Chief Development Officer

Human Rights Watch · Multiple Locations Considered; New York, New York, United States

  • Senior
  • Full-time
  • $350,000 – $400,000
  • Posted 2026-08-31
  • Confirmed live on 25 September 2026

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Job description

FULL TIME JOB VACANCY
CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
Development and Outreach Department
Multiple Locations Considered (NYC Preferred)
Application Deadline: Open Until Filled

The Role
The Chief Development Officer (CDO) will bring fresh vision and strategic leadership to build on and boldly advance the organization's fundraising, marketing, and donor and community engagement efforts, deepening impact and expanding reach at a pivotal moment for HRW. This is a critical position for the organization and an exciting opportunity to shape and accelerate the fundraising strategy and roadmap for HRW's future, developing and implementing ambitious fundraising, outreach, and constituency building strategies. The CDO must be committed to HRW's mission to take on human rights abuses around the world, communicate passionately about its work, and inspire its staff, volunteer teams, and donors.

The CDO will report directly to Executive Director Philippe Bolopion and will serve on HRW's Executive Committee, the organization’s senior leadership team. The CDO will lead a high-performing Development & Outreach Team of approximately 110 staff members, spanning leadership and principal giving, donor committees and council fundraising, Board of Directors engagement, foundation giving, marketing, planned giving, and fundraising systems and data analysis.

Fundraising Context
HRW’s fundraising has grown steadily over the years, and it currently raises approximately $100M annually, with approximately 70% of its revenue from gifts of $100,000+. A focus of fundraising and outreach at HRW has been the HRW Council, a collective of some 20 committees and 1,000 individuals around the world who help fundraise, engage new constituents and potential donors, partner with local organizations to promote human rights issues, and advocate on behalf of HRW and its mission. The CDO will be responsible for growing existing revenue streams and diversifying the organization’s income through principal, leadership and major gifts, institutional funding, marketing, and planned giving to ensure the long-term health and sustainability of the organization.

The greatest opportunity for the CDO lies in engaging donors at the highest levels to support major strategic work while also determining the optimal level of resources for growing the base of support. In 2024, HRW adopted a five-year Global Strategy to guide the organization’s programmatic and operational direction. In July 2026, the strategy was refined to help position HRW for maximum impact in a rapidly shifting human rights environment. The CDO will shape how HRW grows and diversifies revenue to support the organization’s strategic priorities and deliver on the ambitions set out in the refined strategy.

Underpinning all of this is a mandate for stability and steady leadership. HRW seeks a CDO who will lead the function credibly over the long term – reinforcing continuity, strengthening the pipeline, and building the confidence of the Development & Outreach Team. The CDO will partner closely with an engaged Board, providing the structure and clear, well-framed strategies that enable board members to fundraise effectively, and bringing the judgment and gravitas to offer candid counsel to both the Board and the Executive Director. The Executive Director is a highly effective, door-opening presence with donors, and the CDO will amplify that strength through strategic partnership, disciplined preparation, and timely briefings. Finally, the CDO will invest in the Development & Outreach Team itself – building capacity, fostering trust across a distributed group, and marrying HRW's activist passion with professional fundraising rigor.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Play a critical leadership role in shaping the organization's overall strategy and multi-year financial planning, working closely with the Executive Committee and Finance team to align revenue growth with organizational priorities;
2. Translate those priorities into an ambitious multi-year development and fundraising strategy, developing and implementing compelling plans and campaigns that inspire donors and partners to join HRW in addressing unprecedented challenges to human rights;
3. Provide strategic direction across all aspects of HRW fundraising and outreach activities, including leadership gifts, foundations, marketing, donor experiences, planned giving, development operations and analysis, donor committees and board engagement;
4. Represent HRW’s work to donors, prospects, and the Council to cultivate and grow the organization’s base of support;
5. Set and meet fundraising objectives, monitor and evaluate progress, and pivot strategy as needed to capitalize on emerging opportunities and maximize impact;
6. Develop comprehensive, ambitious funding proposals that will engage and inspire top-tier donors to make transformational gifts;
7. Champion diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Development & Outreach Team and across relationships wit

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