The Organization
The Client
Every day, the human rights and dignity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) people around the world are abused in ways that shock the conscience. The stories of the struggles and resilience often remain invisible – or willfully ignored – by those with the power to make change. Since 1990, OutRight Action International (OutRight) has worked alongside LGBTIQ activists and organizations, diplomats and policymakers, and other key partners to advance community-centered solutions to create lasting legal and social transformation. Together with its partners, OutRight combats the systemic violence, persecution and discrimination LGBTIQ people face around the world.
OutRight builds capacity of LGBTIQ movements, documents human rights violations, advocates for inclusion and equality, and holds leaders accountable for protecting the rights of LGBTIQ people everywhere. OutRight advances its mission through three strategic program areas:
Advocacy: OutRight is the only global LGBTIQ organization with consultative status and a permanent presence at the United Nations Headquarters, where it advocates for human rights and equality for LGBTIQ people, serves as secretariat of the UN LGBTI Core Group and acts as a watchdog on all 193 world governments.
Movement resourcing: OutRight invests heavily in partnerships with grassroots LGBTIQ communities and allies around the world, firmly believing that the presence and strength of LGBTIQ organizations and activists locally and worldwide is the single greatest factor that produces cultural, social, and legal change. OutRight provides technical assistance, training and funding, including $3 million to 300 organizations in 30 countries in the last year alone.
Research: OutRight’s research program provides an overview of global threats and opportunities confronting LGBTIQ communities. The organization has published hundreds of reports and briefing papers on urgent and relevant topics including so-called “conversion therapy,” legal registration for LGBTIQ civil society, and on the impact of COVID-19 on LGBTIQ people globally.
OutRight’s work is focused where it can make the biggest difference. In addition to working at and within the United Nations system, OutRight pushes for change in four regions in the Global South: Asia and the Pacific Islands, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Concentrating where they see the greatest potential for significant improvement or threat; possibility for a ripple effect due to the country’s relationships and reputation; and opportunity for international intervention and influence. Throughout, OutRight advocates for LGBTIQ rights with a commitment to intersectionality and a fierce feminist lens, prioritizing and amplifying the needs of the most marginalized within the global LGBTIQ community.
OutRight is also one of two founding civil society advisors for the Partnership for Global LGBTI Equality, a World Economic Forum Lighthouse Project, and partners with dozens of leading companies to advocate for LGBTIQ human rights.
Headquartered in New York, OutRight is governed by a 22-person Board of Directors. The organization operates with a $8.8 million annual budget and 27-person staff working from eight global offices.
For more information, please visit: https://outrightinternational.org/
Position Overview
The Client
Every day, the human rights and dignity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) people around the world are abused in ways that shock the conscience. The stories of the struggles and resilience often remain invisible – or willfully ignored – by those with the power to make change. Since 1990, OutRight Action International (OutRight) has worked alongside LGBTIQ activists and organizations, diplomats and policymakers, and other key partners to advance community-centered solutions to create lasting legal and social transformation. Together with its partners, OutRight combats the systemic violence, persecution and discrimination LGBTIQ people face around the world.
OutRight builds capacity of LGBTIQ movements, documents human rights violations, advocates for inclusion and equality, and holds leaders accountable for protecting the rights of LGBTIQ people everywhere. OutRight advances its mission through three strategic program areas:
Advocacy: OutRight is the only global LGBTIQ organization with consultative status and a permanent presence at the United Nations Headquarters, where it advocates for human rights and equality for LGBTIQ people, serves as secretariat of the UN LGBTI Core Group and acts as a watchdog on all 193 world governments.
Movement resourcing: OutRight invests heavily in partnerships with grassroots LGBTIQ communities and allies around the world, firmly believing that the presence and strength of LGBTIQ organizations and activists locally and worldwide is the single greatest factor that produces cultural, social, and legal change. OutRight provides technical assistance, training and funding, including $3 million to 300 organizations in 30 countries in the last year alone.
Research: OutRight’s research program provides an overview of global threats and opportunities confronting LGBTIQ communities. The organization has published hundreds of reports and briefing papers on urgent and relevant topics including so-called “conversion therapy,” legal registration for LGBTIQ civil society, and on the impact of COVID-19 on LGBTIQ people globally.
