Vice President, Programs, Oberkotter Foundation

The Oberkotter Foundation seeks a seasoned, innovation-minded leader for the new position of Vice President, Programs (VPP). At a pivotal moment in the Foundation’s history, the incoming VPP will have the unique opportunity to partner with the Trustees, CEO, and staff in completing a bold strategic plan that builds on the Foundation’s strengths, and charts new directions for its future. The VPP will then lead efforts to develop, refine and drive the Foundation’s philanthropic initiatives and investments for transformative impact in the lives of children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families.

The ideal candidate brings depth, vision and collaborative skills to strategic philanthropy and would feel a strong commitment to Oberkotter Foundation’s mission and work. The Foundation was created by Paul and Louise Oberkotter in 1985 with the focus of funding causes related to deafness. Its current mission is helping families ensure their children who are deaf or hard of hearing have opportunities to reach their full potential through listening and spoken language. The Oberkotter Family’s legacy permeates the lives of families across the country through leadership, grantmaking, and Hearing First®, its growing educational endeavor connecting expectant parents, families of children with hearing loss, and the professionals who serve them nationwide.

The VPP will provide leadership to conceptualize, refine, and ultimately reshape the Oberkotter Foundation’s philanthropic strategies with a new emphasis on science and innovation, resulting in improved outcomes for children and their families. A key responsibility will be to develop and leverage significant partnerships that advance pediatric hearing health and make access to listening and spoken language a universal reality for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.  With an emphasis on the Foundation’s proven strengths— building systems, taking a long view, and providing collaborative “more than grantmaking” leadership—the VPP will help ensure that Oberkotter Foundation-Hearing First meets enormous opportunity with bold initiatives that change lives.

The VPP is expected to contribute to the Foundation’s thought leadership and change-making role in the field and to engage across sectors with organizations and leaders central to the Foundation’s focus on early childhood development and the family journey. The VPP will serve as a representative of the Foundation in local, state, and national settings to advance and strengthen its alliances, reputation, and impact. 

The VPP will lead a flexible grantmaking program as well as Foundation-driven initiatives and partnerships. Philanthropic investments may take a range of forms best suited to desired outcomes: open call and directed grantmaking; program-related investments; funded working groups, studies, projects, and partnerships; expansion of Hearing First®; or creation of new Foundation operations. The VPP will report directly to the CEO, and will manage and oversee all philanthropic activities and supervise grant and project managers, consultants, and facilitators as part of a scalable team. 

Oberkotter Foundation employees work remotely from communities across the United States, and gather in person quarterly or more frequently, conditions permitting. The position requires a standard Monday – Friday schedule with flexibility spanning time zones, as well as in-town meetings and travel.

The Vice President, Programs, has the following duties and responsibilities:

1. Enhance and implement the programmatic vision as established in the Oberkotter Foundation- Hearing First Strategic Plan
2. Bring a strong Diversity, Equity and Inclusion mindset to all Foundation activities
3. Build key partnerships, acting as a catalyst, colleague, voice and facilitator with an array of partners across the arenas of pediatric hearing health, scientific research, human services, child development, philanthropy, and business in order to appraise opportunities, and join or create initiatives that deepen and extend the impact of the Foundation’s work
4. Oversee and monitor the Foundation’s overall program of philanthropic investments, demonstrating consistent quality of partnership and grantee development, communications, finance and administration 
5. Attract, develop and retain high-performance team members, empowering them to elevate their level of responsibility, span of control, and performance
6. In partnership with the CEO, forge close and trusted working relationships with the Trustees. Work collaboratively with senior management to identify success factors,  share lessons learned, and integrate innovations across Oberkotter Foundation-Hearing First

The ideal candidate will bring the following:

• Shares the driving beliefs of the Oberkotter Foundation-Hearing First; consistently displays integrity, models appropriate behavior, develops strong partnerships, and builds effective teams
• Understanding of making large-scale system change and ability to lead development of sophisticated new initiatives and partnerships
• Natural collaborator, mentor and skilled facilitator who fosters maximum contribution, performance and growth in others
• Significant work experience at intersections of philanthropy, brain development, early childhood education, hearing health care, and listening and spoken language outcomes
• Knowledgeable about the role of foundations and tools of strategic philanthropy, bringing an equity lens and keen ability to identify the Oberkotter Foundation’s role in different situations – when to lead, when to follow, how to be a good partner, and when and how to invest philanthropic resources
• Big picture systems thinker and ability to translate broad goals into achievable steps, embrace opportunities, anticipate and solve problems; self-starter, strong at detail and follow-up, and loves a great team
• Persuasive, credible, and polished communicator with excellent interpersonal and multi-disciplinary project skills
• Accomplished writer with well-developed professional voice and strong interest in writing or editing for publication
• 10+ years experience in senior positions
• Advanced degree or equivalent preferred

Expectations:

• Full-Time position (40 hours/week)
• Job responsibilities will sometimes require extended hours to meet deadlines for high priority projects
• Maintain regular, daily work hours conducive to a virtual team with accountability to members located in different time zones
• Comfortable working in a virtual environment using a variety of digital tools for planning, communication, production, and knowledge management
• Regular collaboration with and consistent reporting to CEO
• Participate in professional and personal social spaces according to organization policy
• Participate in all meetings as requested or assigned
• Participate in organization and personal professional development activities
• Preapproval of planned PTO required and granted based on organization project schedule
• Moderate to heavy travel 

To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, and three references to careers@oberkotterfoundation.org. Subject line should read “[Your First and Last Name] Oberkotter Vice President, Programs Position.”

Application Deadline: April 13, 2023

Oberkotter Foundation is an equal opportunity employer.