JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

19.08.2009 08:26

 

Program Officer, U.S. Human Rights Fund, a Grantmaking Collaborative of Public Interest Projects

 

 

 

Overview:  Public Interest Projects, Inc. (PIP) is a 501(c)(3) public charity that operates grantmaking, technical assistance and strategic planning programs for institutional and individual donors interested in social justice and human rights issues.  By developing sustainable partnerships among donors, grantees and allied groups, PIP seeks to foster a movement for positive social change resulting in equality, fairness and a stronger participatory democracy.   

 

The U.S. Human Rights Fund (USHRF) is a partnership of donors who have pooled their resources to provide strategic, field building support to domestic social justice organizations engaged in U.S. human rights work.  The Fund’s objective is to promote dignity, equality, and opportunity for all people, through seeking U.S. accountability to basic international human rights norms.  The Fund is housed at PIP.

 

 

Position:  We are seeking a Program Officer to help manage the work of the USHRF.  The Fund was established in 2005.  It arose from the shared belief that greater adherence to the principles of human rights and humanitarian law benefits the cause of progressive social justice.  The Fund’s Steering Committee consists of representatives from eleven contributing foundations.  The staff work closely with them in determining the strategic direction, priorities, grantmaking and programmatic activities of the Fund.  In 2009, the USHRF hopes to provide more than $4 million to support U.S. human rights initiatives through its general fund and sub-funds on juvenile life without parole reform and domestic human rights accountability. 

 

  

Responsibilities:  The Program Officer will work on the following:

 

 

Program Development

 

q      Strategy: Help develop and implement short- and long-term strategies to reach anticipated outcomes and further advance the goals of the Fund. 

q      Grantmaking: Collaborate with Steering Committee to develop and implement grantmaking guidelines and procedures including:

o        Responding to requests for information;

o        Issuing requests for proposals;

o        Conducting site visits;

o        Reviewing and assessing letters of intent and/or proposals; and

o        Preparing grant recommendations.

q      Field Support: Create strong, collaborative working relationships with grantees, donors, community leaders and any other key partners.  Design and implement technical assistance initiatives per the needs of grantees. Provide leadership for organizing annual convenings.  Contribute to publications and donor education initiatives.

q      Fund-Raising: Research and outreach to new donors who might be interested in joining the USHRF.  Undertake needs assessments to identify funding gaps.  Write applications.

 

Administration/Management

q      Operations/Administration: Develop/refine and implement appropriate systems and procedures to coordinate grantmaking, evaluation and reporting.  

q      Staff Supervision: As needed, work with USHRF/PIP senior staff to hire and supervise consultants and interns.

q      Legal compliance: Ensure that grantees and USHRF procedures comply with all federal, state and local laws and regulations.

 

 

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate is someone with the maturity and flexibility to collaborate with multiple donor partners and grantees working on a wide range of social justice issues.  We are seeking a thoughtful strategist with experience in human rights, social and political change initiatives, philanthropy and/or fund-raising.  The individual should have an understanding of international human rights tools, mechanisms and standards, and be familiar with grantee issues, encompassing worker rights, criminal justice, immigration reform, economic recovery, racial profiling and the right to fair housing.  Qualified candidates should also be familiar with individuals and groups that are significant to the national, state and local levels of human rights and social justice work.  S/he should be a “self-starter” who is able to work independently with minimal supervision to assess and carry out programs.  S/he must be a good thinker and writer, and an excellent relationship builder.  Desired qualifications include:

 

  1. Minimum of five years experience in human rights/social justice and/or philanthropy, including strategic planning, executing strategies and managing initiatives. Experience with public policy or foundation programming is helpful, though not required.
  2. Demonstrated commitment to human rights and social justice work and the goals and objectives of the Fund. 
  3. Excellent management and relationship building skills and an ability to represent the Fund in the philanthropic and nonprofit communities.
  4. Enthusiasm to fund-raise and bring new donors to the USHRF.
  5. Superb written and verbal communication skills.
  6. A keen analytical ability that can be applied to Fund operations and to substantive human rights concerns.
  7. A strong administrator who is attentive to detail and skilled at developing administrative systems. Experience with managing elements of an organization or program is preferred.
  8.  Computer literate with experience in Microsoft Office, GIST and Excel.
  9.  Willingness to travel two-three weeks out of the year.
  10.  Sense of humor and ability to get along with diverse constituencies.
  11.  
  1.  Master’s or JD degree, in relevant field, or equivalent experience. 

 

 

How to Apply:

 

No calls, please.  Interested applicants should send a resume, cover letter, salary requirements and a list of three references to:     

 

Sue Simon

Program Manager, USHRF

Public Interest Projects, Inc.

80 Broad St., 16th Fl.

New York, NY 10004

Email: sssimon@publicinterestprojects.org

 

 

 

Application Deadline: 

August 21, 2009

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