic backgrounds and perspectives on the world. Human Rights Watch is an equal opportunity employer.

Human Rights Watch is an international human rights monitoring and advocacy organization known for its in-depth investigations, its incisive and timely reporting, its innovative and high-profile advocacy campaigns, and its success in changing the human rights‑related policies and practices of influential governments and international institutions.