OutRight’s work is focused where it can make the biggest difference. In addition to working at and within the United Nations system, OutRight pushes for change in four regions in the Global South: Asia and the Pacific Islands, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Concentrating where they see the greatest potential for significant improvement or threat; possibility for a ripple effect due to the country’s relationships and reputation; and opportunity for international intervention and influence. Throughout, OutRight advocates for LGBTIQ rights with a commitment to intersectionality and a fierce feminist lens, prioritizing and amplifying the needs of the most marginalized within the global LGBTIQ community.
OutRight is also one of two founding civil society advisors for the Partnership for Global LGBTI Equality, a World Economic Forum Lighthouse Project, and partners with dozens of leading companies to advocate for LGBTIQ human rights.
Headquartered in New York, OutRight is governed by a 22-person Board of Directors. The organization operates with a $8.8 million annual budget and 27-person staff working from eight global offices.
For more information, please visit: https://outrightinternational.org/
The Opportunity
This is an extraordinary opportunity for a collaborative leader and creative builder to work with an exceptional team of a transformative organization at the leading edge of the movements to protect, advance, and promote LGBTIQ human rights globally. The new Director of Development will adapt and build structures to support the organization’s significant recent growth while solidifying the foundation for a radically resplendent future for this vanguard organization. They will partner with the Executive Director, Management Team, and Board of Directors to ensure that OutRight Action International remains exceptionally resourced to support the movements for LGBTIQ human rights, and stays at the forefront of its peers, as an innovative and deeply impactful organization.
The Position
In this newly created position, the Director of Development will establish, consolidate, and leverage systems and processes to maximize the fundraising efforts of an established LGBTIQ organization. The new Director of Development will transform departmental structures to keep this organization solidly at the forefront of advancing, protecting, and promoting human rights. They will have primary responsibility for crafting and integrating a development plan that builds OutRight’s visibility, impact, and financial resources.
Reporting to the Acting Executive Director and leading a team of five, the incoming Director of Development will help forge new relationships and new initiatives while growing and stewarding the existing ones. Building on a 30+ year legacy, the successful candidate will provide leadership, direction, and coordination of all fundraising activities. Key responsibilities include:
Fundraising
● Develop and implement long-term, forward-looking strategic fundraising plan, including annual calendar of deliverables;
● Collaborate with OutRight’s talented staff to realize major giving potential, grow its planned gifts program, and develop an effective annual plan through enhanced direct mail and online efforts;
● Create strategies to intentionally scale the organization’s strong government and corporate giving programs;
● Provide leadership and support to Board Members to meet their individual fundraising goals and partner with the Development Committee to leverage their networks and expertise to advance all resource development initiatives;
● Forge new relationships to expand and diversify donor base and pipeline, while maintaining existing donor relationships and deepening their engagement.
Organizational Development
● Enhance existing and establish new systems and policies to strengthen overall organizational fundraising capacity, improve operational efficiencies and achieve departmental effectiveness;
● Utilize data-driven strategies to grow and expand impact of fundraising operations and strengthen team skills and outcomes;
● Foster cross-departmental collaborations across teams to integrate and coordinate departmental activities and improve organizational cohesion;
● Lead by example to maintain organization’s collaborative and empathetic culture while developing and implementing processes to improve functions and communication;
Leadership
● Collaborate with Executive Director and Senior Management Team to create integrated, impactful, multi-year budgets, programs and strategic plans;
● Provide strong, collaborative, and intentional day-to-day leadership setting clear expectations around team members’ authority, responsibility, and accountability;
● Mentor, coach, and supervise staff at diverse levels of expertise, building team cohesion and intra-team communication, supporting skills-exchange, and promoting a sustainable, results-driven culture; and
● Understand and advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion through both US and international lenses, and with an understanding of intersectionality.
