Director, Development

Freedom House (DC Office); Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Freedom House in Washington, DC seeks a strategic and results-driven Director, Development to lead the day-to-day operations of its Development function during a period of growth, reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer.

The Director will drive fundraising across major gifts, institutional funding, foundations, individuals, corporate partnerships, and government funding, build a strong donor pipeline, forecast revenue, and support CEO engagement in donor meetings to expand the fundraising

Qualifications

• Build, manage, and monitor a robust donor pipeline including moves management and forecasting.
• Lead day-to-day execution of the Development function across multiple revenue streams.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day execution of the Development function, ensuring progress across all fundraising streams (public, private, foundations, individuals, corporate, government).
• Build, manage, and monitor donor pipeline with moves management and forecasting.
• Establish systems for donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship and ensure timely follow-up.
• Coordinate across giving, institutional funding, government funding, and partnerships to translate priorities into outcomes.

Skills

Donor pipeline management

Forecasting

Cross-stream coordination

Donor cultivation

Leadership support

Job description

ABOUT FREEDOM HOUSE

Established more than 80 years ago on the core conviction that freedom flourishes in democratic nations where governments are accountable to their people, Freedom House is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that works to defend and expand freedom globally to help secure a world where all are free. Around the world, repressive regimes are preventing billions of people from exercising their fundamental rights. We identify and analyze threats to freedom, mobilize decision makers to respond to those threats and seize opportunities for progress, and support activists and organizations working to defend and expand freedom. We are dedicated to ensuring that the United States serves as a positive model of democratic practice at home and a consistent champion of freedom globally. By gathering authoritative data and leveraging our global networks, Freedom House is an unwavering beacon in protecting human rights and promoting democratic governance.

POSITION SUMMARY

Freedom House is seeking a strategic and results-driven Director, Development to serve as the day-to-day operational lead supporting the execution of its Development function during a period of significant growth and opportunity. This role will serve as a key operational partner under the Chief Advancement Officer.

With new leadership and the organization’s 85th Anniversary on the horizon, Freedom House is poised to expand its fundraising and global engagement efforts. This role offers a unique opportunity to help shape and scale the organization’s Development function—building the systems, discipline, and pipeline needed to reach and exceed $12-15 million annually and support an ambitious multi-year campaign.

Working closely with and reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer, the Director will drive execution across revenue streams, including major gifts, institutional funding, foundations, individuals, corporate partnerships, and government funding. The role will strengthen pipeline management and ensure consistent follow-through, enabling the CAO to focus on principal gifts, Board engagement, the Annual Awards and 85th Anniversary Campaign, and top-tier donor relationships.

The Director will also partner closely with the CAO and Chief of Staff to support the CEO in donor engagement and high-level meetings, helping to maximize leadership involvement in fundraising. This role is critical to enabling Freedom House to fully capitalize on a moment of opportunity. With new leadership and the 85th Anniversary as a catalyst, the organization is well positioned to deepen relationships and significantly grow its fundraising base. By bringing structure, discipline, and execution to the Development function, the Director will help translate growing interest and engagement into sustained revenue, expanded partnerships, and long-term impact.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising Operations & Pipeline Management

• Lead day-to-day execution of the Development function, ensuring consistent progress across all fundraising streams, including public, private, foundations, individuals, corporate, and government sources.
• Serve as a senior operational lead and backup to the CAO as needed, with specific ownership of assigned revenue streams while maintaining broad cross-stream coordination.
• Build, manage, and monitor a robust donor pipeline, including prospect tracking, moves management, and forecasting.
• Establish clear systems and accountability for donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Ensure timely follow-up and coordination across leadership, staff, and external partners.

Revenue Coordination & Strategy Execution

• Coordinate across individual giving, institutional funding, foundations, government funding, corporate partnerships, and fundraising events.
• Translate strategic fundraising priorities into actionable plans and measurable outcomes.
• Personally manage and grow a portfolio of major donors and institutional prospects, including high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and foundations.
• Support the cultivation and solicitation of six- and seven-figure gifts, working in close coordination with the CAO and senior leadership.
• Expand organizational capacity to pursue and secure major and multi-year funding opportunities, complementing CAO-led Board and principal gift efforts.
• Partner closely with program, policy, and communications teams to align fundraising with organizational priorities.

Leadership Support & Executive Engagement

• Partner with the CA