Director, Gifts and Endowment

North Carolina Justice Center; Raleigh (NC); Hybrid; USD 118,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

North Carolina Justice Center seeks a strategic Director, Gifts and Endowment to lead fundraising strategy and Development operations that enable our statewide advocacy work. You will report to the Executive Director and serve on the Senior Management Team, shaping revenue across individual giving, endowment, grants and events.

You will supervise the Development team, collaborate with the Executive Director, and align fundraising with organizational priorities, ensuring strong donor

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in nonprofit management, fundraising, public administration, communications, business or related field.
• At least 10 years of major fundraising experience, with 5 in senior leadership or executive-level management across multiple development areas.
• Experience creating and executing fundraising plans with individual giving, institutional funding, events and other revenue strategies.
• Experience overseeing grants with identification, budgeting, reporting and funder stewardship.
• Proven ability to build relationships with donors, foundations, boards and community partners.
• Experience planning fundraising events and donor engagement activities with multiple stakeholders.
• Experience supervising and developing staff and managing competing priorities.
• Strong knowledge of donor databases, CRM and grants-management systems and excellent written/spoken communications.
• Commitment to social, racial and economic justice and inclusive leadership.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute NCJC’s annual Development plan across individual giving, endowment, grants, events and other revenue streams.
• Oversee annual giving, donor cultivation, stewardship, renewal and communications strategies.
• Lead endowment growth initiatives and planned/legacy giving.
• Oversee grants program in partnership with Grants Manager and Finance.
• Plan and execute Defenders of Justice Gala and three regional donor events annually.
• Supervise a two-person Development team and build staff capabilities.
• Partner with Executive Director on fundraising strategy and donor engagement with high-net-worth donors.
• Coordinate with Communications on donor-facing messaging and campaign materials.
• Work with Finance to develop revenue projections and maintain accountability for funds.

Skills

Fundraising strategy

Donor engagement

Endowment fundraising

Grants management

Event fundraising

Donor stewardship

Staff leadership

CRM/donor databases

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

CRM / donor databases

Job description

Reports to: Executive Director | Member, Senior Management Team

Salary Range: $118-$120K

Upon request, NCJC will provide reasonable accommodation for candidates with disabilities.

Turn Philanthropic Vision into Lasting Justice.

Strong advocacy requires strong and sustainable resources. At the North Carolina Justice Center, the Director, Gifts and Endowment leads the fundraising strategy and Development operations that help make our work possible.

Reporting to the Executive Director and serving on the Senior Management Team, the Director develops and oversees NCJC’s annual fundraising plan acrossindividual giving, endowment, grants, events and other philanthropic revenue. The Director supervises the Development team, partners with the Executive Director to identify revenue opportunities aligned with organizational priorities, coordinates closely with project directors and Finance, and helps build the relationships and systems necessary to sustain NCJC’s work over the long term.

This role requires a strategic fundraising leader who can move comfortably between organizational planning, donor engagement, grant oversight, staff supervision, event leadership and the day-to-day management necessary to execute a successful Development program.

What You’ll Lead

• Annual fundraising strategy and execution.Develop, manage and execute NCJC’s annual Development plan, including goals and strategies for individual giving, endowment, grants, fundraising events, sponsorships and other philanthropic revenue. Monitor progress throughout the year and adjust strategies as needed to meet organizational revenue goals.
• Individual giving and donor engagement.Oversee annual giving, donor cultivation, stewardship, renewal and communications strategies. Identify opportunities to deepen donor relationships and coordinate meetings and engagement opportunities between the Executive Director and high-net-worth donors and prospective supporters.
• Endowment and long-term sustainability.Lead strategies to grow NCJC’s endowment and encourage planned and legacy giving, including donor cultivation, communications, stewardship and special campaigns that strengthen the organization’s long-term financial sustainability.
• Grants strategy and coordination.Oversee NCJC’s grants program in partnership with the Grants Manager, Executive Director, project directors and Finance. Help identify funding opportunities aligned with organizational priorities; coordinate the grant pipeline and application process; support project directors with proposals and budgets; and ensure appropriate tracking, reporting and stewardship of institutional funders.
• Defenders of Justice Gala and regional events.Lead the planning and execution of NCJC’s annualDefenders of Justice Awards Gala, an approximately 400-person fundraising and stewardship event,as well asthree regional donor and community engagement events each year. Coordinate sponsorships, donor engagement, program development, logistics and staff participation.
• Development team leadership.Supervise atwo-person Development team, establish priorities and responsibilities, coach and develop staff, monitor performance and workload, and ensure strong execution of fundraising, grants, donor stewardship, events and Development operations.
• Executive and Board partnership.Partner with the Executive Director on fundraising strategy, donor cultivation and identification of new revenue streams that align with NCJC’s strategic goals. Support meaningful Board participation in fundraising, donor stewardship, introductions and relationship-building.
• Fundraising communications and stewardship. Work collaboratively with Communications to develop donor-facing messaging, appeals, impact communications, campaign materials and other content that connects supporters with the impact of NCJC’s work.
• Financial planning and accountability.Work closely with Finance, the Executive Director and program leadership to establish fundraising goals, develop revenue projections, monitor progress against budget, reconcile grant and fundraising information, and ensure responsible stewardship of restricted and unrestricted funds.
• Development systems and operations.Ensure effective use of donor and grants-management systems, accurate records, gift acknowledgement, prospect and grant tracking, reporting, compliance, and Development policies and procedures.

