Program Director  (Application Deadline EXTENDED to May 10, 2018)

SJF Board and Staff.

Based in Seattle Office

Social Justice Fund NW is a member-funded foundation that supports the creation of a just society through fundraising, grant making, and member involvement. The foundation provides essential resources to organizations in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming to strengthen grassroots efforts in the broad-based movement for progressive, systemic social change.

Position Summary

This is a unique job in a unique organization. (Read outgoing Program Director Yasmeen Perez’s note here.)

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by bad news these days, this job would bring you a steady stream of good news and inspiration. You’d be supporting passionate, courageous volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds as they learn to put their values into action and transform themselves in the process. At the same time, you’d be learning about and directly supporting some of the most amazing grassroots organizing in our region, as your program would move much-needed general operating funds to movement organizations across the Northwest.

As Program Director, you’d be leading one of the most innovative funding models in the country. Our Giving Project model brings together multiracial, cross-class cohorts of volunteers to engage in a six-month process of political education, collective giving, grassroots fundraising, and democratic grantmaking. The result is more accountable and flexible funding for social justice movements, and more skilled and educated donor organizers to resource those movements for years to come. Learn more about Giving Projects here: https://socialjusticefund.org/giving-projects/

Our first Giving Project pilot in 2010 has grown to a full-fledged model of 6-7 Giving Projects a year in Seattle and Portland. Last year, our Giving Projects granted over $1 million to organizations committed to community organizing. Five other funds around the country are now replicating this model with their own successes and innovations. Learn more about replication and lessons learned here: http://www.grassrootsfundraising.org/2018/01/growing-donor-organizers-through-giving-projects-four-years-later/

This is a full-time, exempt position based in our Seattle office, reporting to the Executive Director. This is not a new position, but it has recently been restructured (another new director-level position, focusing on the grant making aspect of our programs, will work in close collaboration with the Program Director).

Working at SJF

  • You’d work with an amazing team of smart, dedicated, and fun individuals.
  • We strive to live our organizational values of anti-racism, democracy, and transparency everyday.
  • Our organizational culture is collaborative, relational, and flexible, and we are always learning and improving upon our work.
  • Competitive benefits package (see below for more info)
  • Family-friendly workplace (including flexible work arrangements and schedules, within reason)
  • Support for professional development

How to Apply

Please email your cover letter and resume to hr@socialjusticefund.org. In your cover letter, explain why you believe it’s important to fund community organizing strategies, and what particular strengths you’d bring to that effort.

Deadline: Thursday May 10, 2018 (applications accepted on rolling basis until then and interviews will begin before that date)

Start date: Ideally late June or early July, but flexible

Location: Seattle office (downtown)

Compensation: $60,000-65,000 to start (with room for growth), plus competitive benefits package worth approximately $25,000 including:

  • 100% employer-paid health and dental insurance
  • 30% coverage for spouse/partner and each dependent
  • Additional “benefit bank” reimbursing for allowable medical/dental/child care expenses
  • 30 days of paid time off (vacation, personal leave, and holidays) in the first year, with vacation time increasing each subsequent year
  • 12 days of sick time per year
  • Fully paid ORCA pass
  • After first full year of employment, 5% contribution to retirement plan

Qualifications and Qualities

Required:

  • Demonstrated commitment to social justice issues and a strong social justice analysis.
  • Minimum 1 year supervision experience: demonstrated ability to train, manage, and support multiple staff.
  • Minimum 1 year involvement (either paid or volunteer) in an organization that uses community organizing as its primary strategy.
  • Program planning experience: demonstrated ability to create and execute a program that meets expectations, devise and implement systems, evaluate and improve, and coordinate with other departments.
  • Project management experience: demonstrated ability to coordinate a team of people, who are working on multiple projects in different stages, to meet programmatic goals.
  • Facilitation skills, including working with people from diverse backgrounds and working with medium to large groups.
  • Ability to quickly build strong relationships with members and grantees.
  • Ability to motivate and engage volunteers and build a strong, functional team.
  • Fearlessness about asking – for money, time, etc.
  • Self-motivated, effective problem-solver.
  • Strong communication skills, including active listening, receiving and giving feedback, and communicating across teams.
  • Willingness to work frequent evenings and weekends and travel occasionally.
  • Computer skills including Microsoft Office and databases (eTapestry a plus).
  • Sense of humor.

Desired but not required:

  • One-on-one grassroots fundraising experience.
  • Community organizing experience.
  • Experience with SJF members and/or grantees.
  • Experience developing and leading workshops and trainings, preferably with an anti-oppression focus.
  • Experience with curriculum development, popular education, adult learning, or facilitation of diverse learning styles.
  • Experience in fundraising from major donors, foundations, or businesses.
  • Public speaking experience.
  • Fluency in a language other than English.
  • Expertise in any of the required qualifications, with the ability to train others in those areas.

Duties and Responsibilities

Training and Supervision:

  • Supervise five full-time staff who implement the program in Seattle and Portland.
  • Identify and respond to staff training needs.

Program Planning and Implementation:

  • Plan and direct all programs, which mainly consist of six to seven Giving Projects and two major events a year, all of which are directly led by other program staff.
  • Work with staff and volunteer leaders to evaluate, improve, and implement Giving Projects.
  • Support other program staff with management of grant cycles and grantee relationships.

Outreach:

  • Participate in the national Giving Project Learning Community, and in other social justice and philanthropy networks when possible.
  • Represent SJF at events in the community.
  • Help program staff with recruitment for Giving Projects and outreach to prospective grantees.

Other:

  • Coordinate with other Directors to collaborate across departments.
  • Contribute to project-specific foundation prospecting and grantwriting.
  • Other related tasks as identified by the Executive Director.

Social Justice Fund is an Equal Opportunity Employer. People of color, LGBTQ individuals, and women are strongly encouraged to apply. We actively recruit, and support the retention and advancement of, persons of diverse backgrounds within the organization. We believe that having a board, staff, and membership with diverse identities and backgrounds enhances our ability to meet our mission and creates a vibrant environment where individuals can learn, grow and thrive. To that end, we are committed to fostering a workplace culture where all employees are equally included, valued, and supported.