Officer, Strategic Initiatives

Community Impact Team

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Under the leadership of the Director of Strategic Initiatives of The Winston-Salem Foundation, the Strategic Initiatives Officer leads grantmaking and community engagement efforts for The Women's Fund of Winston-Salem (WF) and the Black Philanthropy Initiative (BPI), as well as provides support to Youth Grantmakers in Action (YGA). This role collaborates closely with volunteer committees and builds relationships with current and prospective nonprofit partners to advance each initiative's mission and impact. The Officer, Strategic Initiatives, is an exempt position.

ABOUT THE WINSTON-SALEM FOUNDATION

The Winston-Salem Foundation's charitable history and local knowledge run deep. Since our founding in 1919, we've partnered with generous community members to build a better future for residents of Forsyth County and beyond. We are a nonprofit community foundation, the oldest foundation in North Carolina, and we consistently rank among the largest community foundations in the United States. We are comprised of hundreds of charitable funds created by individuals, families, and organizations who want to improve the quality of life for those around them. In partnership, we create meaningful impact by investing in community priorities, providing scholarships and charitable grants, and raising awareness of community issues. Since 2018, the Foundation has committed to advancing racial equity across all our work, ensuring that Winston-Salem becomes a place where everyone thrives.

MISSION:

We foster meaningful connections and link resources to purposeful action, creating a brighter future for all who call Forsyth County home.

VISION:

A vibrant, sustainable community where everyone thrives.

BELIEFS:

Our core beliefs influence everything we do and guide us as we work toward our vision.

Relationships are our most valuable resource. We strive to build meaningful relationships and partnerships by listening to understand and seeking diverse perspectives to ensure that our work is informed by and in collaboration with the community.
Equity makes our vision possible. We seek justice in all our actions, ensuring everyone in our community can access the resources and opportunities needed to thrive.
Learning is an ongoing journey. We commit to continuously seeking and sharing knowledge with community partners and donors, embracing change, and striving for improvement to ensure our efforts lead to meaningful and sustainable progress.
Philanthropy is a powerful tool for change. By inspiring and facilitating generosity, we engage with members of our community to contribute in ways that are meaningful to them, driving purposeful and lasting change together.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES

All staff work together to live out the Foundation's mission, values, and equity commitment. Each person actively participates in education sessions, work groups, and other formal and informal opportunities to learn about and operationalize our shared commitment to equity. This role supports the Community Investment Team and engages as an active and positive member of the WSF workforce.

Grantmaking, Programs & Events

Manage the following volunteer subcommittees: The Women's Fund's Grants Committee, BPI's Grants Committee, and BPI's Community Engagement Committee. Provide support to the WF Membership & Engagement Committee, particularly around events and engagement activities.
Collaborate with initiative committees and the Coordinator, Community Investment to lead the annual grants process for WF and BPI, including aligning grant guidelines with strategic goals, engaging in proposal conversations/site visits, and integrating trust-based practices into learning and evaluation.
Build relationships with grantees and prospective applicants through grant reporting, community events, and other touchpoints to foster trust, support mutual learning, and inform grantmaking strategy. Collaborate with the Coordinator, Community Investment to support grant monitoring and storytelling.
Develop and maintain partnerships with initiative volunteers, nonprofits, individuals with lived experience, and other key stakeholders to advance the initiatives' grantmaking and community engagement goals.
Partner with grantees and committee members to surface insights and shared learning throughout the grantmaking process, supporting deeper understanding of impact and alignment with community-defined goals.
Coordinate and support Youth Grantmakers in Action (YGA) in partnership with YGA consultant by managing logistics, offering guidance, and aligning the program with the Foundation's broader strategic initiatives and goals.
Engage actively with community members and organizations to ensure the initiatives learn from and with the communities they serve.
Stay informed on community issues, current events and public policy relative to the initiatives' focus areas.

Communications

Support the development and distribution of initiative communications, including newsletters, press releases and event collateral.
Assist in maintaining the initiatives' social media presence and digital content for WF and BPI, in collaboration with the Director and Foundation communications team.
Represent the initiatives at community events/meetings and contribute to storytelling efforts that reflect the initiatives' missions and values.

Other Related Activities

Actively participate as a member of the Community Investment Team and attend regular meetings.
Participate in Foundation's regular staff meetings and collaborate on cross-team projects that advance shared goals.
Other assignments and special projects as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience in community-based grantmaking, nonprofit programs, or related work in the philanthropic or civic sector
Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage respectfully and effectively with volunteers, nonprofit partners, and individuals from diverse backgrounds
Ability to manage grant processes—from application and review to reporting and learning/evaluation
Comfort facilitating conversations and supporting volunteer-led committees or working groups
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly, thoughtfully, and with cultural awareness
Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
A collaborative spirit and a willingness to contribute to team success
A commitment to equity, inclusion, and uplifting community voice in philanthropy
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and familiarity with databases or grant management platforms (Foundant)
Knowledge of the Forsyth County nonprofit landscape is a plus

Additional Qualifications

Ability to interact respectfully with people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and cultures.
Commitment to and understanding of the Foundation's mission, vision, and beliefs.
Ability to embody and grow in the Foundation's beliefs, demonstrated through: ○ Fostering meaningful relationships and partnerships with a flexible, team-oriented approach that inspires trust. ○ Continuously seeking and sharing knowledge, embracing change, and striving for ongoing improvement. ○ Upholding a personal commitment to justice and racial equity in actions and decision-making.

HYBRID WORK SCHEDULE

The Foundation offers a hybrid work schedule where staff work in person for part of the week and have the option to work remotely on other days. Our office is downtown Winston-Salem.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The salary for this position is $70,875. Benefits include generous paid time off (PTO) and holidays, along with a 10% salary contribution by the Foundation to your retirement plan after one year of service. Health, dental, and life insurance, as well as short-term and long-term disability coverage and parental leave, begin on the first of the month following 30 days of employment. Additional optional benefits include a flexible benefits plan, various supplemental insurance options, an employee supplemental retirement plan, a charitable match program, and tuition and fee reimbursement.

The Winston-Salem Foundation is committed to building a staff that reflects the community served by the Foundation's mission and strategic priorities. We invite applications from diverse candidates and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, genetic information and veteran or disability status.

To apply, visit wsfoundation.org/careers.

This position was originally posted by the Winston-Salem Foundation and has been curated by PurposePhil Career. To apply, please visit the original listing on the "apply" link below. We are not affiliated with the employer organization of this job ad or consultancy, and provide this curated listing as a service to our users.

The Winston Salem Foundation

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Officer, Strategic Initiatives