Major Gifts Officer - Baltimore

The Open Society Institute–Baltimore (OSI-Baltimore), the sole field office of Open Society Foundations’ U.S. Programs, supports a grant-making, educational, advocacy, and capacity-building program to expand justice and opportunity for Baltimore residents. With support from a range of individual, corporate and foundation investors, its current work focuses on helping Baltimore’s youth succeed, reducing mass incarceration and its social and economic costs, tackling drug addiction, and building a corps of Community Fellows to bring innovative ideas to Baltimore’s underserved communities. A significant amount of the office’s work focuses on policy reform at the state level, increasing opportunity and justice throughout Maryland.

Open Society Foundations

The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant societies whose governments are accountable and open to criticism, whose laws and policies are open to debate and correction, and whose political institutions are open to the participation of all people. We seek to strengthen justice and the rule of law; broaden respect for human rights, including the rights of minorities; encourage pluralism and a robust diversity of opinion; deepen democratic practice and participation; expand economic equity; support effective governance; and invest in individuals, public and private organizations, and social movements that advance these goals.

We are a global network of foundations committed to local knowledge and national expertise. Our network includes national foundations, regional foundations, and other geographic programs operating in more than one hundred countries. At the same time, many programs with global reach operate from our four headquarters in Europe and the United States, including programs on digital information, documentary photography, drug policy, early childhood, education, fellowships, fiscal governance, higher education, human rights, international migration, justice, public health, scholarships, think tanks, and women’s rights. In addition to making grants to organizations and individuals, the Open Society Foundations engage in policy advocacy, legal advocacy and litigation, program-related investing, and public communications, as well as providing direct assistance to governments. Most programs and foundations in the network are governed or advised by their own boards.

The Open Society Foundations are the global philanthropies of George Soros, who, as chairman, plays an active role in the work of the foundations. 

Job Profile

The major gifts officer is a key member of the OSI-Baltimore Donor Development team, which currently comprises a director of development and a senior development associate and is slated to grow. The team works closely with OSI-Baltimore’s director, the communications team, program staff, and OSI-Baltimore Advisory Board members to raise at least $4 million per year to match the support donated by George Soros through Open Society Foundations’ U.S. Programs. Reporting to the director of development, the major gifts officer will be responsible for building upon and managing the major individual donor giving program, which raises approximately $2 million per year. In 2015 and beyond, the Development Office will likely increase its revenue goal overall (from corporations, foundations, and individuals) by $500,000 to $1 million per year.

The position requires a proven track record of developing relationships with high net-worth philanthropic individuals and the ability to structure specific solicitations and to negotiate and close gifts while adhering to ethical fundraising practices. The major gifts officer will develop and execute a comprehensive and detailed moves-management plan for cultivation, solicitation, appreciation, and stewardship of gifts from individuals, initially focusing on approximately 100 active major donors and 50 active prospects. He or she will manage intelligence gathering to determine the levels of gifts to request from prospects and current donors and to develop strategies for solicitation and stewardship. The successful candidate will be outgoing and entrepreneurial and enjoy interacting with donors and prospects. The major gifts officer will schedule and make 12 to 15 visits per month to prospects and donors, sometimes accompanied by the OSI-Baltimore director, program staff, or board members, and will participate in planning and implementing key events to advance donor development objectives.

The position requires a thoughtful and results-oriented development professional, who applies both a mission- and metrics-driven approach to fundraising. The major gifts officer will keep accurate and timely records of solicitations, gifts, and contact information in the donor database (SalesForce). He or she will also manage mail and online appeals, based on approved plans and schedules. The major gifts officer will value teamwork, be motivated by a growth environment, and make reliable, sound decisions. Flexibility and a willingness to work simultaneously on a wide range of tasks and projects with a pleasant, diplomatic manner are also critical to the success of this position.

As part of the Donor Development team, the major gifts officer will contribute to the preparation, deployment, and monitoring of work plans, timelines, budgets, and revenue goals for the development unit annually. Under the director of development, the major gifts officer will prepare materials for and make reports to the OSI-Baltimore Advisory Board and its Development Committee. From time to time, the major gifts officer will be called upon to take on assignments or participate in working groups and discussions on topics beyond donor development that are related to OSI-Baltimore, U.S. Programs, or the Open Society Foundations as a whole. Work is carried out independently and occasionally requires travel and the ability to work on weekends or evenings to support special events.

