Major Gifts Officer

Program: Development Department
Reporting to: Chief Development Officer
Full-Time, Exempt
Location: Hybrid – New York, NY
Salary Range: $100,000-$110,000

RFK Human Rights is seeking a Major Gifts Officer (MGO) to lead our individual giving strategy as a crucial component of our fundraising campaign tied to the 100th birthday of Robert F. Kennedy in 2025, and celebrating the 60th anniversary of the founding of RFK Human Rights in 2028. As a key member of our growing development team, the MGO will be responsible for identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding relationships with individual donors and prospects capable of making gifts of $10,000 and above.

Reporting to the CDO and working closely with the Institutional Fundraising Officer, the ideal candidate is a dynamic relationship-builder with a deep commitment to human rights, social justice, and adept at fundraising as a tool for systemic change. You thrive in collaborative environments, are confident managing up and across, and have experience navigating the priorities of diverse and engaged stakeholders – including high-profile board members and senior leaders.

This is an exciting opportunity to build up a major gifts program at this pivotal time within the organization.

Development Department:

The work of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights is possible thanks to a dynamic, multi-source model of revenue, supported by an endowment, individual giving (largely driven by board and leadership council support), events (such as our annual Ripple of Hope gala and Compass Investor Conference(s), and foundation support.

Donor Strategy & Relationship Management

Design and implement a major gifts strategy focused on sustainable, values-aligned growth;
Manage a portfolio of current donors and grow this base with additional 75-100 prospects giving greater amounts;
Identify and develop a pipeline of new major gift prospects in close partnership with the board, development committee and senior leadership team
Create individual goals for each donor based on the donor’s giving history and knowledge of the donor’s potential;
Cultivate, solicit, and steward donors through personalized communications, events, and meaningful engagement opportunities;
Conduct one-on-one meetings and events to engage donors;
Create briefings, proposal materials, and other donor communications.

Collaboration & Cross-Functional Leadership

Partner with the COO and leadership team to align fundraising goals with organizational priorities.
Work closely with the Institutional Fundraising Officer and Chief Governance Officer to ensure coordinated efforts across fundraising streams.
Collaborate with program and communications teams to surface compelling stories and impact metrics for donor engagement.

Board & Leadership Engagement

Support board members in their fundraising efforts, securing introductions, preparing for solicitations, and following up solicitations to close pledges, as well as preparing materials and donor briefs.
Confidently “manage up” by guiding senior leaders and board members in donor relations and solicitations.

Systems & Reporting

Coordinate with Development Operations Associate to maintain accurate, complete, and up to date donor records and MOVES management in our CRM (Salesforce).
Track progress against fundraising goals and provide regular reports to leadership and the development committee.
Identify and execute ways to achieve shared impact across other RFKHR programs, to mobilize RFKHR stakeholders in support of the work, and to increase the visibility of RFKHR and our work before the general public;
All new staff will undergo an introductory period of three (3) months as a training and learning period;
Do your part in keeping our operations running smoothly – tracking your hours and submitting timecards in a timely manner.

A successful candidate must have the following skills and experiences:

5–7 years of relevant experience in nonprofit frontline fundraising, with a focus on individual giving/major gifts.
Experience across the donor lifecycle including the successful cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of gifts over $10,000;
Experience managing a portfolio of $100k-$1MM+ in donations;
Demonstrated experience with MOVES Management;
Working experience on a CRM system (Customer Relationship Management), such as Salesforce or similar;
Proficiency in Google Workspace applications and Microsoft Office, especially Excel;
Demonstrated experience working on online platforms such as Zoom and Google Suite;
A demonstrated passion for RFKHR’s mission and demonstrated commitment to community-centered advocacy;
Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with a natural ability to build trust and rapport;
Experience with social media to help drive awareness and inspire engagement;
Adept at managing up and across, especially in environments with passionate, high-profile stakeholders;
Strong attention to detail and able to scope out errors, including a willingness to own and fix mistakes;
Exceptional initiative and time management, including the ability to manage multiple tasks and projects at once;
Comfortable developing new systems and working independently to build a function from the ground up;
High level of integrity and discretion in handling confidential information;
Innovative thinking, willingness to voice your opinions, and a strong work ethic are essential;
Strong sense of teamwork that builds positive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders, and a willingness to help others;
Comfort, experience, and commitment to inclusivity when working with colleagues with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives;

Preferred but not required qualifications:

Experience in a start-up or growth-stage nonprofit environment is a plus;
Professional or academic knowledge of human rights theory and practice;
Proficient/fluent in a second language, Spanish is a plus;

Benefits and other Perks:

Flexibility and independence to help manage your work and home life: Staff have the ability to occasionally work from home or telecommute.
RFKHR values your health: RFK Human Rights covers 100% of individual-only costs of our platinum medical, dental, vision benefits, and subsidizes the cost for dependent coverage.
RFKHR understands the importance of financial planning and saving:
- An automatic contribution of 7% of your salary after your first year of employment.
- A College Saveup/Loan PayDown program with an automatic $200/monthly contribution for any current loans or future loans.
- An automatic monthly cell phone & internet speed stipend of $125/monthly to offset any phone & internet expenses.
- Employees receive a $1,000 benefits card each calendar year to use at your discretion towards food and home & life purchases.
RFKHR values your growth: RFK Human Rights provides an annual $1,000 professional development stipend to all full-time staff to use towards any courses, conferences, or training that would further one’s professional learning and development. As well as professional development days/hours to complete these courses.
RFKHR loves to celebrate human rights advocates and our hard work! We do so by hosting award ceremonies, galas, summer outings, holiday parties, potlucks, domestic and international staff retreats, and spur-of-the-moment social outings.

How to Apply:

Submit your resume and cover letter to careers@rfkhumanrights.org with “Your Name + Major Gifts Officer” in the subject heading.
In your cover letter please include how you heard about this role and why you’re interested in this position.

No phone calls please. RFK Human Rights will contact qualified candidates directly.

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights is an equal opportunity employer and believes we are stronger and more effective by working internally and externally with people of all abilities, diverse backgrounds, and a range of perspectives, particularly those who have historically been marginalized or underrepresented. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We do not discriminate in our hiring practices and in order to build the strongest possible workforce, actively seek a diverse applicant pool. If you’re in need of an accommodation at any time during the application and hiring process please contact us by emailing your request to hr@rfkhumanrights.org with the subj. line “Accommodation Request”. Examples include, but are not limited to:

Having documents in alternate formats or read aloud
Having interviews in a more accessible location/format

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