Accountability Counsel amplifies the voices of communities to protect their human rights and environment. As advocates for people harmed by internationally financed projects, we employ community driven and policy level strategies to access justice. Since our founding in 2009, our team has partnered with communities and advocates from 50 countries to defend their rights, demand justice, and achieve historic victories.

We work toward change through three programmatic approaches. Our Policy Advocacy program advocates for accountability offices that are accessible, transparent, and fair tools for justice; lawyers in our Communities program provide grassroots legal support and assist communities to use accountability offices effectively; and our Research team delivers concrete research and tools for the movement for accountability more broadly. Our respect-based approach underlies all that we do: internally, it guides how our team treats one another, and externally, it ensures that marginalized people, particularly women and girls, are included as full participants in community-led strategies seeking accountability.

THE OPPORTUNITY

With demand for our work greater than ever, we are seeking a Director of Development (DOD) to build on a strong track record of fund development. Serving as a strategic and hands-on development leader, the DOD will partner closely with the Executive Director, staff, and board to raise $3M in FY21 and position the organization to grow to $6M over the next decade. Specifically, the DOD will:

• Design and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy to 1) significantly increase annual revenue year-over-year; 2) grow engagement of current supporters, including renewing and/or increasing multi-year grants; 3) generate new relationships and major gift support from institutional, individual, and corporate donors; and 4) build out new revenue streams tied to government grants and earned income.
• Provide leadership and direction to the Executive Director to ensure efficiency of their time spent on fundraising and position them to cultivate, solicit, and steward relationships with major institutional and individual donors.
• Serve as chief grant writer, taking ownership of letters of inquiry, case statements, proposals, and reports, and tightly manage a fundraising calendar to ensure that proposals, renewals, and reports are timely.
• Build out a robust individual giving program with a focus on major donor cultivation. Conduct research to identify and qualify prospective donors. Take ownership of new major gift relationships.
• Lead an earned income strategy derived from Accountability Counsel’s new proprietary database, the Accountability Console, that is sensitive to the relationships between paid users and programmatic stakeholders.
• Strengthen processes and systems for fundraising operations. Guide the work of an Executive Coordinator to ensure that all donor information, touchpoints, and projections are tracked effectively in the Salesforce database.
• Create a structure for strategic donor communications, including stewardship touchpoints, briefing materials for donor meetings, funder presentations, written appeals, and other materials as needed. Leverage data, impact stories, and knowledge of Accountability Counsel’s work in communications.
• Become a knowledgeable ambassador for Accountability Counsel and operate with a commitment to placing the agency and dignity of the communities with whom we work at the forefront of our fundraising efforts.

WHO YOU ARE

• A passionate advocate who is committed to Accountability Counsel’s mission and values. You believe in the agency of communities around the world to protect their human rights and environment. You are inspired to help Accountability Counsel grow as a world class organization. You resonate with and are eager to celebrate Accountability Counsel’s respect-based approach.
• A versatile and well-rounded fund development professional. You bring at least 8 years of work experience in fundraising, with a track record of qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding institutional and individual supporters. You enjoy both the behind-the-scenes and donor-facing aspects of fundraising, and are knowledgeable about fundraising systems, processes, and best practices.
• An exceptional writer, storyteller, and communicator. You are skilled in analyzing, breaking down, and communicating complex ideas in ways that inspire others to action. You demonstrate an understanding of the context surrounding an issue area and create logical arguments that clearly articulate the ‘why’ behind mission and impact. Extensive grant writing experience is required.
• A thoughtful relationship builder who develops rapport easily and fosters long-term connections. You have a warm, energetic, poised, and authentic personality that translates to building lasting relationships both internally and externally. You ‘manage up, down, and across’ and effectively work across functional areas. You are adept at connecting individuals with stories about Accountability Counsel’s impact that matter to them.
• A tech-savvy and well-organized project manager. You are experienced in leading multiple projects with concurrent deadlines. You take a hands-on approach to challenges and opportunities and are skilled at building processes and systems. You strategically use limited resources to create the biggest impact. You are proficient in donor relationship management and research programs and utilize technology to track people, resources, and programs.
• An outgoing individual who is energized by connecting. You are willing and able to travel domestically and internationally once safe from a public health perspective in order to build connections for Accountability Counsel. You are comfortable in a collaborative and diverse, international work environment, sometimes working across timezones. You can manage volunteers and staff as we grow.
• A flexible, self-directed, and willing team member. You are at home in a lean nonprofit environment with the ability to stay focused and nimble in the face of growth and change. You are collaborative, pitch in wherever is needed, and are comfortable with shared responsibility.
• An authentic personality full of confidence and heart. You carry yourself with the same dignity and positivity you provide others. You are inspired by challenges and are motivated by big goals.

The following knowledge, skills, and experiences are nice to have:

• Knowledge of environmental and human rights abuses caused by international finance
• Experience with earned revenue strategy and/or implementation
• Experience working at an international organization

HOURS AND LOCATION

This full-time position is available immediately. This position is virtual, with the need for regular, daily communication with a California-based team and weekly communications with our global team working from the East Coast, Africa and Asia. While we are open to location for the exceptional candidate, a San Francisco Bay Area or New York City base is preferred. When in-person meetings are safe in the Bay Area, quarterly meetings in San Francisco are likely.

COMPENSATION

Salary is commensurate with experience and adjusted for geographical cost of living and in the range of $110,000 – $140,000, with full health, vision, and dental coverage, wellness support, retirement contributions, professional development resources, generous paid time off and sabbatical policies, and other benefits. We pride ourselves in supporting the wellbeing of our team.

TO APPLY

If this opportunity calls out to you, please submit 1) a tailored, authentic cover letter that explains why this mission excites you and why this particular role is a fit for you and 2) your resume. Please address your cover letter to Natalie Bridgeman Fields. We review applications on a rolling basis and strive to get back to applicants within two weeks.