Qualifications

• bachelor’s degree (BA) from a four-year college or university
• seven to ten years of fundraising experience specifically in major gifts
• experience in the social justice or public policy arenas
• strong skills in prospect research, relationship analytics, and problem solving
• proven ability to respond to prospects and donors with consideration, exercising discretion and confidentiality both within and outside of OSI-Baltimore
• outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with attention to detail
• ability to conduct quantitative analysis to track and report on goals
• ability to work effectively as a team member and independently, with a high-level of self-motivation and ability to set and meet goals
• ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure, trouble-shoot, and meet short- and long-term deadlines with a heavy workload
• proven ability to build and maintain relationships with a wide array of people with diverse backgrounds
• interest in continued professional growth and in the professional development of colleagues
• professional integrity and a commitment to the mission of OSI-Baltimore
• proficiency in using Microsoft Office Word and Excel
• proficiency in using SalesForce, Stripe, and Formstack preferred

Work Environment and Physical Demands

Essential functions are typically performed in an office setting with a low level of noise. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Compensation

Commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits package.

Application Instructions

Please email resume and cover letter with salary requirements and three references by February 27, 2015, to:humanresources@opensocietyfoundations.org. Include job code in subject line: MGO-OSIB.

Director - Baltimore

The Open Society Institute–Baltimore (OSI-Baltimore) currently seeks a director of the Education and Youth Development Program. OSI-Baltimore, the sole field office of the Open Society Foundations’ U.S. Programs, supports a grant-making, educational, advocacy, and capacity-building program to expand justice and opportunity for Baltimore residents. With support from a range of individual, corporate, and foundation investors, its current work focuses on helping Baltimore’s youth succeed, reducing mass incarceration and its social and economic costs, improving access to high quality drug addiction treatment, and building a corps of Community Fellows to bring innovative ideas to Baltimore’s underserved communities. A significant amount of the office’s work focuses on policy reform at the state level, increasing opportunity and justice throughout Maryland.

Open Society Foundations

The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant societies whose governments are accountable and open to criticism, whose laws and policies are open to debate and correction, and whose political institutions are open to the participation of all people. We seek to strengthen justice and the rule of law; broaden respect for human rights, including the rights of minorities; encourage pluralism and a robust diversity of opinion; deepen democratic practice and participation; expand economic equity; support effective governance; and invest in individuals, public and private organizations, and social movements that advance these goals.

We are a global network of foundations committed to local knowledge and national expertise. Our network includes national foundations, regional foundations, and other geographic programs operating in more than one hundred countries. At the same time, many programs with global reach operate from our four headquarters in Europe and the United States, including programs on digital information, documentary photography, drug policy, early childhood, education, fellowships, fiscal governance, higher education, human rights, international migration, justice, public health, scholarships, think tanks, and women’s rights. In addition to making grants to organizations and individuals, the Open Society Foundations engage in policy advocacy, legal advocacy and litigation, program-related investing, and public communications, as well as providing direct assistance to governments. Most programs and foundations in the network are governed or advised by their own boards.

The Open Society Foundations are the global philanthropies of George Soros, who, as chairman, plays an active role in the work of the foundations. 

Job Profile

The program director will lead the grant-making, monitoring, assessment, educational, and advocacy activities of the OSI-Baltimore Education and Youth Development Program, which seeks to help Baltimore’s children become engaged and productive young adults through improved public education as well as enhanced learning opportunities in the non-school hours.  Recognizing the pernicious impact of concentrated poverty, racial discrimination, and exclusionary school policies and practices, the program focuses intensively on children who are most likely to be denied the opportunities and support they need to succeed, in either the school or non-school sphere. The program identifies and supports opportunities to reform policies, practices, and beliefs that contribute to poor school attendance and engagement (including high rates of school suspension and arrest) and that result in poor academic achievement and preparation for post-graduation work and study.

