Jobs at Rose Community Foundation

Executive Director: Jewish Women's Fund of Colorado

Background

Jewish Women’s Fund of Colorado (JWFC), a donor-advised fund of Rose Community Foundation, is committed to helping women become effective catalysts for change in the public, private and social sectors. JWFC’s nine-member Coordinating Council is dedicated to using the power of its collective philanthropy to make a difference in the status of women and girls.

JWFC employs a three-pronged strategy to achieve its goal:

Engage Women: Convene women to discuss important and relevant issues affecting women and girls
Educate Women: Provide educational content, tools and resources to develop women’s financial acumen and leadership abilities
Empower Women: Identify opportunities for women to use their financial and intellectual assets to create positive social change for all women and girls

JWFC’s operating model employs several tactics to achieve its goal of helping women become effective catalysts for change including grantmaking, education and direct action.

Roles and Responsibilities

The Executive Director is the only staff member of JWFC. This person will have to wear many hats, from day-to-day operations to fundraising to organizing educational events and community collaborations. The responsibilities of the Executive Director will include:

Administration
The Executive Director will provide guidance, leadership and administrative support to fulfill and further the mission of JWFC by:

Working with the Coordinating Council to:
- Implement the strategic goals and objectives of the organization;
- Maintain and support a creative infrastructure that will reflect the JWFC mission;
- Develop and manage JWFC’s annual budget.
Working with the Chair of the Coordinating Council to:
- Plan monthly Council Meetings;
- Provide guidance and oversight to the organization;
- Manage communication between JWFC and Rose Community Foundation.
Working with various sub-committees of the Coordinating Council to:
- Achieve the organization’s annual goals and objectives related to fundraising, grantmaking and education;
- Ensure that communication across committees and between committees and the full Coordinating Council is consistent and effective.
Working with Rose Community Foundation staff to:
- Keep the Rose Community Foundation staff and board abreast of activities and developments within JWFC;
- Ensure compliance with financial, communication and technology protocols;
- Monitor the mutually agreed upon operating agreement of JWFC as a donor-advised fund.

Development
A significant portion of the Executive Director’s time will be spent planning and implementing development strategies and cultivating and soliciting donors. This will include:

Working closely with the Coordinating Council to identify and cultivate new funding sources and steward existing funders;
Maintaining a robust tracking system for prospective and current donors;
Developing and expanding existing individual donor and family foundation relationships;
Cultivating and soliciting organizations, corporations, foundations and individuals to raise funds for program and administrative purposes;
Seeking opportunities to market and promote JWFC.

Grantmaking
The Executive Director will work with the Coordinating Council and the Grantmaking Committee to facilitate JWFC’s grantmaking activities. Initially, the Executive Director will help execute against JWFC’s agreed upon grantmaking priorities and processes. In future years, the Executive Director may be expected to help develop new priorities.

The Executive Director must be able and willing to communicate JWFC’s funding priorities to potential grantees, work with those grantees to develop their grant proposals, and monitor the grants to ensure that each grantee is fulfilling its obligations under the grant. The Executive Director will also facilitate the grant review and decision-making process with the Grantmaking Committee.

Direct Action and Programming
JWFC’s strategy for creating social impact includes activities beyond grantmaking so the Executive Director will be responsible for helping to generate innovative ideas to educate and engage women regarding how to become effective catalysts for change.
Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

Identifying leaders in the local and national community to speak at JWFC sponsored events;
Developing programming (with the assistance of outside experts and resources) to effectively educate women about issues about which they are passionate;
Collaborating with community partners to develop new mechanisms to engage women as agents of change;
Representing JWFC at relevant professional meetings and conferences.

Communication
The Executive Director will communicate the goals, mission and programs of JWFC to:

Rose Community Foundation staff and board members;
Potential grantee organizations and potential community partners; including other nonprofit organizations and other foundations;
Other women’s funds across the country.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent required, advanced degree preferred
Minimum of five years of nonprofit management or leadership
Strong commitment to the values and goals of JWFC
Strong interpersonal skills, with ability to empower leadership in others
Experience building and managing collaborations among a broad range of stakeholders
Strong team-building skills and proven group facilitation skills
Proactive, self-starter work style
Proven fundraising experience with success in cultivating and stewarding individual donors
Strong oral and written communication skills, as well as the ability to listen
Experience with financial management
Proven experience in recruiting and working with board members
Ideally, knowledge of the metro Denver Jewish community

Compensation

The Executive Director will report to the Jewish Women’s Fund of Colorado Coordinating Council and Rose Community Foundation CEO.
The Executive Director will be an employee of Rose Community Foundation and will be offered a comprehensive benefits package through the Foundation.
Compensation will be commensurate with experience. EOE

To Apply

Please send a cover letter outlining your qualifications for this position and resume to hr@rcfdenver.org. Interviews will be conducted in early July and the position will begin on August 4, 2008.