Assistant Director of Development

*** COVID vaccination required. Exemption requests considered on a case-by-case basis. ***

Organizational Profile: Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC (“AAJC”) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1991. Our mission is to advance the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and to build and promote a fair and equitable society for all. For 30 years, we have served as the leading Asian American voice on civil rights issues in our nation’s capital – fighting for the rights of our communities through policy advocacy, litigation, research, public education, and community engagement.

Based in Washington, DC, Advancing Justice | AAJC is a member of the Asian Americans Advancing Justice (Advancing Justice) affiliation. With our affiliates in Atlanta, Chicago, and Southern California, we work together as equal and independent partners, operate under one name, and strive to speak with one unified and powerful voice to promote justice, empower our communities, bring local and national constituents together, and strengthen our multiracial democracy. 

Title:              Assistant Director, Development

Reports to:     Head of Development

Supervises:    One (1) full-time staff member

Term:             Immediately 

Status:            Full-time, Exempt Employee, 40 hours/week

Salary:           $102,000 - $111,556

Location:       Washington, DC

This is a unionized organization, and this position is not in the collective bargaining unit.

Position Summary: The Assistant Director of Development will serve as a key thought partner to the Head of Development and play a central role in advancing the organization's fundraising strategy and donor engagement efforts.

The Assistant Director of Development is primarily responsible for helping create and implement key strategies and initiatives for donor engagement, recognition, and stewardship for AAJC funder groups (institutional funders, corporate funders, and individual donors). This position will be responsible for accurately maintaining all funder and donor engagements and tracking contributions. The Assistant Director will take the lead on drafting proposals, reports, and other administrative items necessary for building and maintaining partnerships and will work in collaboration with the Head of Development and organizational staff in planning, coordinating, and executing donor stewardship activities. 

The Assistant Director serves as the primary manager of the American Courage Awards, AAJC's flagship annual fundraising event, and is responsible for the planning, execution, and budget management of all organizational fundraising events and activities.

The Assistant Director will help coordinate AAJC donor engagement fundraising strategies and activities with their counterparts at the other affiliates, to align and integrate AAJC objectives for maximum effectiveness of collective endeavors.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Organizational Leadership and Strategic Planning

• Serve as a thought partner to the Head of Development in shaping and refining AAJC's fundraising strategy, including planning and execution of the American Courage Awards.
• Develop and implement fundraising strategies with a high degree of independence, bringing ideas to execution with minimal oversight.
• Collaborate with the executive team, staff, and board to inform budget development, program priorities, and innovative approaches that advance AAJC's mission and strategic plan.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with funders and partners, representing AAJC externally with fluency and confidence across the full range of donor engagement activities.
• Build and maintain strong cross-departmental relationships, serving as a bridge between Development and program staff to align funding strategies with organizational priorities. 
• Support the identification and cultivation of new funding opportunities in partnership with program leaders, and contribute to portfolio management in collaboration with the Head of Development.

Funder Engagement and Portfolio Management 

 In collaboration with the Head of Development, build and execute a comprehensive donor engagement strategy across foundation, corporate, and individual giving, inclusive of financial targets and performance metrics.

• Cultivate, manage, and grow a portfolio of foundation and corporate funders, with a focus on expanding the pipeline for new and increased giving.
• Work with the President and Executive Director, Head of Development, Board of Directors, and National Advisory Council to identify and cultivate new corporate and foundation donors in support of AAJC's mission and programs.
• In partnership with program leadership and program staff, manage the grants process end-to-end — including tracking deadlines, coordinating proposal development, drafting and editing submissions, and managing reporting requirements — ensuring timely and accurate delivery.
• Develop and implement strategies for donor recognition and stewardship in collaboration with the Head of Development.
• Maintain accurate and current records of all funder interactions, meeting notes, invoices, giving history, and relationship updates in Raiser's Edge NXT, ensuring timely and reliable portfolio data to support donor strategy and decision-making.

Special Events 

• Manage the planning and execution of the American Courage Awards and all other fundraising and cultivation events — including donor salons, house parties, and smaller-scale events — in close coordination with the Head of Development, who provides strategic direction and final oversight.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for ACA event sponsors, managing outreach, invoicing, sponsorship fulfillment, and ongoing communication, including the development of sponsorship materials.
• Collaborate with the Communications team on event programming, marketing materials, and external-facing collateral to ensure cohesive messaging and brand alignment.
• Oversee all event logistics, including: venue, catering, AV, design, printed materials, marketing, revenue generation initiatives, ticket sales, on-site coordination, post-event follow-up and stewardship.
• Coordinate with Finance and Operations on event budgeting, revenue accounting, and reconciliation. 
• Assist in securing and stewarding event honorees and speakers.

Development Operations and Information Management 

• Provide oversight and quality control of development data and systems, ensuring the integrity of AAJC's Raiser's Edge NXT database and adherence to data entry protocols.
• Maintain working proficiency in donor database management, including data entry, gift processing, and record maintenance, to ensure operational continuity and effective team support.
• In collaboration with the Head of Development, identify organizational income goals through statistical analysis of donor data, and build and run queries, exports, and analysis reports to create targeted appeal lists to support fundraising strategy and decision-making.
• Support the preparation of monthly and periodic fundraising reports, income projections, and donor pipeline analysis.
• Collaborate with Finance and Operations on donor revenue accounting, budgeting, and reconciliation. 
• Coordinate online fundraising campaigns in partnership with the communications team, including digital and social media channels. 
• Coordinate production and distribution of appeal letters and other donor communications. 
• Provide direction and oversight to development staff on database management, administrative workflows, and project priorities, and contribute to the growth and professional development of the development team.
• Other duties as assigned. 

General AAJC Roles

• Live and exhibit the Values of AAJC, by contributing to an environment that promotes trust, teamwork, and transparency among staff, board, National Advisory Council, affiliates, and community partners.
• Contribute to, establish, and follow policies and procedures, including maintenance of confidentiality, to ensure that the principles of AAJC are implemented.
• Participate in decision-making processes, understand outcomes, and be accountable for decisions made in or affecting their area.
• Understand the values and principles of AAJC and apply them fully in work responsibilities.
• Participate in other activities and serve on ad hoc committees as requested.
• Attend and contribute to AAJC and Board of Directors’ meetings as requested.
• Be available to travel and work occasional evenings and weekends.

EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree required.
• At least seven years of fundraising experience in a nonprofit or corporate setting required.
• Experience with foundation relations and grants management preferred.
• Experience in and knowledge of Asian American, civil, and/or human rights issues preferred.

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, drive projects to completion, and meet internal and external deadlines in a fast-paced, rapidly-changing environment is required.
• Strong project and process management skills, with exceptional attention to detail and organizational follow-through.
• Facilitative and collaborative leadership style, with strong interpersonal and people management skills. 
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and accurately with donors, funders, and external constituents. 
• Strong written communication skills, including experience drafting donor-facing materials, grant proposals, or reports. 
• Experience planning and executing fundraising or cultivation events, including budget management and vendor coordination. 
• Proficiency in fundraising database management, preferably Raiser's Edge NXT.

Application Process 

Send cover letter, resume, and a short writing sample to Hiring Manager at hiring@advancingjustice-aajc.org or to 1620 L Street NW, Suite 1050, Washington, DC 20036. Applications with all three items will be reviewed. Offers contingent upon satisfactory reference checks.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC is an equal opportunity employer.