Strategic Partnerships Director

About Proteus Fund

Proteus Fund connects philanthropy to the frontlines of social
justice. We strive to advance the interconnected goals of racial,
gender, queer, and disability justice and an inclusive, fully
representative democracy. To do our work effectively and with
significant impact, Proteus Fund creates dynamic relationships
between progressive philanthropists, movement leaders, and other
allies that go far beyond transactional grantmaking. Our trusted
position among funders and field actors enables us to support,
both through collaborative grantmaking and other efforts, a
broad array of strategies to achieve social justice victories.

Our donor collaboratives are best-in-class models for bridging
responsive philanthropy and cutting-edge social justice movements
for deeper impact, aligning resources to address critical needs,
and shaping strategy alongside our partners. Current donor
collaboratives include:

Piper Fund.  Connects and
resources grassroots organizations dedicated to protecting our
democracy and envisioning reforms to make it more inclusive and
representative. We break down silos to support community-led
coalitions and help build dynamic movements that produce powerful
change.

The Rights, Faith & Democracy Collaborative
(RFDC).  Educates and mobilizes philanthropy in
order to raise and target desperately needed resources to diverse
coalitions of state-based activists and organizations committed to
realizing full inclusion and justice for those harmed by this wave
of religious extremism.

The RISE Together Fund (RTF) + RISE Together Action
Fund (RTAF).  Supports cutting-edge Black,
African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (BAMEMSA)
field-led work. RTF bolsters its national grantmaking with
programming, field building, and technical assistance to build and
expand the capacity of the BAMEMSA movement toward racial, gender,
and queer justice and a fully inclusive and representative
democracy.

The Solidarity Collaborative. 
Supports intersectional solidarity between organizations and
communities working towards racial justice through dedicated
grantmaking and programming support.

Through our fiscal sponsorship program, Proteus Fund partners
with initiatives that play a powerful role in the larger ecosystem
for social change, providing them with tailored and comprehensive
organizational support.

To date, Proteus Fund and its affiliated 501(c)(4) organization,
the Proteus Action League (PAL), have distributed $250 million in
grants and provided other essential tools to support activists,
advocates, networks, coalitions, and issue-specific campaigns at
the local, state, and national level.

Proteus Fund is headquartered in New York City. Our staff is
based across the entire United States.

Proteus operates and pursues its work based on a set of values
synergistic with our vision and mission: 

• Diversity, equity, and inclusion;
• Integrity and professionalism;
• Transparency and accountability; and
• Respect and humility

 

Position Summary

Under the supervision of the Vice President of Programs, the
Strategic Partnerships Director will provide overall donor
collaborative strategy on development functions, mentor
development-focused staff, and serve as a senior strategist for
partnerships with donor collaboratives.

Initial onboarding for this position will focus on reviewing
existing development files and records, building relationships with
the leaders of Proteus’ donor collaboratives, developing a clear
understanding of the opportunities and challenges of current
fundraising strategies and cross-fund infrastructure needs, and
addressing open questions around development planning. In
partnership with the Vice President of Programs, the Strategic
Partnerships Director will focus during year one on scaling
fundraising systems, developing process efficiencies, and
identifying solutions to drive internal collaboration.

Key immediate objectives include: 

• Hire and onboard a new Strategic Partnerships Manager who will
  report to the Director (slated for the summer of 2024)
• Select a new enterprise CRM, support data migration, and staff
  training
• Upgrade fundraising infrastructure to address prospect research
  needs and systems, stewardship processes and systems, grant writing
  and grants work-tracking tools, development templates, and a gift
  acceptance policy
• Assess donor collaborative staff fundraising professional
  development needs and implement new offerings

Upon successful completion of these key internal objectives, the
Strategic Partnerships Director will add an externally-facing
component focused on leveraging synergies across donor
collaboratives to identify and steward new and existing donors for
transformational gifts to Proteus Fund and its donor collaboratives
over the coming years.

 

Essential Job Functions

Year One

Systems + Operations

• Build and strengthen systems and processes for departmental
  operations and the full donor lifecycle
• Develop prospecting strategies; develop the process of
  researching and identifying new funding opportunities from private
  foundations and major donors
• Develop the design of donor engagement activities and
  campaigns
• Design and execute organization-wide training for staff,
  including sharing of best practices and providing tools,
  information, and resources to strengthen fundraising efforts

Organizational Leadership + Team Support

• Ensure development activities are aligned with Proteus Fund’s
  organizational strategic priorities
• Support the performance of fundraising staff, providing a clear
  vision, inspiring and motivating team members to perform well and
  collaborate effectively
• Provide leadership and training to the staff on fundraising
  efforts, including sharing best practices and providing tools,
  information, and resources to strengthen fundraising and
  funder-organizing efforts
• Partner with the leadership team on the regular assessment,
  analysis, reporting, and projections of development and campaign
  activity, income, and pledges, including any significant variances
  or unforeseen shifts in budget

Solicitation + Stewardship

• Increase departmental training and capacity to cultivate new
  donor prospects and steward existing donor relationships

 

Year Two + Beyond

Organizational Leadership + Team Support

• Serve as a thought partner and support to the Vice President of
  Programs and President + CEO to ensure their time is best leveraged
  in fundraising, primarily around donor cultivation and
  stewardship
• Lead yearly development strategy and planning for foundations
  and individual donors, including overarching narrative development
  for donor and funder collateral

