Hybrid: Remote and Morristown, NJ

Learning and Capacity Building Manager, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation

The Organization

About Us

The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation is an organization in transformation. Six years ago, we set a course to achieve our vision of a more equitable New Jersey. Given the devastating events of the last three years, we have accelerated this commitment and further refined our vision and strategic direction to center racial equity and justice, where people of all races and communities have equitable access to opportunities and can thrive and achieve their full potential. We have a long history of resourcing efforts to promote the well-being of people across New Jersey. In our grantmaking, we prioritize networks, movements, organizations, and leaders closest to the harms of and solutions to inequity and injustice, focusing on those historically excluded from investment and opportunity. In doing so, we are moving critical resources to changemakers, communities, and movements in ways that enable them to accelerate, deepen, and advance their work on their own terms.

Our board and staff are energized by our new resourcing strategies that address the root causes–and repair–of structural racism and inequity in New Jersey and that center communities of color.

  • In 2021, we launched the first round of Imagine a New Way grants to organizations advocating for just systems and tackling barriers to equity in New Jersey.
  • In January 2022, we introduced our inaugural Momentum Fund cohort—ten organizations selected by a panel of community leaders employing diverse strategies to address root causes of structural racism across the state.
  • In January 2023, we launched new Program Priorities that will guide the majority of our funding decisions going forward.

This is a critical “build and implement” moment at the Foundation as we work to transform our grantmaking, partnerships, and internal operations to center racial equity and justice. As such, we seek entrepreneurial team members who are excited about opportunities to create and energized by working in deeply collaborative ways, actively learning, building new relationships, and leveraging and amplifying community expertise and solutions.

For more information on Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, please visit our website. The Strategic Direction and President’s Messages include additional details about our transformation.

Position Overview

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Vice President of People, Culture & Equity, the Learning & Capacity Building Manager (Manager) plays a critical external and internal learning role at the Foundation.  This experienced program/project manager shapes, manages and evaluates critical Foundation capacity-building initiatives and is responsible for planning and coordinating the execution of learning events and convenings.

The Learning & Capacity Building Manager has a broad view of trends and resources in the non-profit organizational development/capacity-building space and has a keen interest in supporting the development of social justice leaders and organizations. The Manager is a natural connector and proactively identifies, develops, and manages relationships with grantee and funding partners and local, regional, and national capacity-building organizations. A successful Manager will have a keen ability to both envision and operationalize capacity building partnerships, initiatives, and grants that support and extend the effectiveness and impact of the Foundation’s grantee partners in the communities they serve. The Manager engages in research, network building, and issues exploration and fosters relationships and resource sharing across partner organizations.

Internally, the Learning &Capacity Building Manager position works collaboratively with Program team members to help understand, analyze, and develop solutions to support and grantee partner capacity-building needs.  They will also contribute to maintaining an efficient, smooth running grants process. The Manager will also support the design and execution of internal Foundation learning, capacity, and culture-building activities.

Essential Responsibilities

The specific duties and responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to, the following areas.

Capacity Building Program Development & Management:

These responsibilities will take up the majority of Manager’s time.

  • In collaboration with colleagues and partners, develops non-profit capacity-building strategies and initiatives.
  • Plans, curates, and project manages cohort and group learning programs and initiatives geared toward capacity building, peer learning, and community building.
  • Acts as primary project manager for the current Momentum Fund Initiative
  • Manages capacity-building referrals and regularly curates and promotes information about external learning events, opportunities, and resources with grantee partners
  • In collaboration with the Program Team, capture and analyze grantee capacity-building needs and develop and share insights and recommendations on how Foundation resources can best support organizational and leadership development.

Network and Relationship Building:

Active network and relationship building will require roughly a fifth of Manager’s time.

  • Actively initiates and participates in research, learning, and networking within local and national philanthropic, capacity building, and social justice spaces to contribute to and keep abreast of best practices and to help inform the Foundation’s strategies and investments.
  • Seek out and identify new opportunities, relationships, partnerships, and collaborations that can support and extend the Foundation’s grantee learning/capacity-building initiatives.
  • Manage ongoing relationships, partnerships, and information sharing with key sector capacity-building providers.
  • Identify, curate, share, and connect capacity-building resources, opportunities, and referrals with Dodge grantee partners.
  • Establish relationships of mutual trust with grantee partners to support and enable the Foundation’s understanding of sector capacity-building needs and priorities.

Grant Operations

Grant Operations will require roughly a fifth of Manager’s time.

  • In collaboration with the Program Team, manage and administer a small portfolio of capacity-building grants for existing Dodge grantees according to Foundation policies, procedures, and timelines.
  • Effectively manage Foundation’s capacity-building budget and resources through careful attention to detail and thoughtful analysis.
  • Act as a super user of the Grants Management System (Salesforce) to ensure all grantee information and grants processes and data management are effectively captured and managed

Learning and Capacity Building Coordination and Support

Learning and Capacity Building Coordination will require roughly a fifth of Manager’s time.

  • Plans and coordinates logistics for Foundation meetings and events (meetings, webinars, convenings)
  • Acts as a technical program facilitator for virtual meetings and events • Collaborates and supports planning and execution of internal learning and culturebuilding activities that help the Foundation team continuously deepen the knowledge, skills, and culture needed to be an effective racial justice funder Key Qualifications
  • A minimum of 5-7 years of related professional experience
  • Recent virtual and in-person event planning and coordination experience a plus   Competencies
  • Mission Oriented: Demonstrates a passion for the Foundation’s mission and a commitment to advancing racial equity and justice in New Jersey.
  • Strategic and Entrepreneurial Mindset: Self-motivated and able to analyze, research, synthesize, take initiative, and execute strategies with a high degree of agility and independence.
  • Relationship Builder and Connector: Experience in building and maintaining strong, collegial, and collaborative relationships with diverse constituencies and an ability to make and anticipate mutually beneficial connections between people and resources.
  • Strategic Communicator: confident verbal communicator and able to develop wellcrafted and customized written communications that are clear, effective, and empathetic across various audiences.
  • Continuous Learner: Routinely engages in professional learning, growth, and activities that demonstrate a curiosity education to commonly held values and behaviors (i.e., commitment beyond self, openness and honesty, integrity, etc.)
  • Technically Skilled: Able to plan and project manage complex meetings and events, manage virtual collaboration using advanced features of Zoom or other digital tools, and demonstrate proficiency in common office tools like Microsoft Office Suite,
  • Other: Available and willing to travel throughout the state of NJ as needed for meetings and convenings

Compensation & Benefits

The starting salary range for the Learning and Capacity Building Manager position is $70,000 – $95,000, commensurate with experience.

The Foundation also offers a full and competitive benefits package that includes full medical and dental insurance, generous retirement contributions, paid medical and parental leave programs, professional development, cell phone reimbursement, and 20 days of vacation for full-time employees.

How To Apply

To Apply

Please submit your resume and cover letter to jobs@grdodge.org. Your cover letter should outline your interest in the role and how you feel your experience is a match.  We will accept applications on a rolling basis until filled.

The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation values a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. We employ qualified people without regard to race; color; religion; sex; national origin; age; ancestry; disability; sexual orientation; pregnancy or breastfeeding; veteran or military status; marital status; civil union or domestic partnership status; arrest record; citizenship; credit history; genetic information; gender identity or expression; status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking; or any other characteristic protected under federal or state law.

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