Development Communications Consultant

What You Will Do

• Contribute thoughtful input on messaging, audience, and channel as the development team shapes communications priorities and plans.
• Draft donor emails for the full donor file and for segmented donor audiences.
• Draft postal mail appeals, including year-end appeals and other donor-facing mailings.
• Draft stewardship-oriented donor communications for print and digital use.
• Draft social media copy that supports development and donor engagement goals.
• Shape and adapt content for different audiences and purposes, including broad-file donor communications, segmented donor outreach, stewardship messages, foundation-facing materials, and business-partner communications.
• Identify opportunities to improve clarity, sequencing, and donor resonance when reviewing briefs, prior materials, or draft messaging.
• Gather information from program or development staff to support accurate and compelling content.
• Collaborate closely with the CHNJ development team; this role requires participation in department-level meetings to stay current on priorities, programs, and donor strategy.

What Is Out Of Scope

• Press and media relations.
• Mass email production or deployment.
• Communications calendar management.
• Broad capital campaign communications leadership.

What We Are Looking For

• Passion for the mission of Covenant House New Jersey to support youth experiencing homelessness and survivors of human trafficking with absolute respect, unconditional love, and relentless support.
• Strong experience drafting donor-focused nonprofit communications.
• Excellent writing and editing skills.
• Experience with appeals, donor emails, and stewardship content.
• Ability to tailor donor communications to the audience, purpose, and fundraising goal.
• Ability to strengthen rough ideas or incomplete briefs and turn them into clear, effective donor communications.
• Ability to work effectively from past materials and staff guidance.
• Strong reliability, responsiveness, and revision skills.

Experience And Skills Preferred

• Experience in a human services or other mission-driven nonprofit environment.
• Experience writing for both individual and institutional donor audiences.
• Familiarity with donor communications across email, print, and social media.

Engagement Structure

• This is a part-time consulting engagement expected to average 10-15 hours per week, with some fluctuation based on workload and season.
• The consultant will bill for actual hours worked.

To Apply

Please submit a resume and relevant writing samples demonstrating donor-facing nonprofit communications experience. Candidates are encouraged to include samples such as donor emails, appeals, stewardship pieces, or segmented donor communications, along with a brief note on the audience and purpose of each sample.