Partnership Director

Purpose:

The Social and Economic Justice Leaders Project (SEJ) prepares progressive movement organizations for crisis and opportunity scenarios by leveraging future thinking methodologies and building shared analysis and longer term planning. Progressive organizations face a landscape filled with major threats as well as rising activist energy. Organizations that focus on winning current campaigns and building grassroots power need a common capacity to anticipate moments of crisis and opportunity. A partnership of key progressive and membership based groups, SEJ aims to isolate focus and talent to develop cross-cutting crisis scenario preparation and design common strategies for responding. The project will be a shared resource, not a new public-facing organization.  

The Partnership Director will drive the collaboration, including working closely with the Senior Advisor and SEJ partner principals and senior staff to plan the scenarios and strategic response. The Director must understand the mission and culture of movement groups and be able to assess their priorities and assets.

Primary Responsibilities:

Works with senior leadership at the partnership groups, as well as staff and consultants to:  

• Build agreement on a common work plan for the partnership;  
• Identify and assess important crisis and opportunity scenarios;  
• Drive research on the impacts of scenarios with key staff across partner organizations and outside experts;  
• Coordinate the development of comprehensive response plans across organizations;  
• Propose work including convenings and facilitation of scenario planning exercises to collaborate with other movement allies on response plans;  
• Assist partner groups in identifying innovative communication strategies;  
• Supervise staff including the Research Director and consultants for the partnership;  
• Regularly convene SEJ partner principals and senior staff to select and engage scenarios and to adjust the work plan;  
• Work with current and prospective funders on assessing and guiding the partnership and ensuring funding for the project;  
• Develop reports, proposals and memorandums for SEJ leadership, funders, movement partners and other key stakeholders;  
• Serve as the point person/liaison for the project’s fiscal sponsor, which includes monthly calls, reviewing financials and other organizational policies;  
• Performs other duties as assigned.  

Direction and Decision Making

Reports to the Senior Advisor to the project and the principals of the partner organizations, or their senior staff designee, and works with independence.  

• Must have demonstrated ability to manage own work and work of others without supervision  
• Requires a high level of judgement and ability to take initiative and work independently  
• Must maintain the highest level of confidentiality in the project  

Qualifications

At least ten years of related experience in labor, community or issue organizing, including senior project management experience; or a comparable combination of experience that would provide for the following knowledge, skills and abilities:  

• Experience in managing complex projects while maintaining deadlines.  
• High-level strategic planning skills, including an understanding of organizational, communications, political and policy elements of scenarios  
• Ability to successfully manage work and supervise staff and consultants on complex projects  
• Proven ability and experience to work with senior leadership at major organizations and guide decision-making processes  
• Experience working with grant-making foundations and other partners in the philanthropic community  

Work is generally performed in an office setting in Washington, DC or New York, NY, but remote work is negotiable. Position may require working unusual hours, especially during campaign situations and conferences. May require travel and extended work hours.

Application Requirements

A cover letter and resume should be sent to peter@sejleaders.org. Your cover letter should explain your reason for wanting the position, an example of how you have demonstrated success in a similar position and a description of how this position fits into your vision of social change. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.  

SEJ 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.