Director, Development and Outreach

FULL-TIME JOB VACANCY
Director, Development and Outreach
Development and Outreach Department
Location: Paris, France
Application Date: April 28, 2025

The Development and Outreach Department of Human Rights Watch (HRW) is seeking applicants for the position of Director, France to lead our fundraising and outreach in France. The Director will work closely with the HRW France Director, who oversees Advocacy and Communications in France. The successful candidate will mobilize support from donors and prospects in France, including the Paris Committee – a network of close supporters who support fundraising, outreach, networking, and cultivation initiatives. The Director will be charged with nurturing, stewarding, and growing HRW’s donor base and presence including by planning and executing annual signature fundraising event.

The Director will report to the Managing Director of Development and Outreach for Europe and the Asia Pacific region and will supervise at least one member of the team. The successful candidate will be expected to work from the Paris office at least 2-3 days per week, with the option to work remotely the rest of the week.

Responsibilities: 

1. Develop and oversee the strategic plan, budget and income forecast for a fundraising strategy in France, focusing on Paris;
2. Seek and secure philanthropic commitments from a personal portfolio of individual and foundation donors;
3. Identify and develop strategic fundraising and outreach initiatives, fostering engagement and cultivation of major gift prospects, including recruitment and cultivation events to enhance program visibility and increase fundraising results;
4. Work in collaboration with the Paris Committee leadership, as well as Paris-based Board members, to implement initiatives geared toward maximizing fundraising results, including the planning and execution of the annual fundraising Voices for Justice event;
5. In partnership with the Institutional Giving Team, research, identify, cultivate, steward, and solicit prospective foundations and existing foundations that have the ability and affinity to contribute to HRW;
6. Represent the work of HRW to existing and prospective supporters;
7. Help build the French structure to offer donors the option to also support HRW through a gift in their will;
8. Deliver sustainable growth in line with the financial targets;
9. Oversee income tracking, projections, expenditure budgets, event expenses, and revenue, ensuring appropriate allocation of resources within the budget; and
10. Perform any other responsibilities as required.

Managerial Responsibilities:

1. Lead, motivate, and mentor direct-reports, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, providing regular and timely constructive feedback, ensuring a balanced workload, providing guidance on professional growth, and monitoring staff well-being as it pertains to stress and resilience issues and self-care;
2. Promote an inclusive and positive work environment including by soliciting diverse points of views, encouraging staff to participate in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, and proactively addressing any bias, or discrimination; and
3. Model inclusive behavior and consistently adhere to HRW’s internal values.

Qualifications:

Education: A bachelor’s degree in philanthropy, business, finance, communications/marketing or related studies and/or equivalent work experience in a relevant field such as international relations, social sciences is required.

Experience: A minimum of 10 years of fundraising experience with major and leadership level donors, including at least five years of management experience, is required.

Related Skills and Knowledge:

1. Demonstrated success in creating and managing major and leadership gift programs, as well as extensive experience in building and maintaining high-level donor relationships and personally soliciting gifts is required.
2. Strong commitment to human rights and/or international issues, with the ability to represent and advocate for the mission and programs of the organization is required.
3. An entrepreneurial and goal-oriented mindset with self-motivation, independence, creativity and the ability to work both individually and as part of an international development team is required.
4. Outstanding interpersonal skills for effective collaboration within the organization and with external partners are required.
5. Knowledge of the fundraising environment in France is required.
6. Experience overseeing fundraising strategy around events is preferred.
7. Excellent oral and written communication skills in both, French and English, including strong presentation abilities in both languages is required.
8. Management experience is required. The candidate has experience providing leadership, motivation and mentorship, setting clear expectations, performance objectives, and providing regular and constructive feedback.
9. Proven experience in budgeting, revenue tracking, and projections is required.
10. Technological skills, including familiarity with Salesforce or other relational databases are highly desirable.
11. Willingness to travel locally and internationally as required.

Salary and Benefits: The salary range for this position is EUR 102,000 – 112,000. HRW seeks exceptional applicants and offers comprehensive compensation and benefits. HRW can offer a relocation assistance package and immigration support for this role if required, and people of all nationalities are encouraged to apply.  

How to Apply: Please apply immediately or by April 28,2025 by visiting our online job portal at https://careers.hrw.org and attaching a letter of interest and a CV or resume. No calls or email inquiries, please. Only complete applications will be reviewed, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with your application submission or if you require accommodations during the application process, please email recruitment@hrw.org. Due to the large response, application submissions via email will not be accepted and inquiries regarding the status of applications will go unanswered.

Human Rights Watch is strong because it is diverse. We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. Human Rights Watch does not discriminate on the basis of disability, age, gender identity and expression, national origin, race and ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or criminal record. We welcome all kinds of diversity. Our employees include people who are parents and nonparents, the self-taught and university educated, and from a wide span of socioeconomic backgrounds and perspectives on the world. Human Rights Watch is an equal opportunity employer. 

Human Rights Watch is an international human rights monitoring and advocacy organization known for its in-depth investigations, its incisive and timely reporting, its innovative and high-profile advocacy campaigns, and its success in changing the human rights-related policies and practices of influential governments and international institutions.