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Program Officer

Employer
Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies
Location
District of Columbia, United States
Salary
$85,000.00 - $135,000.00
Closing date
Nov 20, 2021
Philanthropy Summary

The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropy (Schusterman) is a global organization that seeks to improve lives, strengthen communities and reduce inequality. Our philanthropic vision is grounded in a commitment to pursue justice, repair the world and treat all people with dignity and civility. We invest in efforts to improve public education in the United States, strengthen the Jewish people and Israel, and address the needs of marginalized individuals and communities. www.schusterman.org

Position Summary

The Program Officer, US Jewish Grantmaking (PO) is a member of the U.S. Jewish Grantmaking team based in the Philanthropy’s Washington, D.C. office. The PO assists the Senior Director and the Senior Program Officers by seeking, developing, recommending and managing grants that seek to strengthen the future of the Jewish community by empowering young people to connect with inclusive Jewish values, deepen their understanding of Israel and contribute to a better world. An experienced professional with organizational, financial and programmatic expertise, the PO helps maintain strategic partnerships with and provides technical assistance to national and global organizations that work to engage young people with Jewish life and Israel, enhance their commitment to service and tikkun olam and create a more inclusive, welcoming Jewish community. 

Responsibilities

  • Develop and maintain relationships with Schusterman grantee partners, other Schusterman staff members, peers in the philanthropic sector and thought-leaders in the field;
  • Manage grants (regular check-ins with grantees, analyzing and summarizing grantee reports and more) in Schusterman’s U.S. Jewish portfolio, with particular focus on organizations working to support North Americans’ relationship with and education about Israel and Israelis;
  • Contribute to strategy development and implementation for the U.S. Jewish Grantmaking agenda;
  • Make grant recommendations to senior staff by composing clear, concise and insightful written analyses (financial and narrative);
  • Manage research projects and due diligence analyses. Compose and present plans to identify and close gaps in the field with the goal of improving Schusterman’s grantmaking strategies;
  • Act as a thought partner to grantee professionals and assist grantees in delivering on their grant goals, meeting milestones and overcoming obstacles;
  • Represent Schusterman at meetings, grantee site visits or conferences and assist leadership in execution of convenings and/or collaborative learning opportunities;
  • Collaborate with the Evaluation and Learning team to initiate and implement research to support U.S. Jewish portfolio priorities and collect and track grantee data and metrics; and
  • Stay well-informed of developments in the field through relevant literature, research, networking and representing the philanthropy at conferences and meetings.

Qualifications

The following qualifications are representative of the high level of demonstrated skills, maturity, judgment and ability to work with a wide range of constituencies required of Schusterman employees:

  • A Bachelor’s degree or comparable experience is required. 
  • At least 6 years of relevant professional experience, ideally gained in a Jewish community organization, academic institution, philanthropy and/or relevant nonprofit or for-profit organization required.
  • An ongoing commitment to the mission and values of Schusterman Family Philanthropies required.
  • Knowledge of and experience related to Israel is required. 
  • Knowledge of and experience related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strongly preferred. 
  • Demonstrated ability to solve complex problems with creativity and independence. Flexibility and resilience in dealing with ambiguity, highly organized and efficient, and proven prioritization skills.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills required.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to develop cooperative and effective working relationships with supervisory personnel, co-workers, colleagues, current grantees, potential grantees, young Jewish adults, other grantor organizations and the general public required.
  • Curiosity, an ability to look beyond what is to see what can be and proven capacity to innovate required.
  • Ability to exercise discretion and tact in difficult or confidential situations and an ability to project a positive, professional and humble image to the public required. 
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and basic web skills required. Ability to learn new systems and technology quickly. 
  • Ability to travel upon occasion required.

Personal Qualities

Among the personal qualities required of all Schusterman employees are:

  • A commitment to Schusterman’s philosophy and mission, an understanding of the proper role of staff in a family philanthropy and a willingness to work as a team player for the good of Schusterman.
  • An ability to treat grantees, grant applicants, philanthropic partners and all others with dignity, cour­tesy and respect, with humility and without condescension or other objectionable tactics.
  • An ability to work with diverse groups, as demonstrated by good listening and communication skills, a balanced and reasoned approach to problems, an ability to inspire trust and confidence, a flexibility in attitude and an openness to differing points of view.
  • An ability to combine the roles of objective evaluator and sympathetic observer.
  • A strong work ethic and capacity to complete assignments in a timely, organized and efficient manner.
  • An ability to work independently, to accept constructive criticism and to handle pressure of multiple tasks and a high workload with resiliency and a sense of humor.
  • A high degree of flexibility in order to achieve organizational objectives and meet its demands/needs.
  • An ability to understand and interpret pertinent policies and procedures clearly and accurately, especially those requiring all Schusterman employees to maintain the highest level of confidentiality with regard to business and personal matters of the Schusterman, its trustees and officers.

 

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, sit, talk and hear.

 

Compensation

Competitive salary band of $85,000-$135,000 based on experience and on Schusterman’s commitment to internal equity. A strong benefits package is also included. Schusterman encourages ongoing professional development and supports activities aligned with one’s individual career growth plan. Schusterman does not cover relocation expenses for this position.

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