Development Associate, Major Donor Relations

The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that seeks to improve the systems of democracy and justice in the United States. We work to hold our political institutions and laws accountable to the twin American ideals of democracy and equal justice for all. The Brennan Center’s work ranges from voting rights to campaign finance reform, from ending mass incarceration to preserving constitutional protections in national security policies.

Part think tank, part advocacy group, part cutting‑edge communications hub, we start with rigorous research. We craft innovative policies. And we fight for them — in Congress and the states, in the courts, and in the court of public opinion.

The Development team is responsible for raising revenues needed for the Brennan Center to operate and remain sustainable into the future. It is comprised of three portfolios:
Major Donor Relations, Institutional Relations, and Direct Response & Donor Services. The Brennan Center entirely relies on donations; it receives no funding from NYU or the government.

We seek a Development Associate to join the Major Donor Relations team, a vital part of our 20‑person Development department. This industrious, organized, and collaborative individual will support the major individual giving program, which raises $35-40M+ annually from individuals and families contributing five‑, six‑, seven‑, and eight‑figure gifts to the Brennan Center annually.

This position is in‑office 4 days/week (Monday through Thursday) and is based at our headquarters in New York City. This role may occasionally require in‑person work on Fridays and supporting early morning, evening, or weekend events.

• Manage organization of Major Donor Relations team’s weekly flow of donor correspondence, proofreading final products with assiduous attention to detail
• Support team of frontline fundraisers in the full scope of donor cultivation and stewardship practices, including but not limited to producing and editing written materials and preparing for virtual and in‑person meetings
• Prepare mailing lists, event invitation lists, donor research profiles, and other regular needs across the Major Donor Relations portfolio
• Support daily, weekly, and ad hoc major gift processing tasks, including cleanup, coding, issuing acknowledgments, and maintaining accurate donor records
• Conduct donor and prospect research, strategically issue‑spotting and effectively communicating results to front‑line fundraisers and program leaders
• In conjunction with the above, help to implement a systematic individual donor research program for the department, in close collaboration with the Development Associate focused on mid‑level giving
• Support the preparation for and production of both live and virtual donor events and briefings
• Use Salesforce to manage logistics for large outreach campaigns, create and update contact lists, and ensure integrity of donor and prospect information
• Coordinate meetings with donors and internal staff and delegate tasks to seasonal Development interns as needed
• Other duties as assigned

• Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum 1-2 years of post‑undergraduate, full‑time work experience required, preferably at a mission‑driven organization; fundraising experience is a plus but not required
• Highly organized with exceptional attention to detail and accuracy
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Sound judgment and discretion with confidential and sensitive information
• Proactive self‑starter who works independently, problem‑solves, and anticipates issues
• Energetic team player who responds productively to direction and feedback and seeks opportunities for growth and learning
• Ability to multitask and thrive in a fast‑paced, unpredictable environment
• Maturity, professionalism, and emotional intelligence to work effectively with staff, donors, external contacts, and leadership at all levels
• Flexibility to work overtime as needed to meet deadlines or urgent priorities
• Proficiency with office systems and databases, including but not limited to CRMs (experience with programs such as Salesforce or Raisers…