Neighborhood Funders Group Senior Director of Programs Remote · Full time Company website

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NFG was established in 1980. During our early years, NFG was one of the few spaces in philanthropy specifically focused on people of color-led, grassroots organizing, and power building as the key to effective social change strategies.

Today, NFG is a place for meaning-making in philanthropy. We offer funders a political home: a place to connect, strategize, and take action.
NFG’s membership is composed of over 140 grantmaking organizations that co-conspire to accelerate racial, gender, economic, disability, and climate justice.

We welcome you to NFG and encourage you to connect with our dynamic programs that explore structural racism in health and housing, racial capitalism, migrant worker justice in rural areas, and more: Democratizing Development Program, Funders for a Just Economy, Integrated Rural Strategies Group, Midwest Organizing Infrastructure Funders, Philanthropy Forward, and our grantmaking program, the Amplify Fund.

Senior Director of Programs

Location: Remote, based in the US

Salary Range: $130,000–$180,000 annually

Position Type: Full-time

FLSA Status: Exempt

Target Start Date: January 2027

Neighborhood Funders Group (NFG) is seeking a Senior Director of Programs to join our Program Team. This is a full-time, exempt position.

About Neighborhood Funders Group:

Neighborhood Funders Group (NFG) is a membership organization that organizes philanthropy so that Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities and low-income communities thrive. NFG was established in 1980 and engages philanthropic institutions and their staff across the U.S. to accelerate racial, gender, economic, disability, and climate justice. We offer funders a political home: a place to connect, strategize, and take action. Through our programming, we invite funders to co-conspire to support transformative movements — collaborating and aligning to advance justice. All of our programming is grounded in our histories, strengths, and struggles; and centers Black, Indigenous and people of color leaders in places, movements, and philanthropy. 

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Senior Director of Programs will manage NFG’s Program Team and directly supervise 4-5 program staff. The Senior Director of Programs will work closely with program staff to direct programming toward NFG’s strategic vision. The role will shape programmatic strategy, development, and funder organizing goals and impact. It is expected that the Senior Director of Programs will travel for in-person events, site visits, member meetings, and partner conferences as needed. We estimate that candidates will have about 7-10 years of relevant experience. 

The Senior Director of Programs will report to the Vice President of Strategy and Partnerships.

Primary Responsibilities:

Program Team Leadership and Supervision

The Senior Director of Programs will:

• Develop, lead and supervise a strong and integrated Program Team so that NFG is an effective hub for its members and social justice philanthropy. Provide strategic guidance and content support to program staff in designing and conducting programming (such as webinars, learning visits, strategy meetings, community calls, etc.) to address emergent trends in social justice philanthropy and members’ funding priorities.
• Lead internal Program Team meetings to ensure regular programming that is consistent and relevant, integrates learning and evaluation of organizing tactics, and supports membership and fundraising efforts. 
• Maximize learning, efficiency, and impact across programs through regular learning and evaluation efforts of funder organizing tactics; standardizing and streamlining internal processes; and ensuring the integration of membership, communications, and political education into programming design. 
• In partnership with the Vice President of Strategy and Partnerships , lead the development and implementation of an annual program workplan and budget that is aligned with NFG’s strategic priorities.
• Provide coaching, capacity building training and ongoing support to program staff on topics such as facilitation, project management, and philanthropic strategy so that they can effectively facilitate the engagement and learning of their funder members.
• In partnership with program staff, oversee contracts and agreements with program consultants and other relevant vendors.

