The Organization
About us
The Health & Environment Funders Network (HEFN) is a national membership network of over 60 foundations, donors, and philanthropic advisors interested in improving health, environmental, and equity outcomes. Our mission is to mobilize philanthropy around solutions for environmental health and justice issues. HEFN’s close-knit community invests over $200 million a year to build the power of the environmental health and justice movement, prioritizing support for affected communities and diverse organizations, at the grassroots, across the United States, and globally.
HEFN offers programming to our members through multiple channels, including working groups specific to funding issue areas, learning communities specific to areas of philanthropic practice, and an annual meeting. We continually iterate our program structure to be in service of our members’ needs. HEFN staff’s day-to-day work is to create experiences and resources that support funder learning, networking, and collaboration, enabling our members to make collective and better-informed impact. We are valued by our members for being nimble and responsive to emerging issues; for our caring and supportive environment; and for embracing equity and belonging.
We are BIPOC woman-led, majority BIPOC staffed and queer-trans embracing. Our small but mighty team of four works remotely and collaborates virtually from across the country. As a nonprofit, HEFN operates through a Joint Plan of Work with Virginia Organizing, a 501c(3) organization that accepts and manages funds on our behalf. Our work is guided by a national Steering Committee, which is currently comprised of eight leaders from HEFN’s membership.
HEFN prioritizes an equitable and inclusive workplace. We are an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to engaging the skills and leadership of people of color; LGBTQIA+, transgender and gender non-conforming people; people of different abilities and neurodiverse identities; and other individuals from diverse backgrounds. People from these and other historically marginalized backgrounds are encouraged to apply. If you require assistance or accommodation due to disability, please email us at hefn@hefn.org.
Position Overview
About you
You’re an experienced program professional, passionate organizer, systems thinker, and savvy communicator who likes to stay abreast of current issues in environmental health and justice and enjoys strategically connecting the dots for others. You believe that everyone deserves to live, work, and learn in healthy homes, schools, and communities, and you understand that philanthropic investment in the communities shouldering the worst environmental harms leads to effective solutions. You have a knack for positively influencing others and are adept at working with and around bureaucracy to help people take meaningful action. You thrive in a small team environment. People think of you as reliable and flexible, possessing a quick mind, integrity, and sense of humor.
HEFN’s staff is highly collaborative. The Director will work closely with HEFN’s staff and member leaders on the following key areas:
- Lead planning, design, execution, and evaluation of programs including organizing webinars, briefings, and other co-sponsored events.
- Lead portions of planning and execution of HEFN’s annual meeting, including planning committee management, content management, and meeting communications and logistics in coordination with HEFN staff and consultants.
- Cultivate and maintain excellent relationships with affinity group colleagues, regional associations, and other philanthropic groups.
- Serve as a resource to the broader philanthropic community and facilitate collaborative programming and initiatives.
- Develop and disseminate learning resources for members and other funders, such as issue briefs, online toolkits, funder stories, and blogs.
- Support HEFN communications work. Manage website content and social media related to your work.
- Help track local, regional, and national trends in environmental health and justice and philanthropy.
- Provide content related to your work for grant proposals and reports.
- Support other programs, initiatives, and working groups as needed.
To be successful in this role, these minimum qualifications are essential:
- Five to seven years’ experience working in philanthropy or on environmental health or environmental justice issues.
- Understanding of the connections between environmental conditions and health, including the roles of race, place, and class.
- Experience developing and executing strategic programs.
- Proven experience developing and maintaining strong, professional, and collaborative relationships.
- Proven experience with every aspect of webinar development, from defining goals and structure to facilitation, evaluation, and follow-up.
- Proven ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and deadlines while maintaining quality and attention to detail.
- Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills, and strong editorial skills.
- A working knowledge of social media platforms and email/listserv databases.
- A working familiarity with foundations and the philanthropic system.
- Self-directed with strong organizational skills.
- Ability to work independently and on a highly collaborative team.
- Emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and willingness to model vulnerability.
- Sensitivity to power dynamics within our member organizations and the communities we support.
- Strong grounding in the principles and practice of equity, justice and anti-racism.
- Ability to travel.
Additional skills that we value, but do not require:
- Facility with some or all of the issue areas currently centered in our programming, such as just transition and the health and justice harms of the fossil fuel and petrochemical economy.
- Facility with some or all of the shifts in philanthropic practice of interest to HEFN members, including participatory grantmaking; funding frontline groups; and great support for healing justice and capacity building.
- Experience organizing in-person events.
- Experience writing reports and newsletters
- Experience with social media, blogging and other forms of online content creation
- Experience managing a learning community
- Visual storytelling ability and technical skills (e.g., Canva)
- Ability to facilitate and/or write persuasively in a language other than English
Salary and benefits:
We want our employees to enjoy benefits that make them fulfilled and productive. This is a full-time, exempt position with a salary range of $100k- $110k depending on skills and experience.
You will ideally be based in the Eastern or Central time zone, but this is not a strict requirement. Comfort working in a virtual, dispersed work environment is a must.
We are committed to the health, wellbeing and work-life balance of our team. Full-time employees receive generous benefits, including pension contributions, full health, dental, vision, and childcare benefits; paid vacation, sick, parental, family, and sabbatical leave.
How To Apply
Applicants should submit an application packet (see details below) to hefn@hefn.org no later than October 31, 2022. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis so early submission is encouraged.
Hiring process and timeline:
Please submit your resume, brief writing sample (1-2 pages), and something to show us who you really are! It’s your choice – that could be a written cover letter/summary or a video cover letter, or whatever showcases your passion for the work you’d be doing. Using the subject line “Director of Programs,” send those materials to hefn@hefn.org. Please include your name on any attachments. No phone calls, please.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position will be open until filled.
We will review resumes throughout October and anticipate conducting phone interviews in early November. Shortly thereafter, those selected to advance in the hiring process will be invited to a one-hour video interview with our hiring committee. Finalists will be invited to a second one-hour interview.
This position would ideally start by December 2022.