New York, New York

Program Officer, Tiger Foundation

The Organization

Tiger Foundation is a private foundation established in 1990 by Julian H. Robertson, Jr., Chairman of Tiger Management, L.L.C. His goals in creating the Foundation were to support non-profit organizations in New York City working to break the cycle of poverty and to encourage active, informed philanthropy among the investment staff at the company. The Foundation’s board consists primarily of investment sector professionals who have previously been or currently are affiliated with Tiger Management. Board members not only commit their personal financial resources to the Foundation but are also actively engaged in the grantmaking process. Since its inception, Tiger Foundation has provided more than $300M in grants to high-performing community-based organizations that serve individuals and families in New York City’s lowest-income communities (roughly $18M in funding was awarded in 2021). Tiger’s grantmaking is concentrated solely in the five boroughs of New York City and focuses on the areas of education, economic opportunity, family support, criminal justice, and youth opportunity. Increasingly, there is a focus on funding early-stage programs and/or replication opportunities.

Position Overview

Tiger Foundation is seeking a full-time Program Officer to work directly with the Tiger Foundation board, President, and program staff and to play a significant role in the Foundation’s work in New York City. The Program Officer’s primary responsibilities will be to manage a portion of Tiger’s existing portfolio of highperforming non-profit grantees and to introduce a limited number of new grants each year, engaging Tiger Foundation’s highly active board throughout the grantmaking process. Tiger Foundation’s grantmaking focuses on organizations that provide direct services to low-income New Yorkers, elevating the strongest performers in each sector we fund, with a focus on excellent leadership and exemplary outcomes. Rather than managing a specific portfolio area, all staff at Tiger, including this new Program Officer, work across all program areas (currently structured as Education, Justice & Youth Opportunity, and Family Success & Economic Mobility). The Program Officer will be a strategic and analytical thinker and excellent communicator who thrives as part of a collegial team that is passionate about providing philanthropic support to high-performing non-profit organizations.

  • Screen incoming proposals and analyze programmatic and financial information from non-profit organizations; includes ongoing review and communication with 15-20 renewal grantees/year to ensure continued stability and impact in addition to due diligence and communication with potential new grantees; follow grantee progress via periodic check-ins, follow-up questions, and review of interim and final reports
  • Schedule and conduct site visits and meetings with renewal and prospective grantees so Foundation staff and trustees can learn about organizations’ work, impact, financial health, and future plans, which will inform grant recommendations and overall grant strategy
  • Work closely on grant reviews with Foundation trustees who are highly involved in each grant decision; includes preparing and sharing background materials ahead of meetings, engaging in calls/meetings throughout grant review processes, incorporating trustees’ questions and perspective in follow-up process, and empowering trustees to drive grant recommendations
  • Prepare written evaluations and grant recommendations for new and renewal grants
  • Present grant recommendations and field questions from board members at ~18 board meetings (3 Full Board and 15 Program Committee meetings) annually, typically held from 5-7pm on Tuesday evenings
  • Research policies, context, and emerging opportunities related to the Foundation’s funding areas
  • Assist in preparation of materials for use in Full Board meetings and Program Committee meetings; includes memos and decks on public policies and events impacting the Foundation’s funding areas and performance analysis tools created for board and staff reference and education
  • Work with Foundation trustees and program team to establish funding priorities and allocate annual budget among grant applicants
  • Any other duties appropriate for the position that may be assigned from time to time by the Program Officer’s supervisors

Preferred Qualifications & Competencies

  • 10+ years work experience with progressive levels of responsibility, ideally with demonstrated experience in the non-profit and/or public sector in NYC
  • Knowledgeable about challenges and opportunities in the non-profit sector; ability to learn and embrace the Foundation’s grantmaking approach and to approach partnerships with grantees with humility and respect
  • Ideally, demonstrated expertise/knowledge of NYC non-profit sector as it relates to one or more of our program areas (education, criminal justice, youth development, family support, or workforce training), though the Program Officer will be a generalist
  • Demonstrated experience in financial analysis (includes ability to interpret non-profit budgets and financial statements)
  • Outstanding analytical and critical thinking skills; results-oriented approach with an appreciation for data-driven decision-making
  • Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills
  • Strongly team-oriented; interest in collaborating and working behind the scenes; views success as a product of the team
  • Well-organized, self-motivated problem solver; able to work in a very fast-paced environment; able to adapt to evolving deadlines, prioritizing as needed
  • Relationship-building skills and ability to communicate effectively with social service leaders and with leaders from the financial sector
  • Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to exercise discretion and handle confidential information sensitively
  • Experience with and comfort using spreadsheets and presentation tools

How To Apply

If interested, please apply at https://tigerfoundation.org/careers/program-officer by February 25th, 2022

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