Managing Director, BuildUS

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and must be received by March 18. Applications received after the deadline may be reviewed dependent upon qualifications. Please include a cover letter that describes your interest in the positions, your key qualifications, and why you think supporting federal implementation to benefit disadvantaged communities is important.. This is a U.S. based position. 

BUILDUS OVERVIEW

The IRA, BIL, and CHIPS present an unprecedented opportunity to make real progress on economic and climate objectives to benefit workers and communities at scale. And the urgency is real—economic inequality, climate change, and threats to our democracy are serious and accelerating. But to take advantage of the opportunity and make progress on these major challenges, workers and communities need significant support. Too many communities lack the resources and political power to take advantage of these opportunities on their own.  

BuildUS has a vision to grow a fairer economy, stronger democracy and cleaner energy future that advance equitable prosperity through successful implementation of federal legislation. BuildUS is committed to three core goals: accelerating economic opportunities that advance the clean energy transition, building worker and community power and developing the public will to make government work better for everyone. BuildUS particularly seeks outcomes that benefit our nation’s multi-racial working class.  

BuildUS is currently conceived as a time-limited $50 million pooled fund that uses grant-making, convening and relationships in creative ways to accelerate and deepen the way federal policy supports people to develop and drive an economy that works better for everyone. We made $18 million in grants in 2023. We are currently seeking to raise an additional $20 million in 2024.  

Our current program areas include: 

Empowering workers: Growing the infrastructure of key national and southern-focused efforts building near-term worker power and improving job quality in the EV and clean energy manufacturing and construction sectors.  

Community Ownership and Uptake: Supporting coalitions of place-based actors who are advancing economic opportunity and climate outcomes using federal resources, promoting local ownership and building public will in support of these solutions.  

New Economic Narrative: Developing a new economic narrative of how people can drive an economy that works better for everyone by partnering with the government through storytelling, amplification, message development and coordination among key communicators.  

Across these areas, we are increasingly focused on places where these opportunities hit the ground, advancing cross-cutting tools and strengthening supportive organizations, strategic communications support and exploring market-shaping opportunities.  

BuildUS is a small, highly collaborative and entrepreneurial start-up looking for a seasoned leader with deep social change and movement building experience to join our team. The Managing Director will report to the Executive Director and is housed at the Amalgamated Charitable Foundation (ACF). BuildUS is a sponsored project at the Amalgamated Charitable Foundation.

MANAGING DIRECTOR OVERVIEW

About the Position 

• Lead program strategy development and execution with a focus on grantmaking in consultation with the Executive Director and staff team to support innovative and impactful efforts to support federal implementation that grow economic opportunities and worker and community power. 

• Seek to understand needs and opportunities that organizations and workers face in implementing federal resources and seek to develop solutions in partnership with other organizations working in the space and with grantee partners.   

• Manage specific portfolios of grant-making and program activity to support our goals.  

• Develop and maintain powerful, collaborative and productive relationships with grantees and peer funders. 

• Cultivate a wide network representing different communities, sectors, and perspectives and steward coalitions needed to support implementation.  

• Identify and distill relevant lessons, reflection, assessment and propose course corrections as needed.  

• Strategically respond to and engage with current events and the national landscape to move programmatic strategy forward. 

• Communicate what we are learning to our peers and partners through thought leadership, including developing articles, blogs, and points of view.  

• Inspire, mentor, and manage a small and capable staff team through change and continued growth while maintaining high standards of professionalism and impact. 

• Foster and support a culture that promotes trust, respect, equity, and integrity. 

• Hold staff accountable to standards of ethical grantmaking practices, strategic rigor, and efficient programmatic execution. 

• Build out BuildUS network with nonprofit and advocacy organizations, unions, business executives, policy makers and regulators, grassroots networks, media and storytellers, and academics and researchers. 

• Represent BuildUS in external forums. 

Qualifications, Skills, and Personal Attributes 

• Significant senior-level leadership experience in social change efforts and initiatives in the field that have resulted in major impact.  

• Demonstrated field leadership and content expertise in at least one of the following: worker justice and organizing, community organizing, campaign and coalition building.  

• A track record of executing carefully laid strategies on a significant scale in their field. 

• Demonstrated interest in and ability to cross programmatic silos and social change strategies.   

• Interest and willingness to look at levers for systems change, including ways to shape markets.    

• Five years of grant-making experience strongly preferred. 

• Fluency with federal policy programs particularly climate or infrastructure policy preferred. 

• Strong relationships and a diverse and respected peer network in their field. 

• Flexibility and adaptability in an ever-changing environment. 

• Brings a sense of joy and humor to their work. 

• Low-ego; committed to advancing the whole rather than themselves. 

• Experience in managing and mentoring teams, fostering a positive and inclusive work culture. 

• Deep fluency in social justice and equity principles, with the ability to integrate these principles into programmatic strategies and operations. 
  
  ​​Salary & Benefits
  The starting salary for this role is $175,000 - $200,000 and will be commensurate with experience.  This position will be remotely based with up to 30% domestic travel required.  Generous benefits package that includes 100% employer-paid health insurance (medical, dental, and vision), 401k match, PTO and leave policies and remote work stipend. 
  
  At Amalgamated Charitable Foundation we value a diverse, inclusive workforce and we provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws. Women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and people from working-class backgrounds and/or with lived experiences are strongly encouraged to apply.

Powered by JazzHR