Vice President of Programs

Wellspring Philanthropic Fund

New York, NY

About Wellspring Philanthropic Fund

Wellspring Philanthropic Fund is a private grantmaking foundation dedicated to advancing 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.

Our Approach

Focused on people who have historically been systematically deprived of voice and power, our work is grounded in core strategies:

• Foster enhanced advocacy efforts
• Establish effective policies and standards
• Build a strong evidence base
• Change social norms and public opinion
• Facilitate field building

Our Priorities

• Promoting the realization of human rights and access to economic and social justice – including racial, gender, and economic justice – as reflected in global norms, national policies, and local practice.
• Expanding the voices, dignity, and interests of the most marginalized and vulnerable communities, including women, children, people living in poverty, people of color, people with disabilities, LGBT people, and people affected by armed conflict and mass atrocities.

Encouraging vibrant, responsive, participatory democracy.

• Supporting the ability of people to hold governments and other powerful institutions and individuals accountable to the rule of law.

For more information on Wellspring Philanthropic Fund, please visit its website.

 

 

The Opportunity

Wellspring Philanthropic Fund seeks a senior level strategic thinker with deep experience in human rights/social justice to be its first Vice President of Programs (VP of Programs). Working with the Foundation’s leadership and reporting to the Foundation President, the Vice President of Programs will directly supervise 11 Directors of Wellspring’s thematic and geographic program areas and is responsible for implementing Wellspring’s programmatic strategy to support the realization of human rights and social and economic justice for all people.

The VP of Programs will provide strong leadership, strategic direction, and management for the Program Directors – individually and collectively – in grantmaking. As a member of Wellspring’s Executive Committee and Management Team, they will also contribute to the development and management of institutional priorities and procedures. The VP of Programs will be responsible for fostering collaboration and innovation across program areas and promoting innovation and adaptation to respond to changing trends in the field.

The successful candidate will be a thought leader on human rights and social justice and must have a minimum of 10-15 years of relevant experience including managing seasoned team members with a demonstrated ability to manage, mentor, and promote strong collaboration across teams in a learning environment. They will have long-term vision, be open-minded, possess strong listening skills, and communicate openly and effectively across multiple constituencies. They will also have strong experience with and a commitment to racial and gender equity in both a national and global context.

At a pivotal moment in Wellspring’s history, this first VP of Programs will have the unique opportunity to partner with the President, the Board, and the Program Directors in building on Wellspring’s past while shaping its future.

 

 

The Candidate Profile

The Vice President of Programs of Wellspring Philanthropic Fund will possess the following attributes, competencies, and key responsibilities:

 

Strategic planning, strategy development, and grantmaking approval

• Provides strategic leadership, vision, and oversight of all programmatic strategies and the annual grantmaking to organizations in the U.S. and internationally to advance human rights and social justice.
• Works with the Chief Learning & Evaluation Officer to ensure evaluation and measurement plans are effectively implemented for each program, and to develop a strategic learning agenda and processes for and between programs.
• Leads Directors in assessing and adjusting program strategies, and continuously reviewing the program's overall objectives to ensure compliance with strategy and donor interests.
• Ensures implementation and integrity of initiative approaches and related budgets and, in consultation with the President, reviews and approves any proposed variations.
• Oversees the overall grant making of Wellspring thematic programs, the application of program resources based on the approved unit and office budget and specific allocations to the various initiatives for each program and reviews the use of time and budget resources.
• Organizes bi-weekly meetings of Program Directors, setting the agenda and overseeing the preparation of notes and follow-up items.
• Reviews and approves grants that fall within the delegated approval guidelines and recommends other grants for approval by the President.
• With the President and other executive leaders, engages with Wellspring’s donors, providing updates and progress reports and responding to emerging priorities and needs.

Mentoring, Supervision, and Management

With a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging:

• Provides direct supervision and support to relevant Program Directors to ensure they have strategic thought partnership and are effectively supported and resourced. To achieve this, the VP of Programs will ensure that:
  • each program has clear programmatic objectives that align with its strategy.
  • programs coordinate and collaborate effectively in the development and achievement of cross-cutting strategies.
  • each program develops budgets that support the strategy and monitors those budgets annually.
• Ensures collaborations among programs and with the Learning & Evaluation team and Director of Communication on internal and external messaging and on board/donor education and engagement.
• Supervises the Directors in the management of each Programs’ human and financial resources. This includes oversight of day-to-day operation of program units, including grant- making, budgets, and personnel hiring, development, and evaluation.
• Presents program goals and accomplishments to the Board.
• Ensures effective allocation of funding for the grantmaking budgets.
• Periodically manages projects and assists leadership to manage activities outside the scope of the assigned dockets, as they arise.

External Relations

• The VP of Programs will be responsible for working with the President, Director of Communications, and Program Directors on the development of communication strategies and messaging to theWorks with the Chief Learning & Evaluation Officer to ensure evaluation and measurement plans are effectively implemented for each program, and to develop a strategic learning agenda and processes for and between programs.
• Leads Directors in assessing and adjusting program strategies, and continuously reviewing the program's overall objectives to ensure compliance with strategy and donor interests.
• Ensures implementation and integrity of initiative approaches and related budgets and, in consultation with the President, reviews and approves any proposed variations.
• Oversees the overall grant making of Wellspring thematic programs, the application of program resources based on the approved unit and office budget and specific allocations to the various initiatives for each program and reviews the use of time and budget resources.
• Organizes bi-weekly meetings of Program Directors, setting the agenda and overseeing the preparation of notes and follow-up items.
• Reviews and approves grants that fall within the delegated approval guidelines and recommends other grants for approval by the President.
• With the President and other executive leaders, engages with Wellspring’s donors, providing updates and progress reports and responding to emerging priorities and needs.

