Chief Development Officer — Global Fundraising Leader

Human Rights Watch; New York (NY); On-site; USD 350,000 - 400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Immigration support

Total Rewards package

Job summary

Human Rights Watch in New York prefers a candidate based in the New York office for the Chief Development Officer role. The CDO leads a ~110-person Development & Outreach team and shapes HRW’s fundraising, outreach, and donor engagement strategy globally.

The ideal leader has 12–15 years in fundraising, with senior-level success, and a proven ability to grow major gifts, foundations, and marketing initiatives while promoting equity and inclusion across a distributed organization.

Qualifications

• 12–15 years of fundraising experience, with at least five years in a senior role such as Chief Development Officer or equivalent.
• Proven ability to lead fundraising teams in a complex, global organization.
• Expertise across major gifts, marketing, capital campaigns, and planned giving.
• Strong track record closing transformational gifts from major donors and foundations.
• Global perspective on philanthropy and inclusive leadership.

Responsibilities

• Shape the organization’s strategy and multi-year financial planning with senior leadership.
• Develop and implement ambitious development plans and campaigns to inspire donors and partners.
• Provide strategic direction across fundraising activities including leadership gifts, foundations, marketing, and planned giving.
• Represent HRW to donors, prospects, and the Council to grow support base.
• Set fundraising objectives, monitor progress, and adjust strategy to maximize impact.
• Develop compelling funding proposals for transformational gifts.
• Foster diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Development & Outreach Team and all donor relationships.

Skills

Leadership

Fundraising strategy

Major gifts

Strategic planning

Team management

Job description

Human Rights Watch in New York prefers a candidate based in the New York office for the Chief Development Officer role. The CDO leads a ~110-person Development & Outreach team and shapes HRW’s fundraising, outreach, and donor engagement strategy globally.

The ideal leader has 12–15 years in fundraising, with senior-level success, and a proven ability to grow major gifts, foundations, and marketing initiatives while promoting equity and inclusion across a distributed organization.