Director of Principal Giving

Public Justice is a nonprofit legal advocacy organization dedicated to taking on the biggest systemic threats to justice of our time – abusive corporate power and predatory practices, the assault on civil rights, and the destruction of the earth’s sustainability. We connect high‑impact litigation with strategic communications and the strength of our partnerships to fight these abusive and discriminatory systems and win social and economic justice.

In particular, we ensure access to the civil justice system, protect the civil rights of students, boldly lead efforts to reform the industrial agriculture system, fight to end modern‑day debtor’s prisons, enforce the nation’s most important environmental laws, and much more.

Public Justice seeks a full‑time Director of Principal Giving to lead and executive a comprehensive major gifts strategy focused on securing high‑level support from private foundations, family foundations, donor‑advised funds, and individual philanthropists.

This is a unique and exciting opportunity to help support fundraising efforts for some of the most critical legal and social issues facing the country. Working within a small Development Team, the Director of Principal Giving will build and manage a portfolio of high‑capacity donors and prospects, cultivate long‑term relationships, and introduce Public Justice’s work to high‑level supporters that share Public Justice’s values. Working with the Chief Executive Officer, Vice President of Development and Membership, Project Directors and Staff Attorneys, the Director of Principal Giving will play an integral role in generating the income necessary to sustain the organization’s mission and practice areas.

This is an exempt position and reports to the Vice President of Development and Membership. This position can be based in our Washington D.C. office or remotely from other parts of the country.

Travel Requirements: Occasional travel for donor engagement, Board meetings, conferences, and membership events will be required.

Job Responsibilities:

Strategy & Portfolio Management

• Proactively identify, cultivate, solicit, and build relationships with high‑net‑worth individuals and philanthropists, including private and family foundation supporters, in furtherance of Public Justice’s mission and goals;
• Working closely with the Vice President of Development and Membership, evaluate Public Justice’s litigation areas for possible funding opportunities;
• Develop and implement a multi‑year major gifts strategy aligned with organizational goals and revenue targets;
• Set and achieve annual revenue goals for major gifts and foundation support.

Foundation & Institutional Giving

• Identify, research, and pursue grant opportunities from private and family foundations;
• Oversee proposal development, grant submissions, reporting, and compliance;
• Maintain relationships with foundation program officers, as appropriate.

Individual Philanthropy

• Cultivate and solicit major gifts through personalized engagement strategies.
• Design tailored proposals and impact reports for high‑net‑worth individuals and families.
• Partner with executive leadership and board members to support donor engagement and solicitations.
• Oversee Public Justice’s planned giving program, the Public Justice Society.
• Draft and finalize proposals, letters of inquiry, and respond to requests for proposals; track relevant deadlines; meet with staff and members of the Executive Management Team to gather necessary information to prepare these documents.
• Plan and execute donor meetings, site visits, and small cultivation events.
• Create and implement high‑touch stewardship plans to deepen donor relationships. Ensure timely and meaningful donor recognition.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Work closely with the Chief Executive Officer, Vice President of Development and Membership, and Board to identify and engage new prospects.
• Provide briefing materials, talking points, and strategy memos for leadership.
• Collaborate with the individual legal projects to align funding opportunities with organizational priorities.
• When needed, assist with other resource development activities, such as writing appeals and researching other prospective financial supporters. As requested, produce articles, updates and reports, both for internal and external purposes as well as grant reporting requirements.

Qualifications:

• 5-10+ years of previous experience in major donor, foundation management, grant‑writing and managing giving programs for high‑level supporters;
• Direct knowledge and experience in research and qualification, ideally of private foundations, individual philanthropists, and trusts;
• Successful, provable track record of securing foundation gifts at the five‑, six‑figure – and ideally seven‑figure – levels;
• Well‑developed and demonstrably effective writing skills;
• Problem‑solver able to creatively and effectively overcome obstacles;
• Good judgment and ability to maintain confidential information;
• Excellent attention to detail, planning and organizational skills;
• Experience working with Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint); high level of comfort working with online applications;
• Experience managing a major gifts portfolios for a multi‑issue or legal advocacy organization, especially in the areas of racial or gender justice, LGBTQ+ equality, and/or environmental justice, is strongly preferred;
• Sense of humor, healthy sense of outrage, and desire to change the world for the better.

Salary and Benefits

Public Justice offers a mission‑focused work environment, a teamwork and community‑oriented work culture, and a competitive compensation package. We recognize and support healthy work‑life balance policies, including operating on a four‑day work week year‑round. We also offer a generous benefits package, including flexible time off, two weeks of sick leave, all federal and some local holidays, end of the year office closure, employer‑paid health, dental, and vision insurance premiums for employees and eligible dependents, and a 401(k) plan.

Public Justice operates as a remote organization, embracing flexibility and inclusivity that remote work offers. However, recognizing the value of in‑person collaboration and the need for physical office space, Public Justice has an office in Washington, DC. In addition, because Public Justice handles litigation, education, and advocacy nationally, the position may entail some travel.

Salary will be in the range of $120,000 – $150,000, depending on experience. We are open to feedback from the market and would welcome the ability to connect with potential candidates who may be outside of the compensation band as part of our commitment to equity in pay practices.

Applications

Please send your cover letter, resume, writing sample, and contact information for three references to View email address on click.appcast.io.

Public Justice EEO Statement and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Access

Public Justice is an equal‑opportunity employer and values a diverse workplace. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equitable employment opportunities are available to all applicants. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, age, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, disability, veteran status, record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. People of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender and gender‑diverse people, women, people with abilities in multiple languages, immigrants, people living with disabilities, veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals are strongly encouraged to apply. Public Justice is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodations during any part of the hiring process, please email View email address on click.appcast.io.

Studies have shown that members of marginalized groups tend to underestimate their qualifications and are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every single one of the qualifications in a job description, despite the reality that applicants rarely ever meet 100% of the qualifications. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organization and are most interested in finding the best candidate for the role. That candidate may come from a background less traditional to our field of work, and that’s okay! We strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every one of the qualifications described.

No phone calls please. For more information on Public Justice, please visit our website at