About the District:
This is a historic opportunity to help flip the longest held red seat not only in New Jersey, but tied for longest in the country. New Jersey District 4 is a historically red district that has been represented by Chris Smith for 45 years. Chris Smith’s record of voting against the interests of his constituents is extensive, and he has largely been absent from the Jersey shore for at least the past three decades, neither living in the state nor having held a town hall during that time. The district’s composition consists of roughly 40% Republican voters, 36% unaffiliated voters, and 23% Democratic voters. However, Chris Smith’s wins come from only 1 in 5 registered voters. The campaign’s overarching goal to turn the tide as part of the 2026 blue wave and flip District 4 will be accomplished by not only activating the Democratic base, but by reaching disaffected unaffiliated voters, Republicans frustrated with the current administration, young people who (for the first time in NJ history) can vote in the primary at 17, and "any old blue won't do" voters.
About the Candidate:
Rachel Peace - working class mom, survivor, political newcomer, and now the Congressional District 4 Democratic nominee - was born and raised at the Jersey Shore. Until now, the millennial has made her voice heard as a concerned mom speaking out about ways to make life more affordable for NJ families - from healthcare to housing, and food. Her perspective is that the unbearable cost of living is a reflection of a broken system, not individual failures. Peace has also contributed to efforts to curb pollution and protect open spaces for a healthy future for her five-year-old.
She continues to consider herself a public servant, not a politician, unlike incumbent Chris Smith. After 45 years, she feels he has had time and a half to make positive changes for the community. Peace believes he should step aside for a new generation of leadership to propose “A Better Way” than “the way things have always been.” The founder of Hyperfocused Communications, Peace launched her business in 2022 and offers media relations and content marketing to founders, nonprofits, and startups. Earlier in her career, she had a hand in NYC Broadway Week, drawing on her theatrical roots planted at Brick Memorial High School. Rachel earned her BA in Public Relations from Hofstra University in 2014, double minoring in Drama & Sociology.
About the Role:
The Finance Director will oversee all fundraising operations, donor cultivation, compliance coordination, and revenue forecasting. The Finance Director functions independently but works closely with the Candidate, Treasurer, Campaign Manager, compliance vendor, and other members of the senior leadership team. The specific services the Finance Director will provide include, but are not limited to, the following:
Develop and execute the campaign’s overall fundraising plan.
Work side-by-side with the Campaign Manager to establish quarterly and monthly revenue targets aligned with FEC deadlines and fundraising goals as well as adjust strategy as needed to meet those goals.
Build and maintain call time lists, prepare donor research and briefing materials, track pledges and oversee follow-up and donor stewardship.
Identify and cultivate high-capacity donors and value-aligned PACs, coordinate meetings and prepare materials, monitor contribution limits and maintain institutional donor relationships.
Plan and execute in-district and national fundraising events, manage host committees and invitation tracking, and ensure proper contribution processing.
Coordinate with digital consultants and/or volunteers to align email, text and online fundraising with revenue goals, as well as monitor performance metrics and revenue forecasts.
Oversee donor database integrity and contribution coding, ensure required contributor information is collected in accordance with FEC regulations, coordinate with the Treasurer and compliance vendor to prevent excessive or prohibited contributions.
Monitor cash flow, burn rate, and revenue to align spend.
Attend senior staff meetings, provide regular fundraising updates, and flag risks or revenue shortfalls promptly.
Consultant acknowledges that a core purpose of this engagement is to generate fundraising revenue materially exceeding the cost of Consultant’s compensation. Consultant agrees to use best efforts to raise gross receipts for the Client during the Term in an amount that exceeds the total compensation paid to Consultant under this Agreement.
Preferred Skills:
Ability to organize large quantities of information into clear and concise presentations.
Proficient with Google Workspace applications, such as Docs, Sheets, etc.
Ability to manage multiple projects on tight deadlines.
Strong attention to detail.
Flexibility, abundance mindset, clever strategizing, and ability to pivot strategy in a challenging fundraising environment.
Spanish or other non-English language skills are a plus.