The Organization
Arabella Advisors helps foundations, philanthropists and investors who are serious about impact achieve the greatest good with their resources. We help our clients imagine what’s possible, design the best strategies, learn what works best, and do the work necessary to realize their visions.
Our staff is a team of passionate problem-solvers—mission-driven and action-oriented—with a unique combination of experience in philanthropy, business, nonprofits, government, finance, law, and other fields. We combine creative, strategic thinking with knowledge and networks developed through decades of hands-on experience.
The fastest-growing philanthropic advisory firm in the nation, Arabella is also a certified B Corporation. Our leadership team, advisors, colleagues, and staff are fundamentally concerned with social change. We share a desire to make a difference and apply an outcomes-focused approach. Our internal culture supports employee passions, enables continuous learning, and fosters innovation, risk taking, and fun—even as it emphasizes excellence.
Position Overview
The Philanthropy Management team provides strategy, program, and back office support for a stable of fully-managed, in-house foundations. In addition, we engage in short-term strategy projects with family and individual clients navigating critical transitions.
The Associate Director (AD) is the connector between our clients and the services the Philanthropy Management team provides. The AD must have the emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills necessary to build long-lasting and close relationships with our clients. They are working hand-in-hand with clients as a trusted advisor. They also are the primary project manager for client work.
At the center of client services, the AD manages day-to-day foundation activities such as strategy, governance, grant-making, administration and operations support across multiple foundation clients and liaises with client advisors such as wealth managers, accountants, and attorneys. The AD also supports senior management in marketing and business development activities on an as needed basis. This position is an exciting opportunity for someone with project management, nonprofit, and and/or consulting experience looking to delve deeper into philanthropy, and who enjoys being a member of a fast-paced, dynamic team.
Essential Responsibilities
- Serve as the project manager and a point of contact for clients for a portfolio of engagements
- Responsible for day-to-day project team and budget management
- Provide high touch client support through regular and responsive communications to ensure that clients feel valued and important
- Manage compliance and financial matters for private foundations that Arabella manages, with the support of Arabella’s general counsel and finance team
- Serve as thought partner for senior team members and clients on philanthropic strategies, and be responsible for implementing the strategies
- Review grant applications, conduct due diligence (including financial analysis), and make recommendations on grants according to client strategies and needs
- Develop content and facilitate client meetings with senior staff oversight; handle logistics for client and/or board meetings as needed
- Support business development efforts by drafting proposals, participating in meetings and events upon request, and providing input on marketing efforts
- Contribute to team and firm-wide initiatives such as short and long term strategic planning and analysis
Essential Knowledge, Skills and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree
- 5 – 7 years of work experience including time in a nonprofit role working with high net worth individuals (grant making or grant seeking)
- Highly organized project manager with the ability to prioritize competing demands, meet deadlines, and manage and motivate team members to do the same
- Analytical skills: ability to manage research and strategy engagements, collect, review, and synthesize large amounts of information, and present a summary of findings
- Ability to take ownership and lead in areas of responsibility
- Impeccable professional written and verbal communication skills and understanding of how to tailor one’s message for different audiences; keen attention to detail
- Outstanding interpersonal skills, high emotional intelligence, and ability to build strong relationships; deliver top quality customer service
- Capacity to give, receive, and apply constructive feedback
- Ability to travel for client meetings (15-20% of the time)
- Ability to work occasional weekend days for planned client meetings (estimated at 6-8 annually)
- Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office , particularly Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook (or a similar e-mail and calendar management software)
Other Highly Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Experience
- Master’s degree (MBA, MPP, or other related field)
- Consulting or advisory experience
- Proposal development or fundraising experience
- Knowledge of IRS private foundation rules and industry best practices
- Experience with nonprofit financial analysis
- Skilled at data visualization and translating narrative content into an engaging, visual format
- Experience with database management, grants management software, Salesforce, and other web-based communication and meeting tools
Essential Characteristics
- Genuinely enjoys people and connecting with them, has a good sense of humor, and likes forging bonds with colleagues
- Ability to empathize with individuals from diverse backgrounds to anticipate their concerns and to customize communication and approach accordingly
- Never settles for the status quo—constantly looking for improvements and identifying best practices
- Motivated by checking items off a to do list, and believes submitting tasks on the due date is too late
- Enjoys the challenge of a learning curve, but never views routine tasks as a burden
- Has chameleon-like abilities to adapt his/her working style to different personalities and enjoys understanding how people tick
A Career with Arabella Advisors
We are committed to having a passion-driven, inclusive, fun, transparent, collaborative, and healthy culture. We invite you to visit our careers website to learn more about our people, culture, and work. However, we thought you should know that Arabella is committed to providing excellent benefits to our employees. For you and your eligible dependents, we pay 100% of premiums and in-network deductibles for health, vision, dental, and prescription insurance. We also provide you disability coverage; life insurance; personal and volunteer leave time; a 401K match that you are eligible to receive when you start; $1,500 a year for professional development; and a fitness benefit.
We also are committed to building a firm that is diverse and inclusive. We invite our clients and employees to be fully themselves. By integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion into our work, we benefit from increased knowledge, creativity, flexibility, and organizational and individual growth. We expect all Arabella staff to share this commitment.