>SURDNA FOUNDATION >Job Announcement: Program Officer for the Environment > > >The Surdna Foundation, a New York City-based family foundation, seeks a >Program Officer for its Environment Program. The Program Officer will >report directly to the Environment Program Director. > >The Surdna Foundation was created by John E. Andrus in 1917 and has >assets over $950 million and an annual grantmaking budget of more than >$40 million. Governed by a Board of Directors that includes fourth and >fifth generation family members, the longstanding values of the Andrus >family - practicality, modesty, excellence, and an appreciation for >serving those in need - underlie all of Surdna's work. Board and staff >are guided by a Code of Ethics that outlines their commitments as >"responsible, transparent, and accountable stewards of the public >trust." The Foundation has five grantmaking areas: Environment, >Community Revitalization, Effective Citizenry, Arts and Nonprofit Sector > >Support. The Environment Program, which is focused nationally, is >Surdna's largest and has a budget for the coming year of $9 million. > >The Surdna Foundation's Environment Program supports a healthy natural >environment, the foundation upon which human communities flourish. We >believe that the social and economic concerns of communities are >inextricably linked to the natural world. Today, the environment is at >great risk due to the interrelated threats of global climate change, >biodiversity loss and unsustainable levels of resource consumption. Our > >goals are to: > >I. Build support for programs to stabilize climate change at the >local, state and national level. >II. Improve transportation systems and patterns of land use across >metropolitan areas, working landscapes, and intact ecosystems. >III. Safeguard the biological diversity and productivity of U.S. >domestic oceans. >Across each of these areas, our strategic approach involves a mixed >portfolio of grants that together will build the capacity of non-profit >organizations and key constituencies to set the stage for policy change; > >advance federal, state, regional, and city policy reforms; and ensure >the implementation of innovative practices and their adoption by the >public and private sector. We have a strong preference for the >development of both policy and market based mechanisms for change. >Underlying our grantmaking is a recognition that a diversity of people >and interests must participate in addressing environmental problems and >devising the solutions, and that the next generation of environmental >leadership will be created from these ranks. > >Surdna's Environment Program seeks to work at the cutting edge and to >promote innovative approaches and solutions. We support multi-sectoral >approaches and partnerships. We work closely with other leading >environmental grantmakers to shape regional and national strategies. We > >also maintain strong respect for and interest in supporting community >and grassroots perspectives. > >The Program Officer will be part of a three-person Environment Program >team. The program is led by a Program Director and is staffed by a >Program Assistant. Additional support is provided by the Foundation's >Grants Administrator. The Program Officer reports directly to the >Program Director, and the Program Director and the Program Officer >jointly supervise the Program Assistant. The Program Officer is >responsible for working closely with the Program Director on all aspects > >of the program, including both day-to-day operations and broader program > >strategy development. A successful Program Officer will contribute to >programmatic ideas and participate actively in grantmaking by seeking, >developing, and recommending grants and administering projects in the >program area. > >The Surdna Foundation has a staff of 25, all based in its Midtown >Manhattan offices. The work environment is collegial, and, while staff >are given substantial autonomy, collaborative work across Surdna's >programs is strongly emphasized. Surdna staff are primarily >grantmakers, but a considerable element of Surdna's impact is due to the > >beyond-grantmaking work of its staff in their fields of expertise. A >successful Environment Program Officer, in addition to having >substantive expertise one or more of the elements of the grantmaking >program, will be a strong builder of networks, advocate for social >change, and developer of partnerships to multiply the impact of Surdna's > >grantmaking investments. > >A successful candidate will demonstrate an eagerness to engage in >ongoing assessment of the Environment Program's priorities under the >leadership of a new Program Director, and to work with the Surdna >Foundation's new President on imbedding the work of the Environment >Program in broader strategic conversations underway about the >Foundation's work as a whole. > >Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: >* Maintaining a breath of knowledge about current trends, emerging >issues, policy interventions, and innovations in the program's areas of >focus to enhance the effectiveness of program strategy and understanding > >of staff and board. >* Monitoring and tracking ongoing grants and initiatives, including >evaluating and reporting to staff, board, and external colleagues on >performance. >* Working closely with other programs at Surdna and facilitating >cross-program collaboration. >* Reviewing, assessing and proactively cultivating grantmaking >opportuntities, Assisting grantees in improving proposal quality. >Recommending grants for funding by soliciting peer reviews and providing > >critical analysis of project strengths, weaknesses and risks. >* Conducting site visits of pending and active projects. >* Helping to plan and implement learning opportunities for grantees, >staff, and board. >* Working with and managing external consultants. >* Assisting with institutional efforts to enhance the sustainability of >Surdna's internal practices. >* Assisting in external communications: developing Web site content, >newsletters, public presentations, and articles as appropriate. >* Develop partnerships with other institutions to extend the impact of >the Foundation's grantmaking. >* Tracking and contributing to the development of best practices among >funders. > > >Qualifications >* Strong record of achievement and relevant experience in the nonprofit, > >public, or private sector. A minimum of 6 years in the field and >interdisciplinary experience favored. >* Substantive knowledge of the fields and issues related to at least one > >of the Environment Program's goals. Advanced degree strongly preferred. >* Excellent leadership, strategic thinking and planning skills. >* Outstanding communication (speaking and writing), interpersonal, >organizational, language and computer skills. >* Energetic, flexible, self-starting team player with a direct, honest, >and respectful approach to problem solving, and an ability to foster >collaboration and contribute to a strong sense of community among staff >and board. >* Must thrive when working under deadline, have strong project, time, >and budget management skills, and be able to handle multiple tasks >simultaneously without sacrificing attention to detail. >* Familiarity with a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment and a >willingness to share in both "big picture" thinking and administrative >tasks. >* An appetite for and sensitivity to working with diverse communities >across race, class, ethnic, political and geographic boundaries. >* Good and compassionate listener and a sympathetic participant with >grantees. >* Willingness to travel up to 30% of the time. > > >Compensation is competitive and commensurate with previous experience. >Excellent benefits. > >Please submit resume and cover letter via our online application >accessible through this link: >https://www.GrantRequest.com/SID_365?SA=SNA&FID=35064 > >No phone calls please. > >A first review of applications will occur on March 29, but applications >will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled. > >The Surdna Foundation is and equal opportunity employer, committed to an > >inclusive work environment, and welcomes a diverse pool of candidates >for this search. > >Additional information about the foundation can be found at >http://www.surdna.org > > >************************************************* >MFCN-FISHLINK is a communication network hosted by The Marine Fish >Conservation >Network(MFCN). 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