program officer, children, youth and familiesreporting to christy cox, senior program officer, early...
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Program Officer,Children, Youth and Families
The Ford Family Foundation | Program Officer, Children, Youth and Families
The Ford Family FoundaTion
Mission
Successful Citizens and Vital Rural Communities
Organizational Outcomes for the Next Decade
By 2025, more residents of rural Oregon and Siskiyou County, California will be: • Educated and prepared for successful adulthood• Employed in a family-supporting job• Engaged in local community improvement and civic affairs
The Organization
HistoryA national leader in rural philanthropy, The Ford Family Foundation is a private foundation predominantly benefiting communities in rural Oregon and Siskiyou County, California. In 1957, Kenneth W. Ford & Hallie E. Ford established a then-modest foundation to give back to the timber communities of southwest Oregon. It grew in size, scope, and geography to become The Ford Family Foundation in 1996, with its main office in Roseburg, Oregon, and its scholarship office in Eugene, Oregon. One of the three largest grantmaking foundations in Oregon, The Ford Family Foundation has assets exceeding $800M and distributes $40M annually with a staff of 28 and a seven-member board of directors.
During its formative years, the Foundation concentrated its support on three counties in Oregon and California: Douglas, Coos, and Siskiyou. In recent years, the Foundation has expanded statewide throughout rural Oregon while remaining committed to the three-county region.
ImpactThe Foundation aims to improve conditions in rural communities and to increase the wellbeing of children and families who live in those communities. Its history lies primarily in responsive grantmaking, but in recent years it has evolved its approach to become more strategic and proactive. The Ford Family Foundation has distinguished its work by recognizing that community capacity building is key to making lasting positive change, and it has invested in leadership development and community building for more than a decade. The arrival of a new president and leadership team in the last two years has accelerated the Foundation’s commitment to community-based change that is driven and owned by community residents. The Foundation is targeting all of its philanthropic tools - grants, capacity building, convening, research, and strengthening statewide systems – to improving life in rural communities to achieve its mission:
Successful CitizensInitiatives, partnerships, and grants in this area focus on investments in people who live in rural communities, including: early childhood development, youth development and education, child abuse prevention and intervention, access to health and dental care, postsecondary preparation and success, scholarships for college students, and career readiness for postsecondary students.
Vital Rural Communities Initiatives, partnerships, and grants in this area focus on investments in rural communities, including: leadership development and capacity building, community-based efforts to improve local conditions, workforce and business development, rural capital investments, and rural economic vitality.
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abouT roseburg
Located in Southwestern Oregon, Roseburg is a part of the Hundred Valleys of the Umpqua. The Umpqua River, which gives the region its name, begins near Roseburg and meanders for 111 miles through valleys and mountains before emptying into the Pacific. The community is nestled in a lush, forested region that has been compared geographically and climatologically with Italy and Southern France. Roseburg is just an hour south of the state’s second largest city, Eugene, home to the University of Oregon. There are myriad recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts within the Roseburg area and nearby: Oregon beaches are to the west, Crater Lake National Park is to the east, and the region is famous for hiking and fishing. Theater lovers from throughout the world flock to Ashland, home of the world renowned Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which is less than two hours south. Roseburg, with a population of 22,000, is the county seat of rural Douglas County which has a population of over 100,000.
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The opporTuniTy
The Foundation has recently repositioned itself for growth and catalytic impact in its focus areas; this is an exciting time to join the Foundation and its Children, Youth and Families team. A newly created position, the Program Officer will work across the Children, Youth and Families program areas which focus on the education and well-being of children birth-to-18 in rural communities. More specifically, this role will help to implement strategies to improve kindergarten readiness, reduce the rate of child abuse, and provide access to health and dental services for underserved children. The Program Officer will have significant opportunity for strategic input as the team continues to evolve and expand its grants portfolio as well as local and statewide initiatives.
program oFFicer, children, youTh and Families The Program Officer will be an integral part of a close-knit team working to shape and execute the Foundation’s strategies to support strong families and healthy children. Reporting to Christy Cox, Senior Program Officer, Early Childhood Development, the Program Officer will also work closely with Keavy Cook, Director, Children, Youth and Families.
With a budget in excess of $8 million, the Children, Youth and Families team is making substantial investments in programs, capacity building, and initiatives to strengthen the systems and infrastructure dedicated to improving opportunities and outcomes for young children and their families. At the local level, the team works in close partnership with the communities being served. More broadly, the staff coordinate with networks of funders, public agencies, and nonprofits to address local, regional, and state level systems issues. In the area of Early Childhood Development, the Program Officer will play an active role representing the Foundation in existing collaborations and partnerships around school readiness, and participate in state and local work groups and committees. The Program Officer will assist with scaling and expanding successful demonstration projects, and convening partners and thought leaders across sectors to increase collaboration in rural Oregon and Siskiyou County. The Program Officer will also support grant making in the Access to Health and Child Abuse Prevention & Intervention program areas and assist with the research and development required to build the portfolio through strategic partnerships.
