Vice President for Community Partnerships and Strategy

Meyer Foundation
Vice President for Community Partnerships and Strategy
Location: Hybrid (Washington, DC)

About Meyer Foundation

Established in 1944 by Agnes E. Meyer, an author, and social activist, and Eugene Meyer, an owner and publisher of The Washington Post, the Meyer Foundation is one of the Greater Washington area’s largest and oldest locally focused philanthropies, typically awarding between $7 and $8 million in total grants annually. The Foundation envisions a just, connected, and inclusive region in which systemic racism and its consequences no longer exist. To achieve this vision, we focus our voice and resources toward supporting our grantee partners in their work to address the root causes of inequity and the conditions that hold those inequities in place. Additionally, we support our grantee partners capacity-building opportunities, act as a convener around pressing issues affecting our communities and promote collaborative action to help create a Greater Washington where everyone belongs and thrives.

Learn more about the Meyer Foundation.

About the Opportunity 

The Foundation seeks a Vice President for Community Partnerships and Strategy (VP) with deep expertise in racial equity and justice strategy, movements, and power building to advance the Foundation’s impact in the Greater Washington region. As a member of the Foundation’s leadership team, the VP will report to and serve as a key thought partner to the President and CEO to provide strategic leadership across the Foundation. They will lead strategies for community-driven priorities, and  grantmaking through a lens of racial equity and justice, movement and power building, and systems change, in collaboration with partners and stakeholders. Additionally, the VP will lead the Foundation’s talented and deeply committed Community Partnerships and Strategy team, comprised of three regionally focused Partnerships Directors, the Director for the Fund for Black-Led Change, and a Senior Partnerships Associate.

The ideal candidate will be a collaborative, innovative, strategic leader with deep knowledge, understanding, and experience leading racial equity, justice, and systems-change work. They have experience as a trusted thought partner for senior leadership, developing and implementing approaches that drive social change based on community needs. The ideal candidate is an inspirational, enthusiastic, and empowering manager and leader of teams and people, with knowledge and/or experience with community mobilization and power–building with aligned partners and stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities 

Vision and Strategy

• Provide organizational leadership as part of the leadership team, collaborating on strategy, goals, and objectives to advance the Foundation’s mission

• Report on organizational strategy and outcomes to the President and CEO and Board of Directors

• Lead the Foundation’s community engagement and be a collaborative thought partner in capacity building, leading strategy through a racial justice lens aimed at dismantling anti-Black racism

• Implement program activities that go beyond traditional grantmaking to reflect the Foundation’s commitment to racial and social justice and advocacy

• Understand the Foundation’s work broadly to support and enhance decision-making across the organization

Community Engagement and External Partnerships

• Serve as an ambassador, advocate, and key external spokesperson for the Foundation’s racial equity and justice initiatives, developing authentic, trust-based relationships with community organizations and grantee partners throughout the Greater Washington region

• Convene peer organizations, collaborate with grantmaking partners, and help build coalitions to further the Foundation’s mission

Grantmaking and Financial Management

• Develop and implement strategic grantmaking approaches in collaboration with the leadership team and Community Partnerships and Strategy team through the lens of racial justice, with particular attention to dismantling anti-Black racism

• Financial acumen managing budgets aligned with the Foundation’s strategic priorities

Management and Culture

• Lead and manage with collegiality, values-alignment, open communication, collaboration, and embodiment of the Foundation’s values and community agreements

• In collaboration with the Communications Director, contribute content to the Foundation’s website and social media

Desired Skills, Experiences, and Attributes 

• Deep commitment to the Foundation’s mission of pursuing and investing in solutions that build an equitable Greater Washington community in which economically disadvantaged people thrive

• Experience working with or for racial justice and equity-focused nonprofit organizations or experience with community organizing is strongly preferred

• Committed to honest and candid conversations and self-reflection about race, racial justice, and equity

• An analytical thinker who can develop and implement strategy through a thoughtful and inclusive approach

• Strong interpersonal skills with experience managing, motivating, coaching, and supporting high-performing teams

• Demonstrated aptitude for building and cultivating authentic relationships based on trust, a shared sense of purpose, and a desire for impact

• A proven record of collaborative decision-making, as well as accessibility and accountability

• Effective and persuasive communicator, high emotional intelligence, and the ability to communicate with a broad range of audiences, including Foundation staff, board members, grantee partners, and other stakeholders

• Enthusiasm for and patience with organizational change as part of the Foundation’s commitment to ongoing evolution and improvement

• Ability to focus on organizational change while holding space for individual change

• Prior work in the philanthropic sector is a plus

Compensation and Benefits

The Meyer Foundation offers a comprehensive compensation package that includes premium-cost sharing for medical, dental, and vision insurance; 5 weeks of vacation leave, 13 days of sick leave, 2 personal days, and 11 paid holidays annually; life insurance and long and short-term disability insurance; a $50/month contribution for personal internet and data used for remote work; and, following 6 months of employment, a 10% contribution to a 403(b) retirement savings account and an annual contribution of $10,000 to a 457(b) retirement savings account. Employees eligible for participation in the retirement accounts are vested immediately. Further, employees are eligible for a six-week sabbatical after seven years of employment with the Foundation. The target salary for this role is $180,000.00.

Expected Time Commitment and Travel

This position is full time. The VP will be expected to travel up to 40% within the Greater Washington region and up to three times per year nationally. The Foundation's hybrid work arrangement is such that staff work primarily remotely and in-person attendance is required for certain meetings and events, including board meetings, team building and strategy sessions, and other activities for which in-person participation is determined to be preferable.

Additional Information

The Meyer Foundation is partnering with the executive search firm, LeaderFit, to lead this search. Please submit your resume and a thoughtful cover letter outlining your interest and relevant experience online here.