Company Name
Council on Foundations
Company City
Washington
Company State
DC
Job Location
Remote, USA
Company Information
The Council on Foundations (Council) is a nonprofit membership association that serves as a guide for philanthropies as they advance the greater good. Building on our almost 75-year history, the Council supports over 800 member organizations in the United States and around the world to build trust in philanthropy, expand pathways to giving, engage broader perspectives, and co-create solutions that will lead to a better future for all. As a leading national advocate for philanthropy, the Council strives to increase the effectiveness, stewardship, and accountability of the sector while providing members with the services and support they need to advance the common good. Based in Washington, DC, the Council has an annual budget of just over $12 million and a staff of 45.
Job Description
The Council seeks nominations and applications for the role of Vice President, Programs. Reporting to the President and CEO and serving as a member of the senior leadership team, the Vice President is responsible for leading and overseeing the strategy, development, and implementation of programs. Specifically, the Vice President oversees a portfolio of conferences, trainings, webinars, and leadership development programs, including the Council’s signature Career Pathways program. In collaboration with a team of dedicated professionals, the Vice President ensures the Council’s programs are high quality, financially sustainable, responsive to the evolving needs of our members, and constructed with an eye toward ensuring our offerings are additive to the field supporting philanthropy.
The VP, Programs manages a department of eight staff members and is responsible for directly supervising the Director, Leadership and Training and the Director, Conferences and Events.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The next Vice President, Programs is an established leader who is both tactical and visionary in setting programmatic strategy and overseeing the design and implementation of impactful programs for the Council’s membership and the broader field of philanthropy. They will hold the following responsibilities:
Strategy and Organizational Leadership
• Lead strategy, design, and goal setting for Council conferences and events, trainings, and leadership development programs.
• Collaborate with leadership team and other colleagues to envision and execute new programs that meet the needs of various member stakeholders and advance the Council’s strategy.
• Oversee revenue modeling, budget development and monitoring process to ensure fiscal responsibility for programmatic offerings. Explore strategies to increase profitability of programming.
• Model the Council’s commitment to internal and external race, equity, diversity, and inclusion, and lead team in partnership with the Senior Advisor of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to embed this commitment throughout program and events development and execution.
• Oversee, develop, and foster strong partnerships and engagement with members, non-members, philanthropic partners, and other stakeholders in the delivery of Council programs.
• Oversee ongoing operation, integration and delivery of all programs and related services, which includes promoting synergy between programs and ensuring the expectations of funders, partners, constituents, and other stakeholders are met.
• Work closely with the Membership, Development and Finance team to engage in fundraising from idea generation, proposal development, organizational promotion, and accountability.
• Foster team commitment to creating a culture of learning and continual improvement by leading the evaluation of programs and partnering with the Director of Organizational Development & Learning to ensure information and feedback from members is integrated into ongoing development of Council programs.
• Ensure that evaluation results and feedback from members are integrated into the ongoing development of Council programs and activities.
• Serve as a champion, spokesperson, and organizational leader before a range of stakeholder audiences.
Team Leadership and Development
• Contribute to the implementation of the Council’s strategic goals and objectives as well as the overall management and leadership of the organization.
• Inform strategic direction as part of the organization’s Executive Leadership Team.
• Lead programs team, which includes staff focused on conferences and events and leadership and training and ensure team structure and roles align with programmatic strategy.
• Develop and grow the capacity of team members through coaching and modeling.
• Cultivate and nurture a positive and inclusive team culture.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and innovation to ensure quality and continuous improvement of programs and activities.
• Provide managerial oversight, guidance, and direction to the Director, Leadership & Training; Director, Conferences & Events; and the Associate, Programs.
• Contribute to and/or lead overarching organization goals by participating in cross-functional working groups.
LOCATION, TRAVEL, COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
Though the Council’s headquarters are in Washington, DC, the Vice President for Programs may be located anywhere in the continental United States.
This role requires 25% travel, including overnight trips.
The hiring salary range for this position Is $183,000 to $200,000 based on living in the Washington DC region. Compensation may be adjusted based on the geographic location of the finalist.
The Council offers a robust benefits package, including paying 100% of the monthly premium for employee coverage in health, dental, vision, life insurance, AD&D, short-term disability, and long-term disability. Additionally, the Council contributes 7% of annual salary to a 403(b) plan for every employee with no match requirement. Staff receive 20 days of vacation, plus sick leave and paid parental leave. The Council observes 13 holidays, a wellness break, and winter break, for which staff are paid. Learn more about Council benefits here.
Job Qualifications
Strong candidates will be deeply interested in the transformative potential of philanthropy. While no one person will embody all the qualities enumerated below, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences:
• 15 years’ experience in programmatic leadership positions in nonprofit or philanthropic organizations.
• Track record of planning and executing large-scale events and building event planning infrastructure within organizations.
• Demonstrated team leader who can set a vision and support team to execute.
• Adept at handling a variety of constituencies, manage multiple priorities simultaneously, and thrive in a complex environment.
• Experience integrating a commitment to racial equity, diversity, and inclusion into programmatic design and implementation as well as team leadership.
• Ability to work effectively and positively with a range of individuals and working styles, and with people at all organization levels including staff, board members, foundation officers, donors, and vendors.
• Has impeccable integrity and operates with a high degree of humility.
• Strong analytical skills, experience managing programs for profitability, and common sense.
• An experienced people leader of multiracial and multicultural teams who is self-aware and engenders trust and credibility.
• Experienced in working in a cross-functional context and able to effectively partner with, coach, and influence multi-directionally.
• A strong project manager who can telescope up and down across multiple projects, manage toward outcomes and deadlines, and maintains close attention to detail.
• An excellent communicator, in written form, presentation delivery and in direct communication with colleagues, partners, and members.
• A passionate and engaged student of philanthropic and the charitable sector, who stays abreast of trends and cutting-edge issues.
How to Apply
More information about the Council on Foundations may be found at: www.cof.org.
This search is being led by Emily Wexler and Rachel Burgoyne of NPAG. Due to the pace of this search, candidates are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Candidates may submit their cover letter, outlining their interest and qualifications, along with their resume via NPAG’s website. The position will remain open until filled.
The Council is committed to honoring the differences, unique talents, lived experiences, identities, and full contributions of each Council staff member. We do this so every Council staff member feels that they belong and can thrive at the Council. Candidates from diverse backgrounds with a commitment to philanthropy are strongly encouraged to apply.