Chicago, IL

The Organization
Our Mission: The Lloyd A. Fry Foundation supports organizations with the strength and commitment to address persistent problems of urban Chicago resulting from poverty, violence, ignorance, and despair. We seek to build the capacity of individuals and the systems that serve them. Our vision is a Chicago that offers education, prosperity, and hope for all.Our MissionThe Lloyd A. Fry Foundation supports organizations with the strength and commitment to address persistent problems of urban Chicago resulting from poverty, violence, ignorance, and despair. We seek to build the capacity of individuals and the systems that serve them. Our vision is a Chicago that offers education, prosperity, and hope for all.

OUR ROOTS: In 1933, Lloyd A. Fry founded the Lloyd A. Fry Roofing Company on the Southwest Side of Chicago. During the next five decades, the company grew to become the world’s largest manufacturer of asphalt roofing and allied products, with nearly 5,000 dedicated employees in manufacturing facilities nationwide. The company was sold to Owens-Corning Fiberglass Corporation in 1977. In large part, the proceeds from the sale of the company now serve as the endowment of the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation. The Foundation has been addressing the needs of the Chicago community since 1983.

Position Overview
The Lloyd A. Fry Foundation seeks a Program Officer to develop and lead the Foundation’s Education grantmaking.  Based in Chicago, our Education funding is committed to increasing the academic achievement of low-income students in Chicago public schools. Our interests focus on developing highly effective principals and improving the quality and effectiveness of teaching. We also support a limited number of rigorous academic enrichment programs for students. We are seeking candidates who can lead the Foundation’s exploration of grantmaking strategies that support high quality teaching in schools and align with best practices in school leadership and adult learning. The Foundation is especially interested in innovative approaches and knowledge which can help to advance practice in the field.  To achieve this, we seek a candidate who is able to: identify trends and common challenges across organizations; investigate new topics quickly; synthesize a wide range of information; and adapt and apply ideas across new contexts.

The Program Officer has the following responsibilities:

•        Oversee the education grant portfolio, work with colleagues and the board of directors to identify programmatic goals and strategies, and manage and plan the program grant budget;
•        Actively identify challenges that can be addressed through the Foundation’s grantmaking and opportunities that have the potential to advance program goals;
•        Solicit and review proposals and letters of inquiry, arrange and manage site visits, prepare proposals for board review, and present written and verbal recommendations to the board of directors. Prepare decline letters and work to communicate clearly with grantees as well as with organizations that do not receive support from the Fry Foundation;
•        Work with grantees to support collaborative work; help organizations advance knowledge and practice in the field; and provide guidance and assistance on program strategy, assessments, and other aspects of building capacity and program development.Program Officer Qualifications:
•    Five or more years work experience in the education field;
•    Bachelor’s degree is required; Advanced degree is preferred;
•    Excellent written and verbal communication skills along with strong analytic and research abilities;
•    Welcomes and actively contributes to intellectual give and take — asks thoughtful questions, is open-minded, is comfortable challenging ideas and benefits from being challenged;
•    Experience in the nonprofit sector is preferred.

The Program Officer will be a full-time employee of the Foundation with competitive compensation and benefits.  The Program Officer will report to the President. The Foundation seeks to fill this position as soon as possible and will work actively to build a highly diverse pool of candidates.