Director of Development and External Affairs

Center for Democracy & Technology • Washington, DC

6d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Development and External Affairs is a senior fundraising executive and member of CDT’s management and executive teams. The role leads the organization’s fundraising strategy and operations, building a diversified and sustainable base of philanthropic support to support CDT’s growth and impact. The Director partners with the CEO and Board of Directors to set and meet revenue goals, deepen supporter relationships, and lead engagement with the philanthropic community. The position manages the development team and works closely with the Board, Finance & Operations, communications and policy teams, the Europe office, and staff across the organization. It reports to the CEO.

The Director develops and executes a multi-year development strategy, manages major-gift fundraising, oversees institutional and events-based giving, and leads supporter engagement and development operations. The role also represents CDT to funders, allies, and the broader philanthropic community. CDT is a nonpartisan nonprofit that advances civil rights and civil liberties in the digital age through policy advocacy, research, legal work, and engagement with policymakers, companies, civil society, and the public. Its areas of focus include AI policy and governance, privacy, online expression and access to information, government surveillance, elections and democracy, civic technology, and education.

The position is based in CDT’s Washington, D.C. office and follows a hybrid schedule, generally requiring three days in the office per week (Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday). A different hybrid schedule may be considered in exceptional cases, and is available when needed as a disability accommodation. Applications are considered on a rolling basis through December 1, 2026.

Requirements

• Deep commitment to CDT’s mission and values.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible development experience, including a demonstrated record of cultivating, soliciting, and closing major gifts from individuals.
• Experience leading and developing a fundraising team and building or scaling a development program at a growing organization.
• Experience working closely with a CEO and board to engage prospects and close gifts, and the presence and credibility to represent an organization effectively in donor conversations.
• Experience with institutional fundraising (foundation, corporate, and/or government) and an understanding of building a diversified revenue base.
• A strategic, data-informed approach to fundraising, including experience with prospect research, moves management, pipeline tracking, revenue forecasting, and donor databases.
• Experience building and stewarding networks of advisors, alumni, volunteers, or other external supporters.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, sound judgment, and discretion in handling confidential donor information.
• Knowledge of nonprofit fundraising ethics and compliance.
• An energetic, entrepreneurial, and collaborative working style.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with, or strong interest in, technology policy, human rights, democracy issues, and related funder communities.
• Experience fundraising for a nonpartisan policy or advocacy organization.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive, multi-year development strategy and revenue plan with the CEO and senior leadership.
• Contribute to organizational planning, budgeting, and revenue forecasting as a member of the executive team, and lead special projects as they arise.
• Lead, manage, and mentor the development team, and oversee the systems, processes, and capacity needed to support a larger fundraising operation.
• Work with policy staff to translate CDT’s complex policy work into a clear and compelling case for support.
• Track and report fundraising progress, pipeline, and key metrics to the CEO, senior leadership, and Board.
• Build and lead a major-gifts program, identifying, qualifying, soliciting, and stewarding individual donors and family foundations capable of leadership-level and transformational gifts.
• Manage a portfolio of major-gift donors and prospects using disciplined moves management and a tracked pipeline.
• Partner with the CEO, development team, and senior policy staff on donor cultivation and solicitation strategies, including briefings, small-group convenings, events, and personalized engagement.
• Steward donors and keep them connected to CDT’s mission and informed about the impact of their support.
• Oversee foundation, corporate, and events-based fundraising, including renewals, new opportunities, proposals, and reports.
• Mentor and provide tactical and strategic support to senior development staff responsible for foundation, corporate, and events-based fundraising; track trends and revenue potential.
• Oversee fundraising pitches, grant proposals, and reports to ensure quality, persuasiveness, and a consistent voice.
• Oversee and steward CDT’s external supporter networks, including its Advisory Council, alumni community, and Collaborating Attorneys Network, and engage members as advisors, ambassadors, and supporters.
• Develop and oversee supporter engagement, including donor events, donor communications, and annual and online giving, in partnership with communications.
• Represent CDT to funders, allies, and the philanthropic community and raise the organization’s profile among prospective supporters.
• Oversee development operations and improve CDT’s development infrastructure, including prospecting, pipeline development, donor database management, gift processing and acknowledgment, and reporting.
• Ensure fundraising practices comply with applicable law, ethical standards, and CDT policies, including gift acceptance, charitable solicitation registration, and donor privacy, in coordination with the General Counsel and Director of Finance & Operations.
• Partner with Finance on revenue forecasts, fundraising goal tracking, accurate gift processing, grant reporting, and financial stewardship of donor funds.

Benefits

• 100% covered health care, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents.
• Flexible spending and dependent care accounts.
• Life insurance.
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance.
• 403(b) retirement account; CDT contributes up to 6% of salary following one year of employment.
• 13 company holidays and closure for the period between Christmas and New Year’s.
• Paid vacation: 15 days per year, increasing with tenure.
• Sick days.
• Parental leave.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed