The Organization
The Greater New Orleans Foundation has been a trusted philanthropic leader in the 13-parish Greater New Orleans region for nearly 100 years. Our vision is to create a vibrant, sustainable, and just region for all, and our mission is to drive positive impact through philanthropy, leadership, and action. As a community foundation, our resources are comprised of more than 900 charitable funds established by individuals, businesses, and organizations with a passion for charitable giving and a deep commitment to the Greater New Orleans region. As a civic leader, we bring together passionate people from nonprofits, business, government, and philanthropy to address our region’s greatest challenges.
The Foundation is an inspiring, engaging, challenging, thought-provoking, diverse, and dynamic place to work and advance your career. We pride ourselves on investing in high-quality staff members and encouraging success by allowing individuals the opportunity to both contribute and enhance their skills and talents as well as to share their unique perspectives as we address community challenges. Our workplace environment nurtures a diverse team and results in a broad base of staff knowledge and talent.
Position Overview
Director-level positions at the Foundation are exciting, multifaceted roles that include a mix of strategic leadership over important local and regional issues and tactical execution. Our Directors operate as civic leaders within their area of focus; they build coalitions, leverage their content expertise, influence change in the public sector, and secure funding to allow the ecosystem’s work to flourish. They lead local and regional initiatives, designing programs, driving high-quality evaluation, and serving as a key public voice in their area of focus. More than just great thinkers, our Directors are doers. They not only conceptualize the ideas that drive us forward, but they implement them as well.
The Director of Nonprofit Leadership and Effectiveness (DNLE) is responsible for designing and leading programs that strengthen the region’s nonprofit organizations and increase the effectiveness of the Foundation’s programmatic and grantmaking work. Current areas of focus for the Foundation’s Nonprofit Leadership and Effectiveness work include direct technical assistance and training to nonprofit leaders and boards; connecting nonprofits with funding, knowledge, networking, and training resources; administering grants to support organizational effectiveness work with key nonprofits; supporting nonprofits seeking strategic partnerships and mergers, and broadly working to increase the impact and sustainability of the nonprofit ecosystem. You can learn more about the Foundation’s nonprofit leadership and effectiveness programs and initiatives here.
The ideal candidate will bring a strong understanding of the nonprofit sector and nonprofit organizations including governance, organizational structures, collaboration and mergers, program evaluation, and financial management, as well as the ability to design training programs tailored to adult audiences and partner with external consultants and partners to achieve maximum impact.
The DNLE reports directly to the Vice President for Programs and is supported by one or more Program Associate(s), pending the programs funded at the time.
Principal Duties
Nonprofit Leadership & Effectiveness Programs
Lead the design, development, implementation, and monitoring of NLE programs, program elements, or projects. Specific activities include:
- Design and commission training for cohorts of nonprofit organizations. Focus on issues that are key to improving organizational performance, such as evaluation, financial management, planning, technology, communications, leadership development, performance management, human resources, board governance, and board development.
- Connect nonprofits with knowledge, networking, and training resources. Leverage the Foundation’s communications capabilities to connect nonprofits with the resources they need to improve and sustain their work.
- Design and administer capacity-building grants to support organizational effectiveness work at key nonprofits. Ranging from $10,000 to $25,000, these grants enable key organizations in education, youth development, health, affordable housing, job training, the environment, and other areas to work with skilled consultants to improve organizational effectiveness, sustainability, and impact.
- Develop and maintain a diverse network of high-quality local and national technical assistance providers, consultants, and coaches that work with nonprofits with expertise in the areas of governance, operations, leadership, planning, strategic communications, finance, and evaluation.
- Provide coaching and technical assistance to capacity-building grantees including strategic restructuring projects and mergers.
- Design, facilitate, and report on convenings with nonprofits, grantees, and cross-sector partners.
- Develop and lead data collection, evaluation, and research projects including studies on the nonprofit sector.
- Identify and lead fundraising and resource development efforts that fund the Foundation’s NLE Programs, in collaboration with the Vice President for Programs and the Foundation’s Development and Donor Relations Department.
- Continue proactive identification of NLE programming opportunities, and take appropriate action to bring opportunities to life.
External Relations & Communications
- Connect with leaders in the region, and regularly meet and work with organizations, leaders, and experts to advance the Foundation’s NLE priorities.
- Use existing tools and protocols to collect, analyze, and interpret information to effectively communicate about the Foundation’s NLE work to diverse audiences.
- Develop, write, and maintain a variety of reports, documents, correspondence, and records related to areas of assigned responsibility. Conduct presentations regarding these materials and other matters related to NLE on behalf of the Foundation.
Cross-Program and Cross-Departmental Collaboration
- Design and recommend NLE strategies for the Foundation directly to the Vice President for Programs, and support NLE strategy development as part of the Foundation’s overarching strategic planning processes.
- Establish and maintain a broad understanding of all of the areas in which the Foundation provides funding and, under the supervision of the Vice President for Programs, actively seek opportunities for collaboration and cross-area work.
- Seek opportunities for creating “synergies” or collaborations both within the Foundation and with partners across the region, avoiding the isolation of working in a silo.
- As a member of the Foundation’s Programs Department, provide occasional support for special projects and initiatives in other program areas or departments.
- Collaborate with the Communications Department in efforts to share knowledge and information with external audiences, with the Development and Donor Relations Department in fundraising efforts, and with the Finance and Administration Department to complete relevant requests.
Remain Flexible about Work Assignments
Because of the fluid and evolving nature of work at the Foundation, the Director of Nonprofit Leadership & Effectiveness may, from time to time, be asked to take on other assignments not covered in this position description. The Director of Nonprofit Leadership & Effectiveness is expected to demonstrate openness and flexibility when asked to take on these new assignments.
Required Qualifications
- Exceptional oral and written communication skills, including the ability to simplify and effectively communicate complex topics.
- Strong project management skills, including the ability to work closely with outside vendors and monitor project budgets, deadlines, and deliverables.
- Excellent computer skills, including proficiency with MS Office.
- Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to collaborate with and lead a team.
- Strong growth and entrepreneurial mindset.
- Receptiveness to feedback and course correction, and willingness to learn.
- Steadiness and resilience under changing internal and external circumstances and needs.
- A preference for a quick pace of work, while maintaining high levels of detail-orientation and accuracy.
- Ability to operate as both a leader and a doer, executing programs in a “small shop” environment.
- A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Experience & Education
- Bachelor’s degree (master’s strongly preferred)
- 7+ years experience working in environmental resilience or related areas. Gulf South experience preferred.
- History of successfully engaging diverse audiences in conversation about the environment.
- Experience working with low-income communities, rural communities, and grassroots organizations.
- Understanding and agility in navigating varied political environments, including management priorities, staff roles and responsibilities, and external factors impacting the Foundation.
- Experience with fund development, including grant-writing, reporting, budget development, and prospecting.
- Experience with program design, grantmaking, evaluation, and research.
- Experience and strength managing partnerships and coordinating across initiatives.
- Salary commensurate with experience.
How To Apply
Please submit your resume, cover letter, and salary expectations to careers@gnof.org. Only complete applications will be considered. A writing sample will be requested for candidates who advance to late-stage interviews.