Program Organizing Strategy and Funder Engagement

• Develop and coordinate high-level funder organizing strategy for NFG’s programs in collaboration with the Vice President of Strategy and Partnerships and program staff. Work with staff to experiment with new organizing tactics, learn and adapt, and share organizing successes with NFG staff for internal and external communication and funding reports.
• Ensure that rural organizing efforts are uplifted and embedded in core programming across issue areas and regional strategies. Funding organizing efforts in rural communities remains a key strategy as we build funders’ consciousness about the importance of progressive organizing infrastructure that meets community needs.
• In collaboration with the Vice President of Strategy and Partnership, ensure that NFG is tracking and maintaining key relationships and partnerships with other affinity groups, national and local social justice organizations, philanthropic infrastructure organizations, national research organizations, and other strategic allies and stakeholders. Support NFG and its programs to advance NFG’s impact through partnerships with other philanthropy infrastructure organizations and movement organizations.
• Work with program leads to recruit prospective members, build relationships with current members, and develop member leadership. Ensure that program staff is responsive to inquiries from members and that their efforts lead to membership growth and deeper engagement and produce relevant and fun events that build community and a political home in philanthropy.
• Support program staff as they develop and facilitate strong program leadership meetings, funder learning opportunities, trainings, dialogues, and in-person events.
• Support engagement at a regular cadence with funders to build a shared identity and surface collective priorities as needed based on the program and related to racial, gender, economic, climate, and disability justice.

Integration of Programmatic Work across Departments

• In partnership with the Senior Director of Membership and Communications and the Senior Management Team, support the planning, execution, and follow-up for department integration across programs, external affairs, and operations and finance.
• Actively track emerging themes and common program threads as well as timely social justice issues and actively support the sharing and use of this information across departments, such as through report outs at Staff Meetings and the incorporation into External Affairs activities and materials.
• In collaboration with the Vice President of Strategy and Partnerships , the External Affairs department, and program staff, ensure NFG programs propose and design relevant sessions and learning visits for NFG’s biennial National Convening.
• Serve as a partner to the Vice President of Strategy and Partnerships and Senior Director of Membership and Communications to strategically and systematically engage current members and cultivate relationships with members and funders that are supporting NFG’s programs.
• In partnership with the Senior Management Team, assist with the preparation and submission of grant proposals and reports, as needed.
• Participate in monthly Managers meetings and ensure that appropriate communications, internal information, and programmatic systems and structures are developed and used.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have:

• At least 7-10 years combined experience working in philanthropy and community organizing. Candidates who have no work experience in philanthropy or community organizing will not be considered.
• At least 3-5 years of demonstrated management experience of director or manager level staff. Ability to support, motivate, and supervise staff as they develop and run programs.
• Ability to operationalize organizing strategy and vision into high-impact and integrated programming.
• Demonstrated understanding of rural organizing and rural community needs.
• Strong facilitative leadership, team-building, and capacity-building skills. 
• Ability to work productively in a fast-paced organization where multiple tasks and shifting priorities must be managed.
• Very strong communication skills exhibited in written and verbal communications.
• Proficiency in various CRMs, especially Salesforce.
• Strong understanding of community organizing, power building, and movement infrastructure—and ability to articulate their value to diverse audiences
• Experience centering racial justice in programmatic, grantmaking, or organizational decisions
• Ability to travel at least 25% of the time is required for the role. 

Compensation

Salary is commensurate with experience. Benefits include generous leave, health insurance, and retirement contributions. NFG practices a four-day work week, with operations between Mondays and Thursdays. The staff members of NFG are represented by CWA Local 9415. This position will not be included in the bargaining unit. The salary range for this exempt position is $130,000–$180,000 annually.

TRAVEL is required and will likely consist on average of 25% of the year for NFG site visits, member meetings, conferences and events, and for NFG’s biennial National Convenings.

LOCATION: Remote, must be based in the U.S. and its territories. Must be comfortable and able to work full time remotely and have access to a reliable internet connection. Relocation assistance will not be provided by NFG.

Statement of Equal Opportunity

NFG is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against qualified applicants or employees with respect to any terms or conditions of employment based on race (including traits like hair texture and hair styles historically associated with race), color, national origin, ancestry, religion and religious practices, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, transgender status, marital or domestic partnership status, veteran or military status, age, religion (including religious observances, practices, dress and grooming standards), physical or mental disability, medical condition, request for accommodation for disability, genetic information, reproductive health decisions, off duty use of marijuana that does not affect attendance or performance of job duties, political affiliation, position in a labor dispute, victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, enrollment in a public assistance benefits program, criminal history (including arrest and conviction records), prior salary history or protected communications regarding wages, or any other characteristic or status protected by federal, state or local laws.