Development Writer Job New York New York USA,Creative Arts/Media

Job Description FULL-TIME FIXED-TERM JOB VACANCY Development Writer/Editor Development and Outreach Department New York

Application Date:
October 18th, 2026

The Development and Outreach Department of Human Rights Watch (HRW) is seeking applicants for the position of Development Writer. This person will craft concise, fresh, persuasive and compelling materials for fundraising purposes that reflect the work, impact, and values of HRW with an emphasis on human-centered writing and storytelling. The successful candidate will also be a critical thought partner on new and innovative written fundraising and stewardship tools.

Applicants should be comfortable writing on a variety of topics on deadline and have experience turning complicated subject matter into accessible, inspirational content for broad donor audiences.

This position reports to the Director of Program Engagement in the Donor Experiences and Offers team, based in the New York area, and will collaborate with colleagues across multiple time zones.

Candidates will preferably be based within the commuting distance to our New York office.

This is a 12-month fixed term full-time position.

Responsibilities

Craft short-form writing for a global donor audience in a variety of formats, e.g. impact updates and impact summaries, easy-to-read explainers, talking points, communication on breaking news, email fundraising copy, and funding menus;
Synthesize and shorten existing writing on a range of complex topics to make it accessible and engaging for a broad donor audience;
Stay up-to-date with HRW’s programmatic work, especially priority areas and latest impact, in order to accurately convey the mission and work of HRW in all materials;
Collaborate with development teams working on content, including the Foundations and Program Liaison office, Marketing, Planned Giving, Creative and fundraisers to conceptualize and develop compelling materials and templates that advance our fundraising objectives;
Liaise with colleagues in Program and Media Departments to inform and materials;
Set priorities and manage workflow for multiple projects on deadline in alignment with an established stewardship calendar, while still leaving capacity for opportunistic urgent response work; and
Perform other responsibilities as may be required.

Qualifications

Education: A bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience is required.

Experience: A minimum of five years writing compelling content on deadline for fundraising, development, marketing, or communications purposes is required.

Related Skills and Knowledge

Excellent written and oral communications skills in English.

Demonstrated ability to translate complex information into succinct, compelling content for a broad donor audience.

Demonstrated ability to tailor writing to different audiences, including across geographies.

Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality content on deadline.

Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to incorporate input and work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders, including executive staff.

Excellent time and project management skills.

Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment when communicating breaking news to donor audiences.

Familiarity with and demonstrated commitment to international human rights or a related field.

Development or outreach experience in the non-profit sector is desirable.

Experience producing visually appealing content including by working with graphic designers is desirable.

Other:

We are not able to sponsor work authorization for this role. Candidates must possess valid work authorization for this position.

Salary and Benefits

HRW seeks exceptional applicants and offers comprehensive compensation and benefits. The salary range for this position if based in the US is…