Department: Programs and Practice

Reports to: Vice President, Programs and Practice

Independent Sector (IS) members comprise the leadership network for nonprofits, foundations, and corporate giving programs committed to advancing the common good in America and around the world. Since our founding in 1980, we have sponsored groundbreaking research, fought for just and inclusive public policies, and created unparalleled resources that allow staff, boards, and volunteers to better serve their communities. Our nonpartisan coalition of 600 organizations leads, strengthens, and mobilizes the nonprofit and philanthropic community.

Reporting to the Vice President, Programs and Practice, you will play a significant leadership role in advancing the organization’s key programmatic priorities by guiding collaborative cross-departmental efforts. You will be a strategic, innovative and conceptual thinker as well as a real-time problem solver who can build and sustain relationships with likely and unlikely allies inside and outside the organization. This is a compelling opportunity for an accomplished professional who wants to make a real difference on the most important issues facing the sector today and influence its course for the future.

Working with the Vice President, you will assess, develop, and implement programs and practice areas that address the sector’s critical needs. Your areas of focus may include but not be limited to:

• Impact: For each nonprofit or foundation, Charting Impact encourages strategic thinking and communication about how it achieves its goals.
• Leadership: Independent Sector strengthens the nonprofit talent pool and encourages greater investment in leadership through its NGen program and a recent focus on financial security. IS continues to identify opportunities to promote investments in human capital and leadership development.
• New opportunities: The department tracks trends and needs within the sector and considers ways to highlight and advance key issues through member collaborations, use of technology, etc.

In this role, you take responsibility for most of the day to day operations of the department. For each initiative, you will lead the team in:

• Supporting the grant management processes as a subject matter expert, ensuring that program plans align with donor intent.
• Working with Resource Development to research and develop opportunities to pilot revenue-generating activities that support IS programs and further organizational objectives.
• Researching and analyzing trends, innovations and best practices of interest to the nonprofit community that support the development of new areas of IS activity.
• Identifying and analyzing information in areas such as impact and evaluation, leadership and talent management, ethics and accountability, and global concerns.
• Working cooperatively to develop content for Independent Sector’s Annual Conference.
• Collaborating with cross-department teams in areas such as policy, strategic initiatives, research, communications, and resource development to develop and implement high-quality programming.
• Writing, analyzing, and synthesizing proposals, information and reports for IS programs.
• Ensuring that department work is performed within budget and aligned with the mission of IS and external stakeholders.

Your work supports the department goals which include: forging and maintaining strategic alliances with key stakeholders; engaging participants from across the sector; raising awareness of issues; developing strategies to address needs; convening meetings; demonstrating the value of key initiatives; disseminating information; and providing educational support and resources. You will work across sectors by building strategic relationships with leaders and key internal stakeholders both within the organization and with external partners and funders.

The programs of Independent Sector include a broad cross section of ways to strengthen charitable organizations and nonprofits. With such a diverse coalition, we anticipate that it will take you some time to understand the divergent expectations of our members and to understand the nuances of our messaging. Fortunately, there are many people within IS who will help you learn about our work which includes such issues as encouraging a sustainable and diverse leadership for the sector and encouraging organizations to assess the effectiveness of their strategies by charting their own impact.

Our Expectations of Your First Year as the Director, Programs and Practice

In this role, you will:

• Serve as a partner to the Vice President of Programs and Practice in managing all aspects of the department's work, including development, planning, and execution of program initiatives and committee meetings. Your ability to manage projects and deliver timely results within budget is key.
• Analyze trends and keep current on the issues that impact and could be influenced by the sector
• Play a leadership role in the organization's annual conference design and delivery, including session design and process management.
• Collaborate with the Resource Development team to maintain productive relationships with Independent Sector funders, identify new opportunities for funding, and prepare grant applications and reports.
• Develop and support junior staff through the development of clear and specific goals and by offering guidance/coaching that helps them to continue to improve in their roles.

Essential Experience, Skills and Attributes

• The successful candidate will demonstrate the following experience and skills:
• Minimum of ten years of leadership experience in or with the nonprofit and/or philanthropic communities.
• Advanced degree, in nonprofit management, business, organizational learning/development/effectiveness, leadership, or public administration preferred.
• Extensive program management experience moving projects from inception through completion.
• Experience writing grant applications and working with funders to secure funding for programs preferred.
• Expertise in at least one of the following processes strongly preferred: leadership development, program development, strategic planning, cross-sector collaboration, or program evaluation.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with current Independent Sector members and to attract new members.
• Ability to conduct sophisticated analysis of complex issues where analysis requires evaluation of often ambiguous factors, situations, and data. Ability to define objectives and outcomes; develop and manage budgets; implement programs; and evaluate progress.
• Managerial experience.

Attributes 

• Proven project manager: You have excelled in moving from idea to plan to outcomes and enjoy the work along the way. You are able to juggle multiple tasks, allocate and optimize resources, and manage timelines. You enjoy creating and implementing processes and procedures that uphold rigorous standards. You thrive on check-lists, advance planning and follow-through, skillfully managing numerous daily commitments and competing priorities. There is a lot happening and many things changing every day. You keep track of how each change impacts the other - you make sure you're informed, and you keep others informed.
• Great Communicator: You have excellent oral and written communication skills. You understand the importance of tone and how to communicate clearly, whether it’s over email, the phone, or face-to-face. Your writing skills are impeccable. You are able to deliver complex information to a variety of audiences in a credible and presentable way.
• Curious: You enjoy learning and like to understand issues. You have a curious mind that constantly challenges why things are done in a certain way, follows through with smart and creative solutions, and provides alternatives. You have the ability to ask the right questions and look at the data from different viewpoints. You ask questions, listen, and learn - always thinking of more productive ways of doing things. You notice trends and ask why.

What’s Attractive to the Right Candidate? 

• The conversation you start today will impact the sector for years to come.
• You are integral in developing leaders at our nation’s leading charitable and philanthropic institutions.
• Your work brings you in contact with some of the brightest and most passionate leaders from a wide range of backgrounds.
• Independent Sector is renowned for our ability to provide an environment where smart people can work together to make a lasting impact.
• We offer a competitive base salary and a generous and comprehensive benefits package.

To Apply for the Position:

Email a Word version of your resume to Dorsey Davidge at resumes@staffingadvisors.com with “Independent Sector – Director, Programs and Practice” in the subject line of the email. You can also visit us online at www.staffingadvisors.com/jobs.