Senior Associate, Institutional 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. Among our core priorities, we fight to protect voting rights, end mass incarceration, strengthen checks and balances, and preserve 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, the courts, and in the court of public opinion.   

Position Overview: 
The Brennan Center for Justice seeks an experienced professional to join our Institutional Relations (IR) team as a Senior Associate. Competitive candidates will have demonstrated experience working on complex projects in fundraising environments, coordinating a robust outreach schedule, and leveraging data and industry best practices to raise funds from institutions.  

Reporting to the Associate Director, Institutional Relations, the Senior Associate will join a Development department of 18 that raises upwards of $50-60m annually. They will play a central role in the management of a growing institutional portfolio, strengthening operational excellence, and expanding front-line fundraising capacity.  

Success in this role will require outstanding writing skills, project management, and organizational skills. Candidates must also have the ability to confidently promote the Center’s work and to tailor products to meet institutions’ specific needs.  

Note: This position is based at our headquarters in New York City.  

Primary responsibilities include: 
Grant writing and Writing Products 

• Grant writing/writing projects and research/writing assistance (under the direction of senior IR staff) 
• Pull report/proposal questions and document requests from grant portals or emails to circulate to team 
• Aggregate relevant existing content and gather new information from program leaders and staff for narrative grant reports or proposals and other written products  Draft a subset of narrative reports/proposals that rely on templates or existing written materials; incorporate edits and review from managers to turn around advanced or final drafts  
• Assist in gathering information and creating content for attachments to narrative reports/proposals (i.e. budgets, staff information, etc.)    
• Proof reading, formatting and other assistance finalizing products 
• Maintain and share with team evergreen democracy proposals and reports  
• Add biweekly updates from major programs 
• Coordinate with major donor and midlevel teams  

Administrative Support 

• Manage grant report/proposal calendar: calendar all deadlines in Salesforce (SF), excel tracker, and in IR Outlook calendar 
• Manage team meeting agenda by updating upcoming deadlines, meetings, and outreach 
• Take notes on team meetings and program check-ins – distribute and store on shared drive for use by team 
• Schedule meetings and manage meeting logistics for Brennan Center colleagues and funders 

Data and CRM 

• Manage and implement ongoing buildout of the IR team’s infrastructure on SF 
• Take initiative to improve the IR team’s use of the CRM system to support fundraising, working with Development team colleagues and CRM team to problem solve and improvedata maintenance and utility 
• Accurate, complete maintenance and updating of all IR gift records in SF – including training and overseeing intern support 
• Manage, update, and generate customized lists of all current IR contacts to ease regular outreach and invitations 
• Proactively check in regularly with IR directors, VP Development, and others involved in IR to make sure all correspondence and notes are uploaded to SF 

Donor Research   

• Prepare strategically presented “prep” materials, including well-curated donor research, for donor meetings and convenings 
• Research prospective funders 
• Update and expand IR Portfolio document, which includes basic information about each of our current and former funders, including their main interests (democracy, environment, repro rights, etc.) and a short history of our relationship 
• This document will be shared with new team members as they are hired 

Brennan Legacy Awards Dinner 

• Assist with Brennan Legacy Awards Dinner (concentrated from December through April/May), working closely with the dinner project manager/event planner and under the supervision of the Senior Director for IR, VP Development, and Managing Director Development. 

Development team-wide responsibilities include, as needed: 

• Assist on Annual Report and other mailings 
• Assist in team-wide event prep 
• Support special events operations and planning, including in-person events, webinars, briefings, etc. 
• Assign tasks to interns 
• Other duties as assigned 

Key Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree 
• At least 3 years of relevant, full-time work experience – preferably in fundraising for a nonprofit or issue-based campaign 
• Demonstrated proficiency with development-centered software and office systems and databases, including but not limited to CRM (Salesforce preferred); also, demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint 
• Excellent donor research and analytical skills  
• Excellent organizing and coordinating skills, including projects involving multiple staff 
• Excellent writing, editing, and oral communication – including attention to grammar/spelling, accuracy, and clarity      
• Outstanding attention to detail and completeness; regularly produces polished products  
• Able to meet deadlines on multiple projects – both immediate and long-term – in a fast-paced, unpredictable environment 
• Strong work ethic and highly accountable 
• Generous team player and independent worker who is proactive, self-starting, and able to issue spot and problem solve – including judgment to ask questions  
• Maturity to work effectively with staff and leadership at all levels; able to productively receive direction and feedback 
• High EQ and “people skills” needed to interact with donors, award recipients, event speakers, and other Brennan Center stakeholders and their teams 
• Strong, high-level comprehension of the Center’s work, strategies, and goals and its organizational culture 
• Reliable discretion to strictly maintain privacy and confidentiality 

Position Start Date: No earlier than May 2025  

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We encourage interested applicants to apply early, as the position will be filled once a qualified candidate is identified.   

To apply, please visit <<THIS LINK>> and upload the following application materials: (1) cover letter, (2) resume, and (3) contact information for three references. Applications without all the previously listed materials will not be considered.   We prefer applications to be submitted through our website.  

If you have difficulty with the online system, you may send your application by e-mail to: [email protected] with “Senior Associate, Institutional Relations” in the subject line, after registering in the online system. Please, no calls or faxes. 

Compensation and Benefits:  
The salary range assigned for this position is $70,000-$80,000. We determine our salary ranges based on market competitiveness and internal equity for each job. The salary offered to a selected candidate will be contingent upon the candidate’s experience, education, and qualifications, along with internal equity considerations. Additionally, we offer a very robust and competitive array of benefits such as a generous time off program, 401k plan, comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, and vision), and wellness and office perks.  

In addition, this position is part of a bargaining unit represented by the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW local 2320.  

Note: The Brennan Center is committed to public health and to the safety and wellbeing of our colleagues and visitors.  As such, we have adopted a policy requiring all employees working in the New York and Washington, DC offices to be vaccinated against COVID-19, or to meet the legal guidelines for an exemption. 

The Brennan Center for Justice is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all qualified applicants to apply. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, ethnicity, gender identity, socioeconomic identity, sexual orientation, national origin, previous incarceration, disability, military veteran/status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.