Director of Development

POSITION TITLE: Director of Development

SUPERVISOR: Chief Operating Officer (COO)

LOCATION: This position is eligible to work remotely, provided the finalist can work US East Coast hours AND is eligible to work without visa sponsorship. We have a preference for this position being based in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York city, or our DC Office.

SALARY RANGE: The salary range for this position is $117,000 - $175,000/yr, depending on experience. If located in our Geneva office, a locality increase of 12.5% will apply

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis; those submitted on or before September 30 will have priority review.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) uses the power of law to protect the environment, promote human rights, and ensure a just and sustainable society. We work at the intersection of environmental protection and human rights, across sectors and borders, and in close collaboration with global partners and local communities.

Position Summary

The Director of Development leads the development team and plays a central role in advancing CIEL’s ambitious fundraising agenda in support of its strategic plan. The Director of Development is responsible for growing and managing a robust portfolio of grants primarily from foundations, alongside some government (non-US) and individual donor funding. This role drives strategy, cultivates relationships, and oversees all aspects of grant writing and reporting to secure critical resources that support our work to protect human rights and the environment. The Director of Development works collaboratively across departments to align funding with strategic priorities and ensure the long-term sustainability of our work. This role reports directly to the COO, currently has two direct development team reports, and works closely with the CEO, programs, and finance staff. The role combines high level leadership, strategic vision, and planning, while also being rooted in supporting the day-to-day delivery of development portfolio management as needed.

Strategy & Fund Development

• Develop and execute a comprehensive and multi-year institutional giving strategy that aligns with the organization’s mission and growth/sustainability goals.
• Identify, pursue, and deliver new institutional funding opportunities with a focus on delivering on the strategic plan.
• Design an individual giving strategy that aligns with organizational capacity and interest of our donors.
• Build and maintain a strong pipeline of prospects by working with the Grants Manager and Senior Grant Writer to design, implement, and improve systems for effective prospecting, moves management, and donor relationship management that are tailored to CIEL’s portfolio and evolving organizational needs.
• Support the Grants Manager in ensuring that timelines for proposals, renewals, and reports are met.

Funder Cultivation & Stewardship

• Cultivate and steward strong relationships with current and prospective institutional funders.
• Represent the organization in meetings, briefings, and site visits with funders, often in partnership with executive leadership.
• Ensure consistent, timely communication and engagement with funders, highlighting programmatic milestones and impact and supporting CIEL directors and staff to effectively engage with funders.
• Lead cultivation of the major gift pipeline, soliciting contributions, and overseeing online and offline stewardship planning.

Team Management

• Provide day-to-day management and coaching for Development Team staff, including providing ongoing feedback and performance management, supporting prioritization and sustainable workloads, recruiting and responding to staffing needs, and effectively leading a remote team.
• Work with COO and other CIEL leadership to develop work plans and budgets in line with both short-term and long-term team goals.

Grant Writing & Reporting

• Oversee, and support when needed, the development of high-quality proposals, grant applications, and reports tailored to funders' focus areas as they align with CIEL’s goals.
• Collaborate with grants and finance teams to distill information, build budgets, and articulate stories that demonstrate impact and align with funder expectations.
• In collaboration with Grants Manager, ensure compliance with grant requirements, including outcomes tracking and budget management.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Work cross-functionally with communications, marketing, grants, and finance to ensure timely, coordinated, and compelling proposals and a strong annual report.
• Serve as a thought partner to senior leadership on funding strategy and institutional growth opportunities.
• Create annual and 3-5 year fundraising projection reports to support institutional decision-making.
• Perform other job-related duties as requested or assigned by supervisor.

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in institutional fundraising in the US.
• Proven success securing and managing six- and seven-figure multi-year grants from private foundations, individuals, and/or governments.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex issues into clear, compelling narratives.
• Experience managing a team in delivering results.
• Experience cultivating and managing individual and/or major gifts.
• Experience working with program budgets, logic models, and outcome measurement.
• Knowledge of the US foundation landscape and experience navigating shifting funder interests.
• Ability to travel occasionally and for short periods of time.
• Commitment to the values of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.

Desired Qualifications

• Proficiency with fundraising CRMs (e.g., Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge).
• Institutional fundraising in a human rights, environment, or social justice organization.
• Success leading fundraising efforts for a budget greater than $15million.
• Experience fundraising with institutions outside of the US.

A successful candidate will demonstrate the following competencies:

• Action-Oriented: Makes things happen. Takes on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of curiosity, proactivity, and constructiveness.
• Nimble Learning: Approaches unfamiliar tasks proactively and with an open mind. Can quickly adapt to new situations and to draw on past successes and failures to solve current problems.
• Effective Communication: Understands the value of effective communication. Can deliver messages in a clear, compelling, and concise manner. Actively listens, checks for understanding, and adjusts content and style to meet the needs of different stakeholders.
• Collaborates: Brings people together to leverage their skills, talents, and knowledge to achieve a common purpose. Creates synergy resulting in a combined effort with greater results than what can be achieved by individuals.
• Resourcefulness: Is able to make the best of limited resources and find a way to get things done even when the odds are against them. Can look beyond the obvious for viable approaches to accomplish the goal.

Location note: This position is eligible to work remotely, provided the finalist can work US East Coast hours AND is eligible to work without visa sponsorship. We have a preference for this position being based in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York city, or our DC Office. If you are selected for this position and elect to work remotely, you are expected to provide your own space from which to work. CIEL will contribute a one-time stipend of USD $750 for fully remote workers, with an additional USD $250 per year for the purposes of maintaining your remote work space.

This is a full-time position (FLSA exempt in the US). CIEL offers a strong benefits package to our US including employer-subsidized health, dental, and vision; paid vacation, sick, and parental leave; a 5% contribution of gross annual salary into a 403(b) retirement account; a relocation stipend; dedicated professional development funding; and paid sabbatical leave after 7 years. CIEL is a 501(c)3 nonprofit in the US, and full-time employees qualify for the US Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program . Equivalent benefits are offered in other countries, though may vary depending on local practices.