New York, NY

The Organization

Wellspring Advisors, a private philanthropic consulting firm, seeks a Program Officer responsible for the strategy and implementation of an initiative focused on advancing human rights in the global economy as part of its International Human Rights program.

Economic globalization poses opportunities and challenges to human rights. There are significant gaps in the existing human rights mechanisms to ensure that dominant economic actors, particularly corporations and development finance institutions, are not held accountable for human rights abuses that directly or indirectly result from their activities. It is also imperative that States raise and allocate public resources necessary to promote and sustain socio-economic rights including through taxation, the prevention of illicit financial flows and corruption, and effective use of budgets and economic policies. To advance accountability for economic actors, the program focuses on strengthening norms and access to remedy for two main advocacy targets: corporations and development finance institutions. In addition, the program invests in emerging efforts to advance fiscal governance and human rights.

Under the direction of the Program Director, the Program Officer will participate in developing grantmaking priorities and manage the grantmaking program designed to address the issues posed by economic globalization. The work of the Program Officer will consist of staying abreast of relevant issues, trends, and policy developments, building and maintaining close relationships with grantee organizations, soliciting and reviewing proposals, recommending and evaluating grants, and participating in funder collaboratives. Additional responsibilities include development and implementation of funding strategies and grantmaking best practices, among other activities.

Position Overview

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy

• Under the guidance of the Program Director, develop grant making priorities and strategic approaches, proactively researching emerging issues and opportunities.

• Monitor issues, strategies, and funding in the field through literature reviews, research, and engagement with thought leaders and relevant conferences or meetings.

• Prepare strategy and background memos to present clusters of grants and levels of funding.
• Work with Wellspring’s Chief Learning and Evaluation Officer and other staff to integrate measurement and evaluation as well as capacity‐building and technical assistance throughout the program, internally and among grantees.

Grantmaking

• Manage a portfolio of grants, from solicitation through assessment, recommendation and monitoring.
• Meet with grantees and conduct site visits to monitor their performance.
• Use internal data systems to track budgets and grants.

External Relations

• Build collaborative relationships and engage as a thought leader with donors, academics and NGOs working to advance human rights.
• Engage in creative use of convenings, co-funding, partnerships, pooled funds or other tools with different actors to promote a common agenda and advance field learning.

  Organizational engagement and learning

• Participate in human rights team learning, presentations, strategy development, reporting and program evaluation efforts, including collaborative work on additional themes in the Human Rights program.
• Educate clients on emerging trends and funding strategies related to human rights and the global economy.
• Engage in cross-program learning and collaboration on issues that intersect with other Wellspring programs where collaboration might advance common program goals.
• Contribute to Wellspring task forces, committees and special projects that advance the organization’s mission and effectiveness.

• Perform other duties and responsibilities as requested.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL REQUIREMENTS / QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum seven years program experience in a human rights or grant making organization working on issues related to human rights in the global economy.
• Graduate degree or equivalent experience in law, social sciences, business or a related field.
• Demonstrated expertise in issues related to rights in the global economy domestically and internationally: corporate accountability, economic rights, natural resources, and/or development and rights.
• Deep knowledge of the ecosystem of organizations and actors working to advance human rights in the global economy, and how local, national, regional and global efforts link together to achieve larger goals.
• Experience working in or with human rights organizations or funding institutions.
• Strong understanding of human rights campaigns, how strategies and actions of different actors join together to advance human rights and social justice.
• Understanding of the power differential in the funder-grantee relationship and ability to handle relationships with humility and respect.
• Sense of humor and strong team orientation.
• Excellent judgment and ability to synthesize information.

• Excellent research, analytical, problem solving and writing skills.
• Ability to communicate clearly and persuasively with people outside the human rights field.

• Experience working on a small team in a collaborative environment (we make our own copies).

• Close attention to detail, and ability to drive several projects forward simultaneously.

• Ability to exercise effective and inclusive leadership in cross-cultural settings.

• Experience writing or reviewing grant proposals, engaging in strategic planning, and evaluation.

• Ability to travel domestically and internationally 25% of the year.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

Salary range: $100,000‐$120,000 based on experience. Wellspring offers a very generous benefits package including payment of 100% of the health insurance premiums for employees (and 80% of the premiums for spouses, domestic partners and qualified family members). Wellspring also offers other benefits including life insurance, long‐term disability protection, a group 401(k) retirement plan (with an employer match), support for continuing education, and is committed to providing transgender‐inclusive healthcare.

ABOUT WELLSPRING

Established in 2001, Wellspring is a private philanthropic consulting firm that coordinates grantmaking programs that advance the realization of human rights and social and economic justice for all people. Wellspring has offices in New York, NY, and Washington, DC.

Wellspring’s work is rooted in respect for the dignity and worth of every human being and is informed by the following beliefs:

• Social institutions and structures should promote the full realization of human rights and human potential, and should be accountable to these ends.
• The rights of all people are advanced when the rights of the most marginalized and vulnerable peoples are protected.
• Social justice movements should employ means that are consistent with their ideals, and should give agency to the people whose interests they seek to advance.
• As responsible stewards, we must strive to maximize the impact of our charitable investments.

The firm’s services include: working with donors to develop, implement and administer giving programs that meet their philanthropic goals; conducting research and education tailored to the interests of our donors; managing programs, administering grants and monitoring grantee performance; and working to promote the effectiveness of programs that receive donor funding.

Wellspring Advisors, LLC, hires, promotes and retains employees based on their professional qualifications, demonstrated abilities and work performance, as well as on the degree to which these qualities are required in the employment positions made available by the Firm’s service needs and business requirements.

All personnel decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, assignment, training, promotion, discipline and discharge, are made without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic predisposition or carrier status, marital or familial status, domestic partner status, veteran or military status, sex, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law (each a “protected characteristic”). This policy also bans discriminatory harassment. Qualified candidates for employment having records of arrest or criminal conviction will be considered.