Private Fundraising Communications Officer

Job Description

BACKGROUND
Over the past 90 years, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has developed unparalleled expertise in responding to emergencies and helping uprooted communities to rebuild. Foundedin 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. The IRC is on the ground in more than 40 countries, providing emergency relief, relocating refugees and rebuilding lives in the wake of disaster.

The IRC is committed to a culture of bold leadership, innovation in all aspects of our work, creative partnerships and, most crucially, accountability to those we serve. The IRC is a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable.

IRC UK
IRC UK is part of the IRC global network, which has its global headquarters in New York. Our team in the UK works to raise profile, deliver policy and practice change, and increase funding to help restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Since 2021, IRC UK has also provided integration services directly to refugees in England.

In Europe, the IRC also has offices in Berlin, Bonn, Brussels, Geneva and Stockholm.

The Purpose of the Role

Marketing & Mobilization (M&M), a part of External Relations (ER), is a dynamic team, tasked with overseeing and creating communications and marketing, building the IRC’s global profile and brand, increasing private revenue from deeper donor engagement and partnerships, and influencing our target audiences. In alignment with our Strategy100 commitments, M&M has launched ambitious multi-year campaigns that raise funding, profile and influence and will improve our share of voice and resonance in key geographies and globally.

The Content and Creative team, a part of M&M, consists of award-winning creative specialists and idea partners, developing powerful communications and experiences to really engage audiences and ultimately to deliver on ER ambitions and objectives. Using creative mediums such as storytelling, visual design, and video, they tap into the expertise of colleagues across the organization.

The Officer, Private Fundraising Communications is responsible for developing content that inspires private sector funding towards the IRC’s innovative and impactful programs in 40+ countries. This person will collaborate extensively with program teams and External Relations to create communications that engage prospective donors, demonstrate their unique philanthropic impact, and inspire ongoing support through tailored content across Trust & Foundations, Global High Net Worth Individuals, Global New Business, and Corporations.

This person will be a strong grant writer, dynamic storyteller, communicating the story of IRC’s work on behalf of people impacted by crisis for over 90 years through concept notes, proposals, pitch decks, reports, and other fundraising content. The ideal candidate will be familiar with humanitarian program design concepts and complex proposal development processes.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Business Development Writing (40%):

• Responsible for producing persuasive and well-structured proposals for 6+ figure grants, positioning IRC as a best-in-class humanitarian and development organization. (They will support a portfolio with a special focus on Trust & Foundations, with projects for Corporate, HNWI, etc. as assigned.)
• Conduct programmatic research, collaborate with various teams (fundraising, program, etc.), and articulate the organization's goals, strategies, and impact to secure funding for humanitarian and development projects.
• Transform technical, programmatic content into sophisticated, compelling, donor-friendly materials. These materials will showcase the impact and sustainability of our programs while communicating our shared values with private sector partners.

Impact Reporting (40%):

• Create comprehensive and compelling reports and other written materials that highlight innovation, evidence, and outcomes the IRC delivers for our clients in some of the world’s toughest places, while building trust and transparency with private sector donors.
• Use data, human-interest stories, and other storytelling to create compelling, effective reports. These reports will fulfill donor-set requirements and communicate what sets our program approaches, evidence generation, advocacy, and expertise apart.
• Present program results clearly, workshopping reports with technical experts across the IRC.

Project Management (20%):

• Serve as a primary focal point for account managers to navigate communications resources and grant writing services.
• Lead the end-to-end process of proposal development across a diverse portfolio of grants - including curating content, workshopping information with program and communications colleagues, and building editorial timelines to finalize written assets across IRC teams.
• Document timelines and follow up with relevant responsible parties to help ensure core proposal/reporting milestones are met
• Coordinate with IRC teams (Program, Finance, Design and UX, Communications, etc.) to shape custom grant communications and set priorities.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications:

• Experience in crafting compelling proposals for high-net-worth donors, foundations, and corporations.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills, with exposure to strong program design backed by logframes, theories of change, and work plans.**
• Strong storytelling skills, with the ability to transform technical concepts and program design ideas into easy-to-understand communications that are brand-aligned, creative, and inspiring.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and meet tight deadlines.
• Strong ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders.**

Experience:

• Demonstrated experience in grant writing, proposal development or reporting, preferably in an international organization and/or for the Corporate sector.**