Using a multi-year campaign approach, the program in recent years has focused on three priorities:

1. Keeping children connected to school, pre-K through graduation, with an explicit focus on decreasing suspensions, increasing attendance, and improving school climate
2. Supporting efforts to create new models for effective, “high value” high schools as well as advocacy for the level of funding that a robust and equitable education district requires
3. Expanding opportunities for youth when school is not in session by increasing the quality, quantity and sustainability of out-of-school time programs in Baltimore and Maryland

The program uses and supports a range of strategies—including research, education and communication activities, coalition building, advocacy, technical assistance, participation in public/private tasks forces, and demonstration projects—to carry out the work. The program director will build on this work, making refinements and adding or diminishing areas to maintain the strategic impact of the program in light of changing external conditions and opportunities.

The successful candidate will be an expert in the field of education and/or youth development. The program director is expected to be, and to remain, up-to-date on local and national trends, debates, and innovations in the field and to maintain familiarity with the individuals and organizations that play significant roles in the field. He or she will also be particularly attentive to the governance, leadership, financial health and organizational capacity of grantees and applicants for support.

At OSI-Baltimore, which employs an inter-disciplinary approach to problem solving, the program director will work closely with the directors of the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Program (e.g., on reducing school suspensions and arrests) and the Drug Addiction Treatment Program (e.g., on improving school attendance by increasing the availability of school-based health services). The program director will also work with Baltimore Community Fellows who are addressing education and youth development matters. He or she will also interact regularly with national staff in U.S. Programs working on school exclusion issues and occasionally with international staff on broader education issues. The program director will develop and maintain a network of relationships with key actors, including government officials, advocates, practitioners, civic leaders, and the media. He or she will also present and write frequently, both to inform and to persuade. To educate, raise funds, and develop strategic alliances, the program director will also meet with staff and trustees of other foundations and individual donors. In addition, in collaboration with the director of OSI-Baltimore, the program director will interact with the OSI-Baltimore Advisory Board to shape, craft, and revise the goals and strategies of the program and present grant recommendations.

The position reports to the Director of OSI-Baltimore. The Program Director will oversee a program officer and a half-time program associate. He or she is expected to provide effective supervision of program staff members, including attending to their performance and professional development. In addition to leading the program by establishing its goals, priorities and strategies, the Program Director will develop its work plan and budget. From time to time, the Program Director will be called upon to take on assignments or participate in working groups and discussions on topics beyond education and youth development that are related to OSI-Baltimore, U.S. Programs or Open Society Foundations as a whole. Work is carried out independently and requires occasional travel.

Qualifications

• advanced degree (MA/PhD) and seven to ten years relevant experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• extensive knowledge of research, policy, and practice relating to child-serving public agencies, particularly public education; child and youth behavior and development; student engagement and attendance; out-of-school time programming; and equity in the allocation of school resources and learning opportunities
• strong awareness of the impact of race, gender and class on children’s lives
• interest in and knowledge of nonprofit organizational development
• demonstrated management and problem-solving skills in not-for-profit organizations, foundations, and/or government agencies, particularly in complex organizations
• ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure and to meet short- and long-term deadlines with a heavy workload
• demonstrated experience in budget and financial management
• outstanding written and verbal communication skills
• broad intellectual curiosity and comfort with robust debate
• proven ability to build and maintain relationships with a wide array of people with diverse backgrounds
• interest in continued professional growth and in the professional development of colleagues

Work Environment and Physical Demands

Essential functions are typically performed in an office setting with a low level of noise. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Compensation

Commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits package.

Application Instructions

Please email resume, cover letter with salary requirements, and three references by February 18, 2015, to:humanresources@opensocietyfoundations.org. Include job code in subject line: DIR-EY.

Communications Officer - New York

Communications Officer

Posted on February 3, 2015

Start Date

As soon as possible

Department

Office of Communications

Program

Global Drug Policy Program

Office

Open Society Foundations–New York

Location

New York

Communications Officer

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The Open Society Global Drug Policy Program aims to shift the paradigm of drug policies around the world from today’s punitive approach to one rooted in public health and human rights. The long-term goal of the Global Drug Policy Program is to help drive reform for international and national drug laws, policies, and programs to make them based on public health and to respect human rights.

The Office of Communications plays a central role in the work of the Foundations by coordinating and strengthening the public presence of the global network and by helping to advance relevant issues. Communications works to raise the Foundations’ public profile by promoting the network’s many noteworthy achievements as well as responding to attacks from opponents of open society around the world. The department employs media outreach, publications, and the web to assist dozens of Open Society foundations and programs in their communications efforts.

