New York, NY

Vice President, Member Collaboration and Public Policy, Philanthropy New York

The Organization

Philanthropy New York is a trusted community of nearly 300 grant making organizations that develops forward-thinking guidance and programming to address the unique challenges of philanthropy and convenes funders to strengthen ties across the sector.
Philanthropy New York champions effective grant making by building a vibrant philanthropic ecosystem that strives to advance meaningful social change. Through our work, members:

  • Convene and collaborate as a community – We bring together philanthropic professionals to share across issues and across professional roles. Practitioners have a place to build collaborative efforts, share practices and learn from peers.
  • Share knowledge, skills and transformative practices – We design robust programming and professional and leadership development that equips our members to understand and adapt to shifting norms and emerging trends in the field. Our programs help members cultivate key skills and implement practice models that fit their unique needs.
  • Amplify the voice of the philanthropic field – We catalyze collaboration to leverage the power of our members’ collective voice. By championing the opinions of the philanthropic field, we help our members strengthen their advocacy skills.

Position Overview

Job Title: Vice President, Member Collaboration and Public Policy

Reports To: President

The VP of Public Policy leads this work by:

  • Convening issue-based working groups consisting of grant makers who are interested in collaborating to explore joint education and advocacy
  • Designing programs and learning opportunities aimed at helping members understand and advocate for current pressing issues
  • Developing and monitoring an annual policy slate approved by the Public Policy Committee and the Board that identifies the key issues that might affect the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors
  • Creating, with the guidance of the Policy Committee, official policy statements on behalf of PNY
  • Overseeing the work of two Philanthropy New York Fellows who are responsible for coordinating and elevating the work of PNY’s issue-based working groups
  • Supporting the development of organization-wide racial equity lenses for policies and programs
  • Working collaboratively across departments to support strategies that ensure the organization’s membership is engaged in the timely and critical discussions that impact their funding strategies

A key member of the Philanthropy New York leadership team, the Vice President of Policy and Collaboration is responsible for stewarding organizational culture, collaborating on annual planning and monitoring processes, contributing to the organization’s risk management and budgeting processes and aligning relationships across teams.  This is a full-time exempt position that reports to the President.

Primary Responsibilities:

Member Collaboration and Public Policy

  • Support ongoing convening of PNY’s issue-based member working groups (currently Health, Education, Justice Reform, International Grantmaking).  Oversee the strategy and collaborative efforts of each group.
  • Develop and implement a programmatic and related communication strategy that strengthens our members’ appreciation for the critical need for philanthropy’s engagement in public policy, and the central role Philanthropy New York plays in fostering that engagement.
  • Monitor legislative and regulatory activity for pending issues at the federal, state, and city levels that may impact philanthropy and nonprofits
  • Develop and execute public policy strategies and activities
  • Serve as a key organizational and sector voice in informing and educating public policymakers about the scope and impact of foundation and corporate giving in New York; work with the President and Board to engage foundation leaders in this work   as well
  • Represent the organization externally in New York City and New York State coalitions and the United Philanthropy Forum
  • Serve as the liaison and coordinator of the Board’s Public Policy Committee
  • Establish and maintain contacts with key state and city officials and annually attend Foundations on the Hill to build relationships with federal officials

Fellowship Oversight

  • Run a biannual competitive process designed to identify a promising recent graduate student from diverse backgrounds who will join PNY’s staff for a two year fellowship commitment
  • Supervise the fellows to help them achieve organizational goals in the following areas:
  • Developing and executing issue-focused programs, including working group educational events, PNY’s annual conference and other events as they arise.
  • Research and write issue guides on topics at the nexus of the government, philanthropic and nonprofit sectors.
  • Preparing materials for and attending Foundations on the Hill, the annual gathering of sector leaders to meet with federal officials on issues of concern to the philanthropic community.
  • Support the fellow’s professional development by helping to identify mentors and overseeing the mentor relationship
  • Codify the program and identify opportunities to strengthen and build the existing program
  • Build the profile of the fellowship among Philanthropy New York’s membership with the goal of identifying long-term sustainability support

Communications

  • Advance, promote, and develop resources for research publications that arise out of the coordinated work of PNY’s members
  • Develop program descriptions and marketing materials for policy-related programming as needed
  • Implement communications strategies to increase the profile of our collaborative work and to ensure that work is integral in PNY’s ongoing communications

Organizational Leadership

  • Serve as a member of the Executive Leadership team collaborating around organizational culture and strategy
  • Provide thought-partnership around the creation of new programming and the enhancement of existing programming, supporting efforts to incorporate a racial equity lens in the delivery of programs
  • Annually prepare and manage a budget for departmental and organizational work
  • Collaboratively create an annual operations plan aligned with the organization’s strategic plan
  • Build strong relationships with the organization’s members and support membership retention and recruitment efforts

Skills and Knowledge:

  • Superb written communication skills adaptable to a variety of settings and styles
  • Demonstrated ability to facilitate groups, both small and large, to achieve organizational goals
  • Ability to analyze information, discern key issues of interest to grantmakers, and communicate clearly and concisely
  • Work with diverse constituencies, maintain diplomacy, and negotiate successfully at all levels of management
  • Knowledge of and commitment to personal growth and development on issues of racial equity and diversity and to supporting others in growth around issues of racial equity
  • Strong member service orientation
  • Comfort with and skilled in public speaking
  • Experience with or strong interest in organized philanthropy
  • Excellent organizational, planning, project management and administrative skills
  • Demonstrated experience helping junior staff grow in responsibility and experience
  • Proficient with databases and communications platforms

Qualifications and Experience: 

  • A minimum of 12-15 years of experience in public policy, organizing, philanthropy, or related work
  • Four-year college degree, and a Master’s Degree a plus – or demonstrated complex analysis, writing, negotiation and project management skills equivalent to higher education
  • Experience and deep knowledge around the issues that Philanthropy New York members fund, especially education, justice reform, health policy or gender justice
  • Experience in or understanding of the role of a membership association or grant making collaboratives
  • Demonstrated understanding of structural racism and the role it plays in the issues above and public policy in general

Salary range: $130,000 – $140,000, based on experience.

How To Apply

Please send a resume and a cover letter outlining your interest in the position, your skills and your qualifications via email to employment@philanthropynewyork.org by July 15, 2020.

No phone calls, please.  Please note that due to the high volume of resumes we receive, we are unable to respond to all candidates.  We will be directly in touch with candidates for first round telephone interviews.

Philanthropy New York is committed to creating a more equitable workplace.  We value diversity and are dedicated to the recruitment, inclusion and retention of individuals of diverse backgrounds, sex, race, religion, gender preference and sexual orientation.

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