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Focus areas and responsibiliTies For The role
Relationship Building and Collaboration
• Represent the Foundation externally to grantees, community constituents, funding partners, and public sector partners
• Develop strong and trusting relationships with community leaders, partners, and grantees to achieve shared goals
• Engage with Foundation peers to develop collaborative approaches to child and family well being • Serve as Foundation liaison to existing strategic partnerships
Strategy
• Serve as a thought partner to the team leaders to develop program strategies, work plans, and budgets • Build and maintain a high level of knowledge in child and family well-being with a focus on early
childhood development, abuse prevention, and access to health• Contribute to writing background documents, meeting reports, presentations, and conduct relevant
literature reviews, landscape analyses, and data analysis • Champion the importance of children’s healthy development in rural communities
Grant Development and Management
• Play an active and engaged role of “embedded funder” in established, multi-year, Foundation-led partnerships and collaborations
• Oversee and conduct due diligence (research, analysis, and site visits) for Foundation grants in access to health and dental, abuse prevention and intervention, and early childhood development
• Prepare grant recommendations for review at the appropriate staff, committee, or board level
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ideal candidaTe proFile The Ford Family Foundation seeks a well-rounded individual who is passionate about promoting children’s success and welcomes the opportunity to work collaboratively with Foundation peers, community leaders, nonprofit and public sector colleagues, and fellow funders to strengthen the well-being of children and families in rural Oregon and Siskiyou County.
The ideal candidate has a demonstrated commitment to rural issues and community-based efforts. Familiarity with or direct experience in the rural communities of the Pacific Northwest, particularly Oregon or Northern California is highly desired. S/he has a strong base of knowledge and experience in one or more of the following areas: early childhood development (prenatal to age eight), home visitation, early learning, public health, or health care. A working knowledge of systems for early learning, health, or child welfare would be an asset.
The Children, Youth and Families department is committed to having an impact in an arena that is complex and requires a sophisticated level of stakeholder engagement. Candidates must be comfortable with ambiguity and enjoy the challenge of forging a path forward when information is imperfect and milestones may not be clear. S/he is excited by the prospect of a high performing team that is in the midst of developing and expanding its programmatic work and being in on the ground floor of that effort. Exceptional project management skills are required, as are excellent communication and presentation abilities. Cogent, succinct writing, as well as an ability to relate complex ideas to diverse audiences are essential to the role.
Outstanding interpersonal skills are key. An approachable style, humility, compassion for the children and families being served, empathetic listening skills, and the ability to connect with diverse stakeholders are vital attributes. Candidates should demonstrate good judgment and discretion and be at ease in an external facing role; skillful handling of multiple relationships is critical. The successful candidate will thrive in a collaborative, collegial, and team-oriented environment where a willingness to “roll up your sleeves” to get the job done is central to the culture.
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QualiFicaTions
A bachelor’s degree is required; a master’s degree is preferred. The candidate should have 3-5 years of experience working in early learning and/or child health/welfare settings. Candidates will be considered from diverse backgrounds that might include foundations, nonprofits, or public sector programs or agencies.
The position is based in Roseburg, Oregon and residency in Douglas County is required. Approximately 40% of time will involve travel within Oregon and Siskiyou County, California; occasional national travel to attend conferences and make presentations.
To be considered
The Ford Family Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply. To be considered, please submit your resume and a cover letter expressing your passion for the mission and fit for the role online at http://candidateportal.waldronhr.com.
The search for the next Program Officer, Children, Youth and Families is being assisted by a team from Waldron:
Melissa Merritt, Managing Director
Direct: [email protected]
Sarah Meyer, Senior ConsultantDirect: 206.792.4221
Sarah Brosy, AssociateDirect: [email protected]
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www.waldronhr.com
Seattle | Portland | San Francisco
Waldron is honored to work with The Ford Family Foundation in the search for a Program Officer, Children, Youth and Families in Roseburg, OR. We believe in and support the work of The Ford Family Foundation and we are doing our best to recruit a talented team member who will accelerate this mission. As the consulting partner strategic leaders choose to help attract, engage and inspire effective leaders, Waldron provides a unique combination of executive search, leadership development and career transition services across sectors and industries. Our passion is helping people and organizations realize their full potential and increase their impact.