The Organization
The William Penn Foundation
Director, Creative Communities Program
Philadelphia, PA
The William Penn Foundation, a nationally recognized $3.5 billion family foundation based in Philadelphia, seeks a Director of its Creative Communities Program. With approximately $30 million in annual grantmaking, the Creative Communities Program supports organizations and projects that work to ensure people and communities across Greater Philadelphia have the opportunity to benefit from inclusive, diverse, and high-quality public spaces and arts and culture experiences.
The Director reports to the Foundation’s Executive Director and oversees a lean program staff of five in pursuit of the following core strategies: Arts and Culture Hubs provides unrestricted general operating support to organizations whose missions are rooted in arts and culture and seek to achieve greater racial and economic equity in their operations and programming; Arts Education and Exposure funds in-school partnerships, for grades K-6, and community-based arts training in grades 7-12; Arts Presentation and Art Making funds high-quality arts and culture projects or programs that emphasize diverse and culturally relevant work produced in an inclusive and equitable way; Public Space Creation and Stewardship supports the creation and stewardship of high-quality, inclusive, sustainable public and community spaces; and Equitable Economic Impacts funds investments to enable public and community spaces to generate long-term, equitable economic benefits for neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia and the region.
This important role calls for a seasoned strategic thinker and a results-oriented team leader with values alignment and commitment to the Foundation’s work. Strong communication, thought leadership, and the ability to cultivate and support a thriving team are required, as is a deep, proven commitment to values of equity and inclusion. Candidates should be broadly knowledgeable about arts, culture, and public space and sensitive to the challenges of driving change in those sectors. While the direct focus of the grantmaking is regional, its influence on the field is national; the Director represents the Foundation to partners and stakeholders within the region and well beyond, including building partnerships with national and nonlocal funders and supporters.
The current Creative Communities Program design was adopted in 2021 after a two-year planning period and is now in its first phase of implementation. The new Director will play a key role in overseeing the evaluation, testing, and continual strengthening of the Program’s grantmaking strategies based on initial grantmaking experience.
The Foundation is working with the national executive search firm Isaacson, Miller on this important recruitment. All inquiries, nominations, and applications should be directed in confidence to the firm via www.imsearch.com/8412.
How To Apply
The Foundation is working with the national executive search firm Isaacson, Miller on this important recruitment. All inquiries, nominations, and applications should be directed in confidence to the firm via www.imsearch.com/8412.