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Program Manager, The Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund

Employer
The Lenfest Institute for Journalism
Location
Pennsylvania, United States
Salary
Salary Commensurate with experience
Closing date
Jun 17, 2021

The Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund (The Knight-Lenfest Fund), an independent joint initiative of the Knight Foundation and The Lenfest Institute, is hiring a full-time Program Manager to help with the implementation of strategic and operational objectives, support community engagement and outreach with a particular emphasis on the Philadelphia news and information ecosystem, and evaluate the Fund’s impact on helping to create a more sustainable and equitable news and information ecosystems so communities may thrive.

Who we are:

With a focus on sustainability and equity, The Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund, is designed to strengthen local journalism at scale, through supporting journalistic excellence and serving the information needs of communities. The Knight-Lenfest Fund is a $21 million commitment to local journalism which funds through 2023. It collaborates with news organizations, leaders and communities to grow capacity and meet journalism’s technology, business, and audience realities of the future. This funding body builds on strong results from existing leadership program, Table Stakes, created a new national network to promote shared infrastructure and resource strategies, technology and revenue solutions, News Catalyst, and positions Philadelphia as a model of a thriving local news ecosystem that could be replicated  across the US. The Knight-Lenfest Fund uses a mutual aid approach to journalism, where news and information can be a vehicle for solidarity. The Fund believes that journalism is at its best when it is of service. 

Where: 

This position is currently remote due to COVID-19, but based in Philadelphia once things are safe and will work with and report to the Managing Director of the Knight-Lenfest Fund. 

Responsibilities:

Grants Management and Philadelphia Program Development

  • Manage and coordinate grant applications and reporting to the Fund with particular focus on ones from Philadelphia for review and approval 
  • Guide and support news and information organizations and individuals throughout the grantmaking process, including but not limited to webinars, info sessions, promotions, etc..
  • Design and facilitate opportunities to learn more and support the Philadelphia news and information ecosystem in collaboration with the Managing Director. This may include collaborating with news organizations and individuals in Philadelphia to create programming that addresses their goals and needs as this is iteratively defined

Overall Fund Support

  • Support the strategy and implementation of the Fund’s objectives nationally and in Philadelphia 
  • Implement strategic and operational objectives, including designing and providing informal and formal updates, reports, presentations and supporting materials on the activities of the Fund and its grantees to leadership and key stakeholders
  • Develop and maintain an evidence-based approach for assessing the Fund’s impact in the field in partnership with Knight’s and Lenfest’s learning and evaluation teams
  • Design a pre and post assessment of grantmaking that builds upon reporting to further help shape the strategy of the Fund
  • Co-design and support the communications strategy for the Fund and keep its digital presence up to date in collaboration with Lenfest and Knight. This may including creating content and graphics
  • Support the management and tracking of the Fund’s budget and operations, which includes, but isn’t limited to, designing and tracking reports, managing payments in partnership with the Finance Department, scheduling and designing meetings and events with partners, grantees (current and potential) and Fund stakeholders 
  • When traveling resumes, able to travel frequently for meetings that may or may not occur during work hours
  • Collaborate with Knight and The Lenfest Institute to support strategies and objectives that help the journalism industry overall

Qualities of a successful candidate:

  • A skilled and flexible project manager comfortable with experimentation, including ideas and approaches, learning and sharing with others
  • Knowledge that there can be more than one right answer
  • Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in action not just in words
  • Able to analyze and assess impact, situations and data (quantitative and qualitative) to inform decision-making and identify actionable insights
  • Creative and adaptable problem-solver that thrives on teams, while also autonomous and self-driven in the execution of tasks
  • Strong attention to detail, time-management skills and thoughtfulness in the creation of experiences and materials
  • Willingness to spend time in the community participating in meet-up(s), events and building trust in particular in the Philadelphia ecosystem among journalism and media stakeholders, community members and organizations; as well as other experts in adjacent fields
  • Understands unique strengths and challenges of Philadelphia
  • Curious about Philadelphia, local news and helping communities thrive
  • Excited about the important role of news and information and the power of narrative to shape the world

Experience:

  • Minimum 3 years experience in a management role with a proven track record of leading multiple projects, meeting deadlines, delivering and executing on plans; paired with a willingness to ask for help and/or questions when you need support
  • Creative and adaptable problem-solver that thrives on teams, while also autonomous and self-driven in the execution of tasks
  • Strong, inclusive, creative, and adaptive facilitator
  • Excellent writing and communication skills to collaborate with multiple stakeholders
  • Background in designing programming that taps different learning styles, codesign sessions, etc… and creating materials to support it
  • Experience with nonprofit, philanthropy and/or investment program management, evaluation and reporting 
  • Previous experience with community organizing and/or civic participation 
  • On-line training dexterity and finesse with social media is a plus
  • Experience as a journalist would be a bonus
  • Familiarity with the news and media industry and the Philadelphia news and information ecosystem is a plus

Other Information

  • Salary will range between $70,000-$80,000, depending on experience.
  • Health Insurance and other benefits provided

Commitment to Equity 

The Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund is committed to strengthening local journalism at scale, with a focus on journalistic excellence and serving the information needs of communities. In order to do this in a more sustainable and equitable way, we look for more voices and lived experiences to address emerging and latent needs in local communities and among news organizations and leaders. We strongly encourage candidates from a wide range of communities to apply. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and experiences. 

Please send your resume and brief cover letter to jobs@lenfestinstitute.org. If you have a portfolio, website, podcast or other materials that help us understand your approach to community building, philanthropy and strategy, please also include a curated version of it in your application with a brief description. 

About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. We invest in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Our goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which we believe are essential for a healthy democracy. Learn more at kf.org.

About The Lenfest Institute for Journalism

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism is a non-profit organization whose sole mission is to develop and support sustainable business models for great local journalism. The Institute was founded in 2016 by cable television entrepreneur H.F. (Gerry) Lenfest. The Institute is the parent organization of The Philadelphia Inquirer, a for-profit public benefit corporation dedicated to serving the people of the Philadelphia region. Learn more at Lenfest Institute.

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