Program Officer for Community DevelopmentThe San Francisco Foundation,

PO for Community Development at SF Foundation
OPEN POSITIONProgram Officer for Community DevelopmentThe San Francisco Foundation, the community foundation of the Bay Area, is one of country’s largest community foundations. We serve Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo Counties. Our mission is to mobilize resources and guide their use to promote vibrant, sustainable communities throughout the Bay Area. In service to the people of our community, we partner with diverse organizations and donors to create new opportunities and to be a catalyst for change. Due to the generosity of our donors, our assets exceed one billion dollars and last year we granted out more than $88 million. A distinguished 11-member community board governs the Foundation. POSITION SCOPEThe Program Officer for Community Development is the primary grantmaker for the Foundation’s Community Development portfolio, which is responsible for responding to and recommending requests for funding and proactively developing initiatives that stabilize and increase the economic security of households and communities by investing in strategies that address the root causes of poverty. This includes expanding the supply of affordable and supportive housing, strategies to address and end homelessness, investments in workforce development to increase economic security, and micro-enterprise loans and entrepreneurial training to foster economic independence. Recognizing a growing body of work and success in strategies designed to build assets and wealth, it is expected that the Community Development program will continue to move towards greater incorporation of assets and wealth strategies in the portfolio. Additionally, the Foundation has embarked on an aggressive strategy to incorporate Program Related Investments (PRIs) as a part of its overall grantmaking strategy. Working with the Finance Department, the Program Officer for Community Development will lead all Community Development related PRI efforts. Lastly, the Foundation advances public policy goals and strategies based on its grantmaking, initiative, and convening activities, and expects the Community Development Program Officer to be actively involved in policy work.The Community Development Program Officer works within a multidisciplinary program department and, in coordination with others, is responsible for addressing key strategic Foundation goals (i.e., promote safe, healthy, and affordable neighborhoods and sustainable livelihoods for individuals and families). The Program Officer supervises an Initiative Coordinator, a Program Fellow and a Program Assistant and works with all areas of the Foundation in the course of mobilizing resources and applying them toward addressing community needs. Two strategic projects are currently managed by the Program Officer for Community Development: the Bay Area Workforce Funding Collaborative, a groundbreaking partnership between philanthropic foundations and the State of California’s Employment Development Department (EDD) to match some of the San Francisco Bay Area’s most disadvantaged jobseekers with employers in high-growth economic sectors; and The Solutions Fund for Homeless Families, a multi-year service, policy, and advocacy effort focused on homeless families in San Francisco. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Review, research, and recommend grants. Solicit and respond to nonprofit, government, and private agency requests for Foundation funding. Evaluate merits of written proposals, conduct site visits, review research, and present grant recommendations to the Board of Trustees. Evaluate effectiveness of grants and report progress. Provide resource and referral advice and technical assistance to agencies or collaboratives. As appropriate, jointly review grants from other program areas and in collaboration with other funding.
Budget oversight and supervision. Manage a grantmaking budget that includes both restricted and unrestricted funds. Supervise an Initiative Coordinator, a Program Fellow and a Program Assistant, providing orientation, professional development opportunities, and mentoring. As part of our Multicultural Fellows Program, the Program Officer for Community Development will actively support leadership development and mentoring of the Program Fellow.
Initiative design, development, and implementation. Lead proactive, collaborative initiatives with other funders and grantees, and across program areas of the Foundation. Raise funds from other foundations and donors to meet needs identified in the initiative process. Provide overall direction and guidance to initiatives from conception through implementation, including hiring and supervising consultants and staff, and where appropriate, needs assessment, RFP development and grants distribution. Collaborate with Public Affairs for media, marketing and public relations activities.
Development support. Meet with donors and prospective donors interested in Community Development issues, providing them with information about Community Development needs and best practices and grantmaking opportunities in the Bay Area. Provide background information for direct funding requests to donors. Organize and present donor forums.
Organizational development and management. Provide leadership to internal Foundation committees and special projects that result in better management practices, professional development activities, strategic planning, implementation, and evaluation. Actively participates in the Foundation’s organizational learning agenda.
Program Related Investment (PRI) Work. Provide leadership and coordination for the Community Development PRI working with the Finance Department, other foundation staff, consultants, and nonprofit intermediaries to integrate PRI strategies into the Community Development portfolio. QUALIFICATIONS
Education: Bachelor’s degree in economic development, urban planning, finance, public policy, or related discipline required. Master’s degree strongly preferred.
Experience: Ten years of increasingly responsible experience in a leadership role in the public, community economic, and/or community development sectors with a specific focus on affordable housing, homelessness, workforce development, micro-enterprise development, asset development and wealth building, and/or program related investments, as applied or utilized for vulnerable neighborhoods, individuals, families, and communities.
Knowledge, skills, and competencies: Strong active listening, oral, and written communication skills; Strong financial analysis skills coupled with the ability to build successful relationships with local community investment intermediaries; demonstrated ability to engage people from diverse backgrounds and in a variety of settings; ability to facilitate and synthesize ideas, observations, research, and interpersonal dynamics of groups; ability to provide sensitive feedback and technical assistance. Knowledge of organizational development, management systems, and operations of small and large nonprofits; budget development and management. Ability to lead collaborative initiatives of multiple funders, provide cross-sector learning opportunities for funders and grantees, and serve as staff lead for special projects or committees. Demonstrable computer literacy in word processing, email, spreadsheets, contact management, and knowledge management applications.TO APPLY: Send Resume with cover letter by September 22, 2008 to resumes@sff.org or Mail to: Director of Human Resources and AdministrationThe San Francisco Foundation225 Bush Street, Suite 500San Francisco, CA 94104FAX: (415) 477-2784The San Francisco Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and seeks diversity with respect to race, ethnicity, culture, gender, age, sexual orientation, and physical abilities.
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