Professional Requirements
The Director of Development will have deep fundraising experience ideally with LGBTIQ or human rights organizations. The new leader will have an organized and strategic approach to fundraising with experience developing, managing, and coordinating fundraising efforts within a department and across an organization. They will have a track record of building infrastructure to support a successful, comprehensive development program. The ideal candidate will bring the following:
● A minimum of ten years’ multifaceted fundraising experience in progressive nonprofits;
● Successful track record of developing strategic and tactical fundraising initiatives to drive sustainable and diverse revenue streams;
● Demonstrated success cultivating donor relationships, stewarding, and soliciting major gifts and developing and implementing successful planned giving programs;
● Sophisticated management experience including an innovative approach to advancing change and leading teams to achieve ambitious objectives;
● Knowledge of the progressive institutional funding landscape; experience leading relationships with government and foundation funders, and prior oversight of timely, accurate, and effective grant proposals and reports;
● Prior experience developing and overseeing annual and direct response campaigns;
● Fluency in social media applications and knowledge of digital fundraising;
● Experience conceiving and overseeing large and small-scale event efforts;
● Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to conceptualize and describe funding needs in a way that is comprehensive and compelling to potential donors;
● Expertise in development department best practice systems, structures, policies and procedures, including knowledge of databases and CRM platforms. Experience with DonorPerfect is ideal;
● Prior experience developing and managing fundraising plans and operational budgets.
Personal Characteristics
The Director of Development will be a collaborative, flexible, and entrepreneurial leader with a passion for fundraising. They will thrive building, developing, and implementing systems, and policies that promote individual and organizational efficiency and effectiveness. The successful candidate will have the following:
● Knowledge of global LGBTIQ history and communities, and social justice and human rights organizations and issues;
● High energy and passion for OutRight’s mission and deep desire to improve conditions and lived experiences globally, and advocate for the human rights of LGBTIQ people everywhere;
● Flexibility to work comfortably and effectively both independently and as part of a team;
● Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to engage and collaborate with OutRight’s global staff and stakeholders;
● A commitment to feminist leadership principles including skills to lead by influence rather than power or authority;
● An empathetic leadership style with the capacity to manage diverse viewpoints and work styles, and to hold space for colleagues managing rapid responses to emerging, high-stakes human rights situations and crises.
Compensation
Our client is offering a competitive salary commensurate with the experience and qualifications of the selected candidate. In addition, they provide an excellent benefits package that includes 100% paid health, dental, and vision insurance for employees and 50% for a spouse and/or dependents; a 403(b) retirement plan with annual budget-based employer contribution (5% in FY20); paid sabbaticals for all employees with five years’ service; generous vacation, personal, sick and safe time; and a holiday schedule that honors regional distinctions within the staff.
Location
The new Director of Development will live in the United States, ideally the New York City Metro area.
Contact
Please submit a résumé and original cover letter that describes your interest in the organization’s mission and qualifications for the position as attachments via e-mail to:
Michelle Kristel, Managing Partner
Kamal Fizazi, Consultant
McCormack + Kristel
1740 Broadway, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212.531.5003 | Fax: 212.203.9599
Email: search@mccormackkristel.com | Website www.mccormackkristel.com
All inquiries will be held in strict confidence. Please note that your education, dates of employment and other information will be verified prior to an offer.
McCormack + Kristel works only with equal opportunity employers. OutRight’s policy and practice is to provide equal employment opportunity for all qualified applicants and employees without regard to age, race, ethnicity, color, creed, ancestry, religion, national origin, alienage, family status, marital status, military status, genetic information, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, reproductive health decision making, HIV status, sensory or mental or physical handicap or disability, victim status, lawful occupation or source of income, caregiver status, or any other protected characteristic under national, state or local law in any jurisdiction where OutRight operates. OutRight complies with all laws that prohibit discrimination in employment and any such discrimination will not be tolerated.
How To Apply
Contact
Please submit a résumé and original cover letter that describes your interest in the organization’s mission and qualifications for the position as attachments via e-mail to:
Michelle Kristel, Managing Partner
Kamal Fizazi, Consultant
McCormack + Kristel
1740 Broadway, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212.531.5003 | Fax: 212.203.9599
Email: search@mccormackkristel.com | Website www.mccormackkristel.com
All inquiries will be held in strict confidence. Please note that your education, dates of employment and other information will be verified prior to an offer.
McCormack + Kristel works only with equal opportunity employers. OutRight’s policy and practice is to provide equal employment opportunity for all qualified applicants and employees without regard to age, race, ethnicity, color, creed, ancestry, religion, national origin, alienage, family status, marital status, military status, genetic information, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, reproductive health decision making, HIV status, sensory or mental or physical handicap or disability, victim status, lawful occupation or source of income, caregiver status, or any other protected characteristic under national, state or local law in any jurisdiction where OutRight operates. OutRight complies with all laws that prohibit discrimination in employment and any such discrimination will not be tolerated.