Solicitation + Stewardship

• Manage a portfolio of the organization’s key foundations and
  individuals; partner with program leadership and staff in
  stewarding these relationships
• Co-host donor briefings with donor collaborative directors and
  fundraising leads
• In coordination with donor collaborative leadership and senior
  management, represent Proteus Fund at key foundation meetings and
  events and collaborate with the President + CEO and program staff
  to design briefings for foundations and other external
  stakeholders

 

Experience + Alignment to Culture + Values

Experience

• Eight (8) years or more development experience with a proven
  track record of successful and sustainable multi-year 501c3
  fundraising
• A proven track record of foundation fundraising around multiple
  and intersecting social justice issues
• A strong team organizer who can build cohesion, alignment, and
  a passion for establishing a culture of philanthropy across the
  donor collaborative teams and development staff
• Leader, mentor, and advisor to support donor collaborative
  development strategies and staff skills with an abundance
  mindset
• Strong communication skills and generosity in sharing
  information
• Experience with building fundraising infrastructure and
  systems
• Strong knowledge of development CRMs, moves management
  practices, and a commitment to data integrity
• Excellent relationship-building and interpersonal skills
• Excellent project management and organizational skills. Ability
  to prioritize and manage multiple high-priority tasks and
  responsibilities under tight deadlines and schedules while
  inspiring others to do the same
• Ability and willingness to adapt as goals and community needs
  shift
• Strong financial acumen to manage budgets
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, including the
  ability to facilitate disagreement

Alignment to Culture + Values

• Commitment to the mission and values of progressive social
  justice movements
• Cultural responsiveness and an alignment with our values and
  commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging
• Strong relationship building, high ethical standards,
  discretion, and tact
• Personal qualities of humility, empathy, and a good sense of
  humor

 

Reporting Relationships

This position reports to Proteus Fund’s Vice President of
Programs and will hire and oversee a Strategic Partnerships
Manager.

Fundraising staff housed within donor collaboratives (currently
two staff members) will have dotted-line reporting to the Strategic
Partnerships Director.

 

Compensation + Benefits

This is a full-time, exempt position with a salary range of
$150,000-$170,000.  

Proteus Fund utilizes geographic salary differentials;
compensation will be contingent on location.

A highly competitive benefits package is provided,
including: 

• Medical and dental benefits for employees and eligible
  dependents available on the first day of work
• 401(k) retirement savings account with an organization
  contribution of 10% of annual salary
• Three weeks paid vacation in the first year of employment; four
  weeks in subsequent years
• Fifteen sick days per year
• Three personal days per year
• Fifteen paid holidays
• Professional development initiatives for growth
• Paid Family Leave

 

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement

Please note, to maintain and safeguard staff’s health,
well-being, and safety, Proteus Fund requires all employees to be
vaccinated, including the initial vaccine series and boosters,
prior to their employment and adhere to the regular upkeep of
COVID-19 vaccination requirements as per CDC recommendations while
employed. Proof of the CDC-recommended level of COVID-19
vaccination is required as a condition of employment with Proteus
Fund.

 

As a reflection of our firm’s commitment to equity and
equal pay for all, Cooper Coleman requires that salary ranges or
salary starting points be published for every search we conduct.
The practice of not posting salaries perpetuates the gender and
racial wage gap and discriminates against women, people of color,
and other historically excluded populations by causing individuals
to negotiate from a disadvantaged starting
point. 

 

Location + Travel

Candidates based in the New York City metro area will be
expected to work from the Proteus Fund office a minimum of three
days per week.

Proteus Fund’s office is located at 275 Madison Avenue, New
York, NY 10016.

Some travel (10-15%), including donor meetings and events, is
expected.

 

EEO + Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Proteus Fund believes that one of the greatest strengths of an
organization is the rich diversity of its staff and board and is
committed to providing equal employment and promotional
opportunities based upon individual capabilities and qualifications
without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity, or
expression, pregnancy, sexual orientation/affectional preference,
age, national origin, ethnicity, marital status, citizenship,
disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as
established under the law. Proteus Fund’s policies and practices
reflect its commitment to nondiscrimination in all areas of
employment.

Proteus Fund is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified
individuals. As part of this commitment, Proteus will ensure that
persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations.
If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job
application or interview process, to perform essential job
functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of
employment, please contact the search consultant leading this
search, Paul Towne, at paul@coopercoleman.com.

 

Comprehensive Personal Screening + Reference
Check

Before sending your resume for this position, please read it
over for accuracy. Cooper Coleman verifies its candidates’
employment and academic credentials, where applicable, at the time
of offer and will conduct a background check, not including a
credit check, before finalizing an offer.

 

Submission Instructions (please read
carefully)

Cooper Coleman is
leading this search on behalf of Proteus Fund. To apply, please
visit this
link (www.coopercoleman.com/current-searches).
Inquiries and nominations of qualified candidates can be sent
to:

Paul Towne

paul@coopercoleman.com

Kindly use the position title as the subject line of your email.
All inquiries will be held in confidence.

A cover letter is not required with your initial application but
is welcomed to help us understand your fitness for this role during
our initial evaluation. Candidates invited for interviews with the
Proteus Fund team will be asked to provide a thoughtful letter of
interest indicating their specific qualifications for the
opportunity, desire to join Proteus Fund, and connection to its
mission.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until
the successful candidate has been selected.

Cooper Coleman LLC is committed to providing equal
employment opportunities to all qualified candidates and will refer
candidates without regard to race, color, religion, national
origin, sex, sexual orientation or identity, age, ability, veteran
status, or any other legally protected basis.