Associate Network Officer : Philanthropy Southeast

Associate Network Officer

Job Details

Description

THE FOUNDATION

The mission of the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation (MRBF) is to help people and places move out of poverty and achieve greater social and economic justice. Founded in 1953, MRBF now makes grants to organizations in 11 states in the Southeastern United States. The Foundation believes in democracy, opportunity, and the power of partnerships and follows the lead of local experts who know what their communities need to thrive.

MRBF is a family foundation deeply committed to fostering racial equity, power building, and social justice. Its mission is rooted in advancing civil rights, promoting voting rights, eradicating poverty, and dismantling systemic oppression and bias in all its forms. MRBF believes in the power of collective action and strategic partnerships to create meaningful change in our communities.

MRBF supports collaborative, multi-strategy, place-based (Southern-specific) work focused on democracy and civic engagement, economic opportunity, and supportive policies and institutions. MRBF believes sustained, general-support grants are critical to helping organizations remain nimble and effective. In addition to grantmaking, the Foundation makes mission-aligned strategic investments.

MRBF is led by CEO Flozell Daniels Jr., with a 13-member board of directors that provides oversight and strategic guidance to the CEO and organization. It has 15 staff members and nearly $200 million in assets.

THE POSITION

The associate network officer (ANO) will report to the chief strategy officer and work closely with the network officers, grants manager, and others to support grantmaking processes and evaluate the impacts of MRBF’s programs, grants, investments, and related activities.

Specifically, the ANO will:

Support Grantmaking and Grantee Partners

Support grantees to help advance their strategic agenda.
Build relationships across MRBF’s 11-state territory and identify and cultivate grantmaking opportunities
Nurture relationships, funding partnerships, and networks to advance MRBF’s strategic priorities
Help prospective/current grantee partners interpret MRBF’s strategic and funding priorities and prepare grant proposals
Review grant proposals, conduct learning visits, and write and present recommendations to the board
Represent MRBF at meetings, events, and conferences to stay abreast of new developments and best practices in the field, share learnings and insights with MRBF colleagues, and contribute to the development, evolution, and refinement of place-based strategies

Support Grants Management, Monitoring and Evaluating

Manage and develop all grantee outcomes in coordination with network officers and senior network officers
Document and share grantee activities for learning, leverage, and influence
Deepen data management in the grants system (Blackbaud) to support the grants manager
Monitor grants for technical assistance needs, impact, and lessons
Provide regular updates for staff and board on trends and impacts of small grants directed by staff

Support the Team, Foundation, and Stakeholders

Conduct research and data analysis and prepare papers for the board and staff
Contribute as needed to external Foundation communications
Work collaboratively across the Foundation; contribute to developing practices and processes to maximize learning, disseminate knowledge, foster a culture of continuous improvement, enhance the grantee experience, and create broader impact
Help plan, develop, and coordinate resources and activities such as convenings, technical assistance, and meetings with internal and external stakeholders to support peer-to-peer connections, learning, and alignment building

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Experience: Five-plus years of progressive professional experience in philanthropy, the nonprofit sector, or an area relevant to MRBF’s mission and work. Experience living and working in the American South, knowledge about its diverse communities, an understanding of the root causes of systemic inequities and the long-term effects on people of color, low-wealth, and other marginalized communities, and a demonstrated commitment to advancing racial equity, social justice, and systems change.

Requirements: Residency in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia or West Virginia. Ability to travel as needed.

COMPETENCIES AND ATTRIBUTES

Candidates must be motivated, self-directed, detail-oriented, accountable, community-centered, impact-driven, and able to work collaboratively and effectively internally and externally.

The ideal candidate will have:

A demonstrated commitment to the Foundation’s mission, vision, and values
An understanding of qualitative and quantitative data analysis, research, and measurement
Data management experience (Blackbaud preferred)
Initiative and a willingness to contribute, share ideas, and translate ideas into action
Ability to think critically about advanced program outcomes and help develop, implement, and ensure the effectiveness of strategies and programs to effect system-level changes that improve people’s lives
Excellent writing and verbal presentation skills, with the ability to synthesize and translate information and content and communicate effectively with different audiences
Cultural competence with an ability to engage and build relationships with diverse communities, seek to understand their issues and evolving needs and partner effectively to develop appropriate solutions
Strong project management and organization skills, with highly developed analytical and creative problem-solving abilities
Strong computer skills with the ability to use and enhance the grants management system and grantmaking processes, tools, and metrics
Emotional intelligence, maturity, sound judgment, and a sense of humor

The ideal candidate will be:

Intellectually curious, strategic, and a doer
Someone with critical and systems thinking skills with the ability to make meaning of data to help inform the work
Relationship-oriented, a thoughtful listener, capable of working effectively with people with different backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints to advance an agenda
Compassionate, trustworthy, authentic, transparent, flexible, adaptable and pragmatic

COMPENSATION AND CULTURE

The target salary for this position is $85,000, commensurate with training and experience. MRBF offers generous benefits, including retirement contributions, health, and dental coverage. It operates entirely remotely, enabling team members to work from anywhere in its 11-state footprint, which includes Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

MRBF is committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds, including people of color, individuals with disabilities, varied educational backgrounds, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

To apply for this opportunity, please submit a resume and cover letter to Lisa Fisher at lfisher@lafsearch.com by July 15, 2024.

Job ID

558

Job Title

Associate Network Officer

Application Deadline

07/15/2024

Salary Range

no minimum salary specified - no maximum salary specified

Job Type

Other
Other
Other Staff
Other staff-managed list

Job Location

Winston-Salem, NC

Website

https://mrbf.org/

Contact Information

Name: Lisa Fisher
Email: lfisher@lafsearch.com
Best Method of Contact: EMAIL