Open Society Foundations

The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant societies whose governments are accountable and open to criticism, whose laws and policies are open to debate and correction, and whose political institutions are open to the participation of all people. We seek to strengthen justice and the rule of law; broaden respect for human rights, including the rights of minorities; encourage pluralism and a robust diversity of opinion; deepen democratic practice and participation; expand economic equity; support effective governance; and invest in individuals, public and private organizations, and social movements that advance these goals.

We are a global network of foundations committed to local knowledge and national expertise. Our network includes national foundations, regional foundations, and other geographic programs operating in more than one hundred countries. At the same time, many programs with global reach operate from our four headquarters in Europe and the United States, including programs on digital information, documentary photography, drug policy, early childhood, education, fellowships, fiscal governance, higher education, human rights, international migration, justice, public health, scholarships, think tanks, and women’s rights. In addition to making grants to organizations and individuals, the Open Society Foundations engage in policy advocacy, legal advocacy and litigation, program-related investing, and public communications, as well as providing direct assistance to governments. Most programs and foundations in the network are governed or advised by their own boards.

The Open Society Foundations are the global philanthropies of George Soros, who, as chairman, plays an active role in the work of the foundations. 

Job Profile

In collaboration with directors, the communications officer for global drug policy will design and implement the communications and media outreach strategies of the Global Drug Policy Program.

The position will be based in New York and will report to the director of public affairs of the Open Society Foundations and the director of the Global Drug Policy Program.

Essential duties and responsibilities include the following:

• develop and disseminate key messages and advocacy strategies to advance the work of the Global Drug Policy Program
• work closely with Global Drug Policy Program staff and grantees to design communications strategies, develop messages, and identify key media opportunities, including drafting and placing op-eds
• evaluate grantee communications strategies and grants with communications components
• manage content for Global Drug Policy, including assistance with writing and editing blogs, letters to the editor, and opinion pieces on drug policy for Open Society Foundations staff and grantees on issues of strategic importance
• work with vendors on publications, infographics, and other communications assets
• position Open Society Foundations’ drug policy messages in global media, including social media; may include running an organizational Twitter account or Facebook page around an issue area
• organize and promote events
• distribute and promote Global Drug Policy Program materials under guidance of directors
• coordinate and run trainings with Communications colleagues throughout the network on developing communications strategies and successful messaging related to the Global Drug Policy Program
• raise the profile of the Global Drug Policy Program at key international conferences, including assistance in organizing press briefings to advance global drug policy priorities

Qualifications

• bachelor’s degree in journalism, international affairs, public health, or other appropriate field, and relevant experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• experience in project management, including managing consultants and developing and managing project budgets
• NGO experience essential
• strong background with programs advancing social justice through community organizing, legal advocacy, research, or policy reform work
• broad experience as a journalist or communications professional
• strong knowledge of key issues in global drug policy
• excellent English-language writing and editing ability as well as verbal skills
• excellent skills in the development of communications strategies
• ability to work as a team member and independently, with high level of self-motivation
• willingness to travel extensively for work
• knowledge of Spanish preferred
• advanced degree preferred
• strong connections with international media, a savvy news sense, a knack for pitching stories, and an ability to make complex ideas accessible to non-expert audiences
• excellent written, verbal, organizational, analytical, and interpersonal skills
• effectively manage to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment, troubleshoot and follow projects through to completion, with strict deadlines and without loss of attention to detail, budget, and reporting
• excellent computer skills, proficient in Microsoft Office, and experience with internet research and database management
• exercise good listening and communication skills with sensitivity to cultural communication differences
• effectively work as a team member and independently, with a high-level of self-motivation and ability to set and meet goals
• show discretion and ability to handle confidential issues
• knowledge of key organizations and networks active in the field
• pleasant, diplomatic manner and disposition in interacting with colleagues and the general public

Work Environment and Physical Demands

Essential functions are typically performed in an office setting with a low level of noise. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Compensation

Commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits package.

Application Instructions

Please email resume and cover letter with salary requirements to:humanresources@opensocietyfoundations.org. Include job code in subject line: CO-GDP.