Troy, MI

Fellow – American Cities Program, The Kresge Foundation

The Organization

The Kresge Foundation is one of the top 20 private philanthropic foundations in the United States and the only one focused exclusively on expanding opportunities for people with low income in American Cities. With a $3.8 billion endowment and a staff of over 100 employees, the foundation deploys grants and social investments across arts and culture, education, environment, health, human services and community development. The foundation’s state-of-the-art headquarters maintains an array of energy-efficient, water-conserving and health-promoting systems. The foundation also operates an office in Detroit’s Midtown district.

Position Overview

About the American Cities Program

The American Cities Program is a dynamic, multi-disciplinary team working proactively to advance the resurgence and revitalization of cities across America. The program is an on-the-ground practice that seeks to surface, seed, and scale new and/or effective approaches to community development which drive lasting and shared prosperity, promote equity and expand opportunity for people with low income.

The program’s priorities include:

•             Stewarding the foundation’s deep, place-based grantmaking in Memphis, New Orleans, Fresno, and a growing number of other cities;

•             Supporting national community development organizations and multi-city initiatives designing innovative solutions for equitable revitalization in cities across the country; and

•             Fostering cross-city exchange of knowledge between community development practitioners        through research, publications, and convenings.

About the position

 

The American Cities Fellow will be responsible for supporting the implementation of a program strategy that builds upon the foundation’s experience working nationally and on-the-ground in Detroit to strengthen the social, economic, cultural, and physical fabric of other cities. The work is rooted in increasing socioeconomic mobility and addressing the systemic inequities in our society. The Fellow will work alongside the team’s Program Officers to review grant requests, help manage and learn from relationships with grantee partners, conduct analysis and qualitative research to inform the team’s strategies to address inequity, project manage the Program’s key grantmaking and convening initiatives, and lead team operations associated with advancing the Program’s strategic priorities.

The fellowship is a limited-term two-year appointment, with the possibility of a third year,   and is open to those who have completed a minimum of bachelor’s level training and at least two to three years of professional experience.  The fellow will gain insight into the social sector, philanthropy, community and economic development, community organizing and cross-sector strategies to advance racial equity.

Primary responsibilities

 

Grantmaking and Relationship Management

 

·       Assists in the team’s review of grant requests, preparation of grant recommendations, and management of its portfolio of grants in service to the program’s objectives.

·       In partnership with the Program Officer, actively participates in deepening grantee-partner engagement and relationships.

·       Provides grantee partners with resources including connections to technical assistance and non-financial resources, with a focus on cross-city exchange.

·       Plans, travels to and participates in conferences, convenings and site visits with grantees and funding partners.

Research and Analysis

·       Conducts qualitative research and analysis to identify insights and inform team initiatives and overall strategy in neighborhoods, cities, and national community development.

·       Synthesizes reports from grantee-partners to identify key lessons that should be shared with the field and applied to team strategies.

·       Makes strategic recommendations based on research, synthesis and analysis.

Project Management

·       Provides project coordination support and manages day-to-day operations of grantmaking initiatives such as Shared Prosperity Partnership and Kresge Innovative Projects: Memphis.

Team Operations

·       Coordinates and facilitates key internal team processes such as strategy and initiative development, goal/objective setting, , budgeting and work planning.

·       Develops agendas for and facilitates team meetings.

·       Prepares key materials for presentations and meetings.

·       Develops clear, concise written communications (including memos, briefs and presentations) for a range of audiences including foundation leadership and its board of directors.

Other

·       Shares collective responsibility for achieving strategic objectives in cities.

·       Conducts special projects as requested.

·       Demonstrates a strong commitment to the foundation’s mission and values and demonstrates that commitment in daily interactions

 

Qualifications

·       Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in relevant or related fields is required.

·       At least two to three years of full-time work experience.

·       Previous experience in consulting, analysis, project management, strategy or operations (for-profit, non-profit or public sector) is preferred.

·       Strong written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.

·       Strong, demonstrated project-management skills.

·       Strong team orientation, including the ability to collaborate effectively within and across teams and departments to reach common goals.

·       A learning orientation that enables one to recognize patterns, identify key lessons and develop creative solutions.

·       A demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

·       Willing to travel in a Post-COVID environment. Local, regional and national travel requirements vary by quarter.

·       Ability to master a diverse workload.

The Kresge Foundation offers a generous relocation program for qualifying applicants.

How To Apply

Application deadline for this position is 11:59pm EST on September 3, 2021.

https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=87274f4c-cc7a-4ce9-97ab-d86186933f96&ccId=19000101_000001&jobId=344070&source=CC2&lang=en_US

Kresge is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBT applicants. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

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