Vice President

 

The Thoma family is seeking a Vice President to support the
Thoma Family Office and Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation’s
operations and philanthropic initiatives.

Position Description
You will be a hands-on resource to the Founders as they implement
their strategic vision and usher in a new phase of growth in the
southwest. To set the stage, you are working alongside the Founder
of Thoma Bravo, Carl Thoma, to execute the Foundation’s plan to
increase giving and build new partnerships. Building upon their
legacy of supporting the arts, the Thomas plan to broaden their
giving program to include education funding, specifically
scholarships. Tapping into their rural roots, this role will
develop a pathway to expand our scholarship program to giving
directly to individual students in the greater Texas panhandle. As
a key contact and thought partner on all matters related to
philanthropy and scholarships, your outreach, research, and
reporting will shape ongoing decisions and the creation of new
programs.

Candidate Profile
You bring a strong business perspective through prior experience
working in strategic, reporting and analytic-heavy roles within
entrepreneurial organizations that contributes to your imaginative
way of thinking and allows you to be nimble, adaptable, and
results-driven. You understand that new information can change the
direction of a plan and you can adjust quickly to the new path
forward. With an appreciation for the importance of documentation,
you consider yourself a skilled business writer who is comfortable
drafting memos and public statements on behalf of the Foundation as
well as reviewing legal documents.

To succeed in this role, the statement below should personally
resonate with you:

“Students from rural areas face many obstacles to success in
higher education…[this scholarship] removes those barriers and
invests in their success the way our parents did in ours. This
program recognizes the integrity and grit of the people of the
rural Panhandle region. We believe we are supporting the next
generation of leaders.” – Carl Thoma

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Reporting to the Founder, this position will help re-establish
  and support the giving and partnership framework of the Foundation
  as it relates to new education initiatives.
• Conduct short- and long-term research in connection with
  current and new initiatives and prepare clear and concise summaries
  of this research.
• Lead the drafting and documentation of standards, guidelines,
  policies, and procedures of the scholarship program.
• Collaborates with the Founder to ensure that all research
  projects address essential questions aligned with the mission.
• Studied and current on legislative and policy issues in
  education across our Southwestern target region that will impact
  decision making.
• Prepare briefing materials and high-level reports for the
  Founder.
• Cultivate and leverage a robust network of stakeholders and
  decision-makers in education, including other funders, legislators,
  superintendents, nonprofit leaders, etc.
• Working with Research Associate, draft strategy memos or
  research-driven policy recommendations informing current and future
  giving initiatives.
• Transition smoothly between big-picture thinking and analyzing
  fine-grain details as you evaluate how Foundation mission and
  policy are reflected in specific gifts and giving programs.
• Actively assist with additional projects/research as needed;
  demonstrating capacity to respond to shifting priorities and
  resourcing needs.

Skills and Qualifications
To be successful, this role requires balancing strong analytical
skills with the soft skills required to create strong relationships
with decision makers and prospective partnerships. The role does
not require mentorship or employee oversite.

• Advanced degree required; MBA/J.D./Ph.D./Ed.D. preferred.
• A minimum of 10 years of prior experience in an entrepreneurial
  organization.
• Dynamic systems thinker with political savvy who understands
  how changing state and national agendas, local school boards, state
  funding packages, teacher pay, the COVID pandemic, and many other
  factors impact students in the classroom; able to use that
  knowledge to make informed and innovative recommendations to inform
  our educational giving.
• Passion for the arts and education with a drive to stay
  informed on the latest in the field through literature reviews,
  reading studies, and interviewing other experts.
• Advanced understanding of Foundation-specific regulations and
  policies preferred but not required.
• Analytical and reporting skills with a sharp eye for accuracy
  and detail.
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills, with
  the ability to independently coordinate and lead multiple projects
  simultaneously with a focus on quality and project
  follow-through.
• Ability to frame and communicate complex policy, legislation,
  and budgeting issues both to Foundation leadership & staff as
  well as to external audiences.
• Confidence to ask pertinent questions and to grasp concepts
  quickly and think beyond specific tasks.
• Interpersonal skills to efficiently navigate the varied
  personalities and power dynamics that exist within education and
  philanthropy.
• Adaptable workstyle suited to team projects, individual
  research, and pursuing directives from the Founder.
• We recognize that “rural” in the Southwest includes a wide
  variety of peoples, historical experiences, personal histories, and
  cultural backgrounds. We invite applicants who reflect the rich
  diversity of this region.
• Speakers of Spanish and/or Indigenous languages of our region
  are encouraged to apply.

Location and Travel
This position will have an office at our Dallas, TX headquarters
located at 1925 Cedar Springs Road. You must be able to travel
monthly and be available on call to the founders.

To Apply
To apply, please send your cover letter, resume or C.V. and a
writing sample of no more than 10 pages to
TFjobs@thomafoundation.org.

Further information about the Carl & Marilynn Thoma
Foundation and the Thoma Scholar Program can be found at https://thomafoundation.org.