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Executive Director

Employer
Fund for a Safer Future
Location
Washington D.C.
Salary
The target salary range is $130,000-$150,000.
Closing date
Feb 11, 2022

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Focus Areas
Philanthropy / Social Responsibility
Job Function
Executive / Senior Management
Position Type
Full Time
Degree Level
Bachelors
Experience Level
Executive

Fund for a Safer Future (FSF or the Fund), a national donor collaborative with a vision of a country where everyone is safe from gun violence, seeks applications and nominations for Executive Director. Launched in 2011 and housed at the New Venture Fund, the Fund’s mission is to strengthen the gun violence prevention community’s capacity to develop and implement smart policy, mobilize supporters, summon the best available research, expand the capacity of community violence intervention programs, advance Second Amendment litigation strategies, and resist the gun lobby’s opposition to common sense reform. More than 30 members strong, FSF is working to reduce gun violence by supporting community-based solutions, research, and state and federal policy change. After ten successful years, FSF seeks to engage its first fulltime Executive Director to more actively manage grantmaking, donor engagement, and fundraising objectives. With a strong track record in raising funds and impacting gun violence prevention policy and practice, the Executive Director will be well-positioned to build on success and forward momentum. This is a unique opportunity to coalesce and support philanthropy’s growing investment in gun violence prevention to achieve even greater strategic impact.

Strong candidates will bring experience and leadership in gun violence prevention and/or a related social justice field and demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the integration of philanthropy, civic engagement, and policy reform, with experience in managing these relationships effectively. They will be responsible for all fundraising, including recruiting new donor members and retention of existing members, in partnership with the FSF executive committee. Reporting to the President of the New Venture Fund, the ED will manage all aspects of the Fund’s grantmaking, and ensure proactive and coordinated communications to members, the field, and the public. 

YOUR IMPACT

The Executive Director will be a key point of contact and coordination across all Fund for a Safer Future partners including donor members, grantee partners, potential donors, the gun violence prevention community, and New Venture Fund staff. Specifically, they will engage with the following challenges and opportunities in the role:

Strategic Development of Grants. The new ED will solicit, review, and evaluate grant proposals based on Fund strategy and present grant recommendations to the Advisory Committee on a quarterly basis, working in coordination with New Venture Fund staff on grantee due diligence, reporting, and budget management. They will continuously monitor grant performance and guide periodic reviews of the grant strategy in partnership with the Executive Committee, identifying opportunities to leverage individual projects and relationships between grantee partners and other stakeholders.

Ongoing Support for Grantees. The ED will provide continuous oversight and support to grantees of the Fund, engaging in regular meaningful dialogue, two-way feedback, and sharing learning.   

Donor Engagement. The ED will facilitate quality, timely communications among FSF Advisory Committee members, providing regular updates on the gun violence prevention field, grantee partners, Fund activity, and aligned donor grantmaking, and will facilitate learning opportunities such as webinars, site visits, and panels related to gun violence prevention. They will work closely with the Executive Committee to develop and execute a fundraising and new donor outreach plan, including a robust list of prospects and strategies for solicitation, coordinated outreach and tailored materials for donors and prospects, and determining new and renewed donor commitment targets. The ED will regularly report on aligned grantmaking among FSF members and work to expand the amounts and durations of financial commitments from current and prospective members.

Fund Coordination and Communications. The ED will plan and facilitate quarterly Advisory Committee meetings including scheduling, planning agenda, meeting materials, and coordinating speakers and presenters. They will also foster effective communications between and among New Venture Fund staff and the Advisory Committee, manage all external communications related to the Fund including speaking engagements, op-eds, and comments to the press, and establish and implement communication mechanisms to keep FSF members informed and engaged between quarterly meetings of the full Advisory Committee.

THE SKILLS YOU’LL NEED

While no one candidate will embody all the qualifications enumerated below, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences:

  • Passion for gun violence prevention and experience working in a related social justice and/or public health field.
  • Experience managing collaborative initiatives and innovative programs that advance shared values and goals; vision to drive an idea from concept to reality and commitment to developing timely, responsive, and field-relevant programs and initiatives.
  • Highly relational with capacity to develop effective, engaging messages for diverse audiences in context.
  • Exceptional writing skills to convey key messages, interpretations, and action steps accurately, clearly, succinctly, and quickly to ensure respectful engagement.
  • Five years or more experience in leadership position and/or deep expertise in a related field, with progressively greater responsibilities.
  • Experience driving fundraising and effectively engaging donors to build and sustain movements.
  • Comprehensive knowledge of the integration of philanthropy, civic engagement, and policy reform, with effective experience in managing these relationships. Experience building grassroots movements and/or community organizing is highly valued.
  • Demonstrated effectiveness as a convener, facilitator, and collaborator, including professionally managing sensitive topics and information.
  • Strong planning and organizational skills, with the ability to think creatively and strategically, in both the design and execution of programs.
  • Experience collaborating with persons and communities of diverse cultural, economic, social, and ethnic backgrounds; proven capacity for centering diversity, equity, and inclusion in all facets of organizational management.
  • The ability to work in a complex environment with many partners, and to maintain confidence when working with sensitive and proprietary information.
  • Budgeting and financial acumen, sufficient to organize and manage project and sub-grant budgets.
  • Willing to continuously acquire new skills and knowledge and share with partners and colleagues.
  • Ability to prioritize and manage multiple deadlines effectively, while working with limited direct supervision and without the benefit of support staff.
  • Bachelor’s degree. An advanced degree in a relevant field is preferred.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The target salary range is $130,000-$150,000. Comprehensive benefits for this full-time exempt position include 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance, 3% employer match on 401k contributions, pre-tax transportation benefits, and paid holidays, vacation, sick, and volunteer time off.

TO APPLY

More information about the Fund for a Safer Future may be found at: www.fundforasaferfuture.org

This search is being led by Allison Kupfer Poteet and Britni Russell Bianchi of NPAG. Candidates are welcome to submit their cover letter, outlining their interest and qualifications, along with their resume via NPAG’s website.

Fund for a Safer Future is a project of New Venture Fund (NVF), a 501(c)(3) public charity that incubates new and innovative public-interest projects and grant-making programs. NVF is committed to attracting, developing and retaining exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding and enables each of us to realize our potential. NVF’s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.

To center the safety and well-being of its employees, New Venture Fund requires that any employee who is required to conduct in-person activities for their job must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 within four weeks of their start date. This position may require candidates to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Accommodations may be sought and approved in accordance with the law by contacting human resources at HR@newventurefund.org

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