VP of Strategic Investments

Organization

Baltimore Community Foundation is a philanthropic foundation created by and for the people of Greater Baltimore, where many donors join together to make the region they love a better place, today and for future generations. Our mission is to inspire donors to achieve their charitable goals from generation to generation and to improve the quality of life in the Baltimore region through grantmaking, enlightened civic leadership and strategic investments. BCF’s vision is of a Baltimore that boasts a growing economy where all have the opportunity to thrive. Our action agenda organizes grants, initiatives and advocacy around this vision. The values that guide our work are trustworthiness, inclusion, and entrepreneurialism.

With assets over $170 million comprised of over 800 charitable funds, BCF has granted over $392 million since its inception in 1972 and is one of the Baltimore region’s top grantmaking foundations. BCF makes charitable contributions to support a wide range of issues affecting the Baltimore region, currently with a focus on investments in two interest areas: Neighborhoods and Education. BCF is the fiscal sponsor for three major program initiatives and is affiliated with four supporting organizations. BCF undergoes a vigorous accreditation every five years and is certified under the Council on Foundation’s National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations.

BCF operates from the knowledge that profound disparities in opportunity exist between people of color and their white counterparts; and we acknowledge the historic and ongoing role that structural racism plays in creating and perpetuating those disparities. That is why we are committed to reducing racial disparities, identifying and combating structural racism, and fostering more equity and inclusion through our grantmaking, initiatives, and advocacy.

Position

The President & CEO is looking for a mission-focused, veteran, strategic, and process-minded leader with significant and effective experience working in non-profits, corporations and/or public affairs, leading an executive management team, and developing a collaborative and performance oriented culture among a group of diverse, talented individuals. The VP must be a leader who is able to help others at BCF deliver measurable, effective results that make the vision a reality. More importantly, the successful VP will have the skills, sensitivity, and personal confidence to tap into the power that each member of the team brings to the table. It is essential that the VP manage efficient and effective systems and processes to increase productivity and impact while supporting an organization that reflects the diversity and creativity that drive the BCF mission. The VP of Strategic Investments reports to the President & CEO.

Responsibilities

• In consultation with the President/CEO, oversee major projects and manage the work of the Executive Office;
• In partnership with the other VPs, serve as a special advisor to the President/CEO on organizational strategy and prepare him/her for engagements and meetings with key constituencies;
• In partnership with the President/CEO and other VPs, implement the strategic plan and recommend and create new processes and approaches to achieve it;
• In partnership with the President/CEO and Management Team, cultivate the core values of BCF within the organization and instill a professional development and “coaching” culture within BCF;
• Develop the agendas and oversee the implementation of tasks related to Management Team as well as Staff meetings;
• Manage and supervise the Interim Director of Community Investment, the Director of Special Projects and the Director of Communications;
• Maintain a knowledge base of current trends and activities within the community that relate to the Foundation’s interests, the nonprofit sector and the community at-large.
• Work collaboratively with BCF’s President and management team, trustees and volunteers to raise funds for current grantmaking as well as build a permanent civic endowment;
• Oversee discretionary grantmaking, grants management and monitoring, with the support of the Interim Director of Community Investment, including reviewing progress reports and accessing program outcomes;
• Work collaboratively with the Development Department to maintain relationships with current and prospective donors and facilitate opportunities for donors to fulfill their philanthropic interests to support critical community needs;
• Oversee BCF outreach efforts to the nonprofit community, grant-makers, and other public and private organizations for the purpose of building and strengthening Baltimore communities, residents and their effectiveness in the community;
• Implement strategies and measure impact on programmatic effort to strengthen Baltimore and align strategic grantmaking, initiatives and public advocacy;
• Oversee the collaboration between Community Investment and Development and Donor Services to manage program consultants and programmatic relationships for private foundation and donor advised funds family meetings;
• Coordinate operational and governance issues with the BCF Initiatives;
• Oversees the general administrative needs of Community Investment and Communications;
• Assume other duties as assigned by the President/CEO.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree is required; an MBA or similar advanced degree highly desired;
• At least 5 years high level nonprofit leadership experience;
• Knowledge of Baltimore civic and community issues and an understanding of non-profit management;
• Professional experience and knowledge in the areas of education, community development/neighborhoods; public policy advocacy, data analysis and communications;
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse constituencies, e.g. community and nonprofit leaders, donors, trustees, volunteers and elected and other public officials;
• Results-proven track record of exceeding goals through complex systems and experience with operations and fiscal management;
• Evidence of the ability to consistently make good decisions through a combination of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment;
• The ability to balance the delivery of goals against the realities of a resource constraints and parameters;
• Aptitude for problem solving, project management, and creative resourcefulness;
• High level of business acumen including successful change management and crisis communications;
• Strategy and Agility—ability to think strategically, anticipate future consequences and trends, and incorporate them into the organizational plan;
• Capacity Building—ability to effectively build organization and staff capacity, developing a top-notch workforce and the processes that ensure the organization runs smoothly;
• Leadership and Organization—exceptional capacity for managing and leading people; a team builder who has experience in scaling up organizations; ability to connect staff both on an individual level and in large groups; capacity to enforce accountability, develop and empower top-notch leaders from the bottom up, lead from the top down, cultivate entrepreneurship, and learn the strengths and weaknesses of the team to place people in a position to succeed;
• Action Oriented—enjoys working hard and looks for challenges; able to act and react as necessary, even if limited information is available; not afraid to take charge of a situation; can overcome resistance to leadership and take unpopular stands when necessary;
• General Management—thorough understanding of strategic development and planning, budgeting, business analysis, finance, information systems, human resources, and marketing;
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and a commitment to and passion for the foundation’s mission.