Mentoring, Supervision, and Management

With a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging:

• Provides direct supervision and support to relevant Program Directors to ensure they have strategic thought partnership and are effectively supported and resourced. To achieve this, the VP of Programs will ensure that:
  • each program has clear programmatic objectives that align with its strategy.
  • programs coordinate and collaborate effectively in the development and achievement of cross-cutting strategies.
  • each program develops budgets that support the strategy and monitors those budgets annually.
• Ensures collaborations among programs and with the Learning & Evaluation team and Director of Communication on internal and external messaging and on board/donor education and engagement.
• Supervises the Directors in the management of each Programs’ human and financial resources. This includes oversight of day-to-day operation of program units, including grant- making, budgets, and personnel hiring, development, and evaluation.
• Presents program goals and accomplishments to the Board.
• Ensures effective allocation of funding for the grantmaking budgets.
• Periodically manages projects and assists leadership to manage activities outside the scope of the assigned dockets, as they arise.

External Relations

The VP of Programs will be responsible for working with the President, Director of Communications, and Program Directors on the development of communication strategies and messaging to the

Foundations’ board/donors and engaging with the community of aligned donors and practitioners working to advance the goals of Wellspring’s programs.

 

Knowledge and Skill Requirements/Qualifications

Strong candidates will offer the following knowledge, skills, and qualifications, including:

• Authentic passion for and commitment to Wellspring’s mission and vision.
• At least 15 years of experience in the field of human rights/social justice and philanthropy fields, with at least 10 years of experience managing teams.
• The ability to serve as a key senior leader helping to build culture, set strategy, and ensure that all programs and program teams are operating for maximum impact.
• Excellent people and team management skills, with a strong lens for and commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and the ability to provide coaching and mentorship that advances staff development.
• A leadership style that reflects respect, open-mindedness, and inclusion as well as a demonstrated ability to establish and maintain close, collegial, and effective working relationships with colleagues and grantees of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
• An understanding of and demonstrated commitment to social justice values, including racial and gender equity as an organizational operating principle, and a commitment to continued learning on issues related to race, gender, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, both as a public speaker and relationship builder as well as a listener and thought partner.
• Superior analytic skills and the ability to identify and extract critical information for communication externally with advocates, funders, and other stakeholders, as well as within Wellspring, including donors.
• Strong commitment to and proficiency with measurement, evaluation, and learning.
• Understanding and embodiment of Wellspring values, including humility and teamwork.
• Good judgment, a sense of humor, and the desire to be part of a broader team that is committed to continuous learning and improvement.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally frequently (25%) when it is once again safe to do so.

Wellspring’s Culture

As an organization dedicated to social justice — including racial and gender justice — we try to live the values we seek to cultivate within the broader society by applying principles of fairness, respect, and justice in our relationships with our grantees and collaborators, as well as in our internal management processes and structures.

With our grantees: Our grantees are closer to the issues they are working on and the communities they represent than we are, and we respect their knowledge and expertise. We engage with our grantees in a spirit of respect and humility. We listen to them, and we learn from them as we try to support them.

We embrace grantmaking strategies that vest power in the marginalized communities whose interests we seek to advance. We join with our grantees in reflective practice, supporting appropriate risk-taking and adaptation in light of lessons learned. We try not to put unreasonable burden on them. We hold ourselves accountable to the same standards of professionalism, excellence, and stewardship that we expect from our grantees, and we actively seek feedback on how we can do better.

Under our own roof: Our effectiveness as a social justice grantmaker is enhanced to the extent that our team includes individuals whose life experiences and perspectives have proximity to or alignment with the life experiences and perspectives of those whose interests we work to advance — including women, people of color, LGBT people, people with disabilities, and people who have experienced poverty. We actively cultivate an institutional culture of respect, equity, and inclusion consistent with the values that we seek to promote through our mission.

We strive to create conditions in which every person is supported to bring their whole, best self to do great work, to learn, and to grow. We are building a habit of open and skillful interactions about race and racism, gender, and sexism. We maintain a consultative management culture that gives people voice in important decisions that affect them.

Wellspring Philanthropic Fund believes we are strengthened by the diversity of our staff, and welcomes such diversity including race, gender identity or expression, educational attainment, disability, veteran status, and personal experience with the criminal justice system. We welcome applications from people of all cultures, backgrounds, and experiences, and we strongly encourage people of color and persons with disabilities to apply. We actively cultivate an institutional culture that reflects the values of respect, equity, and inclusion that we seek through our work to amplify in the larger world.

Wellspring 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 Foundation’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 any protected characteristic as defined by law, e.g., race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, disability, gender identity or expression, sex, sexual orientation, marital or familial status, domestic partner status, veteran or military status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, and prior criminal convictions, as well as educational attainment.

 

Compensation & Benefits

Salary range: $450,000-$550,000 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.

Contact

Molly Brennan and Martens Roc of Koya Partners have been exclusively retained for this search. To express your interest in this role please submit your materials here or email VP_Programs_Wellspring@koyapartners.com. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.

 

About Koya Partners

Koya Partners, a part of the Diversified Search Group, is a leading executive search and strategic advising firm dedicated to connecting exceptionally talented people with mission-driven clients. Our founding philosophy—The Right Person in the Right Place Can Change the World—guides our work as we partner with nonprofits & NGOs, institutions of higher education, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.

At Koya, we don’t just accept difference—we celebrate it, support it, and thrive on it for the benefit of our team, our clients, and the communities we serve.

For more information about Koya Partners, visit www.koyapartners.com.