Director, Development and Communications

Worker’s Justice Project (WJP) (workersjustice.org) was founded in 2010 to address the racial and economic injustices that low-wage immigrant workers face in New York City by building collective power to win institutional change. WJP runs two long-standing worker’s centers in Brooklyn. We promote justice and opportunity for low-wage immigrant workers in New York City by pushing for systematic enforcement and expansion of workplace protections, which include labor and occupational health and safety standards while advocating for industry-specific efforts to improve working conditions. WJP also offers skills-building training to workers in health & safety and industry-specific areas, and we educate immigrant communities about their rights in the workplace and how to exercise those rights.

WJP is a fiscally sponsored project of TSNE (tsne.org).

The Director of Development and Communications (DDC) will work in partnership with the Executive Director and WJP leadership team to support strategic fundraising, media relations and community engagement efforts that support the vision, mission, and values of WJP and its Divisions such as Los Deliveristas Unidos, Liberty Cleaners, Construction Workers.

This position will develop and oversee fundraising and communications strategies that support the organization’s events, donation campaigns, and institutional operations. This position will report to the Deputy  Director and will work closely with members of the leadership team and advisory board to identify funding and communications priorities that align with the organization’s strategic objectives, mission, and vision.

Fundraising and Donor Relations

• Manage and grow a portfolio of major and principal gift prospects, moving them through the stages of cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. Take ownership of developing donor-specific strategies, meeting preparation, and timely follow-up;
• Ensure regular communication, reporting, and renewals of support;
• Cultivate relationships with new potential donors, partners, and supporters through a variety of engagement strategies and networks, as well as examination of existing donors who may have greater capacity. Build a pipeline of planned giving prospects;
• Oversee the production of prospect/donor briefings, ensuring they are completed on time with input from appropriate staff leads;
• Oversee development operations, including pipeline and forecasting, revenue reporting, and database use and implementation;
• Oversee research of funding opportunities and evaluate potential sources;
• Develop, execute and manage a multi-year fundraising plan along with the Executive Director;
• Prepare grant proposals, letters of interest, foundation reports along with the Executive Director and Program Directors;
• Create and coordinate meaningful opportunities for donors and program officers to connect with WJP’s mission on a personal level through funder briefings, tours, events, and one on one meetings;
• Strengthen donor trust, deepen relationships, and increase donor retention by ensuring that donors are thanked in a timely fashion and have a clear sense of the impact of their gifts;
• Develop and execute WJP’s annual fundraising Gala and other fundraising events by outreaching to and soliciting sponsorships, and overseeing the event promotion, logistics planning, and planning of event program and messaging. May include collaborating with a third party event-planning contractor;
• Work with WJP and TSNE finance and Executive Director to align organizational budgets with fundraising prospects and ensure that the organization meets its annual financial goals and develops a strong financial base for the future;
• Enhance and use systems for tracking all donations, funder and donor prospects, and fundraising efforts across staff;
• Work with Deputy Director and Program Directors to ensure all deliverables are met and to track deliverables;
• Provide support in government grant management by writing proposal narratives for all government grants and submitting applications (city, state, federal).

Communications

• Create donor-facing communications, such as pitch decks, reports, and written and online appeals. Leverage data, results, and stories in communications;
• Oversee content creation for print and digital media, including collateral materials such as newsletters, annual report, and event invitations, website design, social media, and email to support annual communications strategy with key audiences (donors, WJP members, employers of WJP Members volunteers, activists;
• Oversee the development of communications materials for supporters, allied, donors and stakeholders;
• Oversee the creation of media content such as press releases and media advisories;
• Oversee the creation of social media content and work with the communication manager on managing the social media outlets;
• Oversee messages from the community through social media accounts and properly reply and/or channel it to WJP’s appropriate team or division;
• Coordinating and preparing WJP internally for speaking engagements such as funder briefings, panels, conferences, etc.;
• Develop briefing memos and present them to WJP staff and members to prepare them for any external engagements (honorings, conferences, etc.);
• Oversee the development of external communication material for marketing purposes (Liberty Cleaners flyers, emails, etc. to potential clients);
• Respond to fastbreaking news items and press conferences with city officials and other partners (may require last-minute production of press materials (quotes, statements, advisories and press conference coordination)
• Oversee WJP’s branding to ensure consistency of style and content, including serving as point person between graphic designers and executive team, gather team’s feedback and needs to share with graphic designers.

