Senior Program Officer, Sustainable Development

For 96 years, The Chicago Community Trust, our region's community foundation, has connected the generosity of donors with community needs by making grants to organizations working to improve metropolitan Chicago. In 2011, the Trust, together with its donors, granted more than $100 million to nonprofit organizations: developing new audiences to sustain Chicago's vibrant arts organizations, protecting the human success safety net for those hardest hit by the recession, stemming the devastating effects of foreclosures on our communities, elevating teaching to meet world class standards, and improving conditions for healthy and active lifestyles.

Position Overview:

As a member of the Program team, provide overall leadership, expertise, management and evaluation of sustainable development grants; manage special initiatives; represent the Trust in the community and support asset development as appropriate. 

Department: Program
Reports to: Vice President of Program

Responsibilities:  

Program Leadership:

• Identify sustainable development needs, opportunities, available resources and successful strategies to address these needs.
• Formulate grant making strategies to address high priority needs.
• Develop or refine grant making guidelines to provide clear guidance to grant seekers.
• Facilitate collaboration and alliance-building among key public agencies, not-for-profit service providers, community-based organizations and foundations wherever appropriate to effect change in a strategic, comprehensive, coordinated and cost-effective manner.
• Conduct or commission research on issues or concerns of importance to the Trust through written materials, interviews, community meetings, computer networks, or other useful vehicles.
• Maintain membership in professional organizations and serve on committees of local and national external organizations as appropriate.
• Stay abreast of developments in the field through current literature, journals, emails, list serves, and the like.
• Serve as staff member of a Trust subcommittee, providing updated reports to that committee regarding strategies and proposals for its review and approval.
• Attend grant-making meetings of the Trust's Executive Committee and respond to its requests regarding the program.

Grant Management:

• Develop and manage annual program budget and monitor grant making to stay within budget.
• Develop requests for proposals where appropriate for new initiatives and/or pro-active interventions in the field.
• Manage restricted grant making programs to meet donors' intent.
• Screen grant applications and work with grant seekers to provide clear guidance on program priorities and requirements regarding proposals.
• Conduct due diligence on proposal requests and provide rationale for funding or declining proposals. Due diligence includes: analyzing and evaluating proposals including consideration of need, costs, capacity of organization and outcomes and impact.
• For each grant cycle (3 times annually) develop written summaries, analyses, and recommendations for all proposals reviewed, clarifying and defending the grant recommendations.
• Monitor grants from proposal approval through the close of grant records to ensure compliance with terms of the grant. Review contingency, progress and final report documents, and respond to grant recipient's request for changes with assistance from administrative and financial staff.
• Respond to queries from applicants and meet with potential applicants to discuss program opportunities.
• Design and monitor program evaluation procedures for program priorities using measurement tools appropriate to the type of program in question.
• Convene grantees to align work and achieve greater coordination and collaboration among organizations being supported by the Trust. 
• Develop reports and strategic planning documents to enable the Trust's Executive Committee and Administration to review the overall grant portfolio in the program area for which you are responsible.
• Participate in peer review working sessions. 

Donor Support and Services:

• Support the work of the Development and Donor Services Department in informing current or potential donors on community issues and potential grantee organizations.
• Organize and host events for current or potential donors concerning community issues or specific organizations, including identifying and contacting speakers and creating panels. 
• Manage funder collaborative and group funds as assigned. 

Community Engagement:

• Participate in work groups and task forces as appropriate.
• Engage community leaders and experts as needed.
• Serve as a public representative and content expert on behalf of the Trust.

Supervision:

• Supervise administrative staff, interns and consultants as necessary.
• Assist in development of annual program and work objectives with supervisees.
• Participate in the selection, training, and evaluation of assigned administrative staff and consultants. 

Other:

• Manage special initiatives that could involve grant making
  responsibility.
• Work as a member of multidisciplinary and interdepartmental teams to ensure the effective and efficient operations of the Trust.
• Participate in the design and ongoing review of the Trust-wide strategic plan.
• Serve on various internal and interdepartmental committees.
• Other duties as assigned.
   

Qualifications:

• Graduate degree in sustainable development or community development/planning field preferred.
• At least 10 years of experience in the field of sustainable
  development/community planning or related discipline, preferably with experience as a grant maker.
• Membership in sustainable development organization/network.
• Knowledge of key organizations and leaders in the field of sustainable development.
• Familiarity with metropolitan Chicago, its communities, neighborhoods, and community organizations.
• Capacity to initiate, develop and complete tasks in a self-directed manner.
• Excellent planning and project management skills necessary.
• Excellent analytical writing and research skills.
• Strong verbal and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated skills in facilitation, relationship building, and
  collaborative planning.
• Good people skills.
• Ability to read financial statements and create and manage budgets.
• Supervisory experience preferred.

Deadline: November 6, 2012

To Apply: 

Interested individuals should submit resume, cover letter, salary history, and names of references.

NOTE:  Please enter "Sr. Program Officer-Sustainable Development" in the subject header of the email.