Who You Are

You understand how strong fundraising programs are built: through relationships, strategy, disciplined execution, collaboration and trust. You can translate complex advocacy, litigation and policy work into compelling reasons for people and institutions to invest in NCJC’s mission.

You are equally comfortable developing a fundraising plan, meeting with a donor, reviewing a grant opportunity, helping staff solve a problem, preparing the Executive Director for a donor meeting, working through revenue projections with Finance, or managing the many moving pieces of a major fundraising event.

You build trust across differences, exercise sound judgment, and bring credibility to conversations with donors, Board members, funders, colleagues and community partners. Your leadership combines strategic thinking with the willingness to ensure that the details necessary for successful execution are completed well.

What You’ll Bring

• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience in nonprofit management, fundraising, public administration, communications, business or a related field.
• At leastten years of progressively responsible major fundraising, development or nonprofit advancement experience required,including five of those years in senior leadership or executive level fundraising management of multiple areas of development and supervision.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing fundraising plans involving individual giving, institutional funding, donor stewardship, events and other revenue strategies.
• Experience managing or providing significant oversight of grants, including prospect identification, applications, budgets, reporting, tracking and funder stewardship.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with donors, foundations, Board members, organizational leadership and community partners.
• Experience planning and executing fundraising events and donor engagement opportunities involving multiple internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience supervising, coaching and developing staff and managing competing priorities, deadlines and organizational needs.
• Strong knowledge of donor databases, CRM and grants-management systems, fundraising analytics, gift administration and nonprofit fundraising practices.
• Exceptional writing, communication, relationship-building, organizational and project-management skills.
• A demonstrated commitment to social, racial and economic justice and to inclusive leadership, equitable decision-making and staff development.

Preferred:CFRE or relevant advanced training; experience with endowment or planned giving; and experience in nonprofit advocacy, legal, policy or other mission-driven organizations.

Why This Role Matters

Justice requires sustained investment. The Director, Gifts and Endowment helps ensure that NCJC has the resources, relationships and fundraising infrastructure necessary to respond to immediate needs while building long-term organizational strength.

The Director works across the organization - connecting leadership, programs, Finance, Communications, the Board, donors and institutional funders - to ensure that fundraising supports NCJC’s mission and strategic priorities. As a member of the Senior Management Team, the Director also contributes to broader organizational planning and decision-making.

NCJC’s published benefits include six weeks of annual paid time off; paid holidays and parental leave; employer-supported 403(b) retirement savings; medical, dental, vision, disability, and life coverage; and flexible spending and health savings account options.

Location and Working Conditions

This Raleigh-based hybrid role requires regular statewide travel and occasional evening and weekend work, particularly in connection with donor meetings and fundraising events. The position includes extended computer work, virtual and off-site meetings and events, and occasional lifting or moving of materials weighing up to 15–20 pounds. NCJC provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities during the hiring process and in performing essential job functions.

Our Commitment to Equity

The NC Justice Center is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, color, creed, sex, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, personal appearance, marital or family status, citizenship, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, genetic information, natural hair styles, or other status as protected by State and Federal laws.

We are a Fair Chance Employer and work to reduce barriers to employment for individuals with criminal records. It is our intention to promote the full realization of equality in opportunity and employment.

Build the Relationships. Strengthen the Resources. Advance Justice.

If you are ready to lead a comprehensive Development program that helps sustain statewide work for justice, we invite you to apply.