Management & Leadership

• Collaborate in strategic planning and program development with ED and program directors;
• Set annual resource development goals tied to the Strategic Plan, raising revenue from individuals, corporations, foundations, and government sources;
• Create and implement strategies to meet or exceed these goals each year. Track progress and manage work plans across all four of these revenue streams;
• Manage the development and communication team; may include hiring, onboarding, training, mentoring, and consistent supervision;
• Analyze performance of fundraising and communications strategies and regularly report to the Executive Director, WJP/TSNE Finance Team and Board of Directors;
• Develop and implement protocols and systems for branding and improving internal workflow and efficiency;
• Work with TSNE Finance and Grants Management Team to follow fundraising and grant making protocols and procedures;
• Oversee management and coordination of photographers, videographers,content creators, graphic designers, as needed for communications strategies (including development of contracts, scopes of work, and budgets)
• Supervise volunteers involved in communications and development work (including coordination of schedules, integration with program teams and overseeing quality assurance of any donor or communications related products or materials).

 Other duties as assigned.

We will consider exceptional candidates who demonstrate a strong combination of the specific qualifications and skills described below.

• At least 8 years of fundraising experience including experience securing and managing foundation grants, and 3 years management experience and proven ability to lead a team;
• At least 5 years of experience in communications, including experience with press management and relations, familiarity with press outlets in New York City, as well as experience overseeing organizational social media channels,
• Experience working in a fast-paced non-profit environment;
• Commitment to racial and economic justice;
• Excellent written, verbal, and listening communication skills;
• Self-motivated, hardworking individual with ability to work independently;
• Demonstrated experience building strong relationships with high-level allies and donors;
• Detail-oriented while prioritizing big-picture strategies;
• Strong project management skills and ability to juggle multiple deadlines and priorities;
• Excellent people and relationship building skills;
• Extensive knowledge of social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok), as well as office technology and software (Google Apps, Word, Excel, etc.);
• Love of teamwork and a good team player while working in a collaborative work environment;
• Strong written and verbal communications skills in English and Spanish fluently is required, additional fluency in French is a plus. 
• Dedication and ability to work a flexible schedule including early mornings, evenings, and/or weekends as needed;
• Deep knowledge of the funding and media landscape in New York City and beyond;
• Strong track record of building, sustaining, and growing long-term donor relationships with individuals, foundations, corporation, and government agencies;
• Familiarity with managing external relations and marketing plans;
• Experienced public speaker who is able to effectively communicate WJP’s programs and mission;
• Tactical, multitasking thinker who can work simultaneously on immediate goals and long-term strategies;
• A commitment to WJP’s mission, vision, and values of justice and self-determination for low-income, immigrant workers;
• Experience working with PowerBase/CiviCRM databases a plus

The physical demands described here are representative of those for this position. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. Work is performed in an office environment and in close proximity to other workers.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to:

• There may be a need to lift and/or move materials or equipment up to 25 pounds
• Able to work outdoors in inclement weather conditions.
• Able to commute using the NYC public transportation system.
• Able to work in an open office space.
• Able to work a flexible schedule including early mornings, evenings, and/or weekends as needed.
• Handle, or feel objects, tools or controls.
• Reach; traverse; sit or stand (usually for longer periods of time); occasionally ascend/descend; and position self (to) move.
• Extended periods of time in front of a computer screen is an essential aspect of the position.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• Job is not subject to significant occupational or environmental hazards.
• Likelihood of personal injury would be relatively slight.
• Environmental and work hazards are not present to a measurable degree.