The Organization
ABOUT JUSTICE FUNDERS
Justice Funders (JF) is a national organization with programs that support individual, organizational, and field-wide transformation in philanthropy to achieve a just transition. JF is a partner and guide for philanthropy in reimagining practices that advance a thriving and just world. We believe that such a world cannot be achieved if institutional philanthropy is constrained by its ingrained practices that uphold the accumulation of wealth and power, while perpetuating systemic social and economic inequality. We are guided by the Just Transition principles that build political and economic power to shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy, and call on philanthropic institutions to help accelerate a Just Transition by redistributing wealth, democratizing power and shifting economic control to communities.
JF is a worker self-directed non-profit organization, which means that all staff have a role and responsibility in governing the organization and stewarding its resources. All team members make a commitment to the principles and organizational practices of worker self-direction, including shared leadership, democratic governance, and tending to the organization’s internal systems and processes, and to our organizational values of psychological safety, centering well-being, radical interdependence, and untethered imagination.
We are in the midst of significant organizational growth and evolution, and are excited to bring on new team members who are comfortable with change and have the ability to adapt to shifting circumstances.
ABOUT THE POSITION
The Director of Capital Strategies will play a critical role in supporting the work of our movement partners to create community-controlled institutions that build economic, cultural and political power in Black, Indigenous and other communities of color that have borne the brunt of the extractive economy. The position will be responsible for supporting our movement partners in raising integrated capital investments (i.e., both grants and non-extractive loans) for their Just Transition capital projects (e.g., community land trusts, worker-owned cooperatives, community-owned food & agriculture development projects, etc.) and loan funds that are experimenting with true alternatives to capitalism by building local, regenerative economies that provide for everyone’s needs.
One of our core partners is the Richmond Our Power Coalition (ROPC), a coalition of nine grassroots base-building organizations who have been advancing strategies for Just Transition in Richmond, CA for the past 10 years. Five of the organizations have been actively engaged in land and real estate acquisition efforts for Just Transition projects and enterprises, whose capital needs range from $6 million to $25 million. This position will support ROPC members and other movement partners in the planning and design of capital campaigns and capital raising strategies, and mobilize resources (both grants and non-extractive loans) from philanthropic institutions committed to aligning their investment practices with the values and principles of Just Transition.
Through support from the Chorus Foundation, Justice Funders has secured funding for 5 years to advance this work, hence this will be a time-limited position. There are a few responsibilities of this position that will require interfacing with the Chorus Foundation and their network officers (i.e., counterparts to this position) in other regions.
This position will be accountable to the vision and priorities of the ROPC and other movement partners and work in coordination with the Chorus Foundation’s network officers. This position will work collaboratively with the Director of Investment Partnerships, whose work includes building out a Just Transition integrated capital fund, which could be a potential funding source for the movement partners that the Director of Capital Strategies supports. The Director of Capital Strategies reports to and works closely with the Senior Director of Just Transition Investing.
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
SUPPORT THE INTEGRATED CAPITAL RAISING EFFORTS OF JUST TRANSITION PROJECTS, ENTERPRISES AND LOAN FUNDS (30%)
- Meet regularly and build deep relationships with the leaders and member organizations of the Richmond Our Power Coalition (ROPC) and other movement partners to understand their vision and the capital needs of their Just Transition projects, enterprises and loan funds.
- Support the planning and design of capital campaigns and capital raising strategies led by ROPC members organizations and other movement partners including identifying the amounts and types of capital needed, developing a gift range chart, and creating a budget and timeline.
- Support ROPC member organizations and other movement partners in securing integrated capital investments (grants + non-extractive loans) for their Just Transition projects, enterprises and loan funds through activities such as fundraising coaching, supporting the creation of pitch decks and other fundraising materials, identifying potential funders/investors, facilitating 1-on-1 funder/investor conversations, and creating collective learning and action opportunities for funders/investors.
- Collaborate with the Sr. Director of Just Transition Investing and the Director of Investment Partnerships to raise the visibility of ROPC member organizations and other movement partners’ work to funders in Justice Funders’ network and the philanthropic sector at large.
SUPPORT MOVEMENT PARTNERS IN ACCESSING NON-FINANCIAL RESOURCES (15%)
- Coordinate skills/capacity building opportunities in finance & investment for ROPC members organizations and other movement partners, including facilitating peer learning exchanges and organizing values-aligned finance trainings.
- Identify values-aligned technical assistance providers who can offer pre-development support and advising to Just Transition projects and enterprises being developed by ROPC member organizations and other movement partners. This includes, but is not limited to, creating business models and financial projections; hiring and training of staff; developing governance bodies; and working with attorneys to create new legal entities. Help to identify funding for technical assistance, as needed.
MOVEMENT BUILDING (15%)
- Build deep understanding of, and relationships with, the larger landscape of 1) Just Transition projects, enterprises and loan funds being led by movement organizations, 2) philanthropic institutions that are making integrated capital investments in Just Transition projects, enterprises and loan funds, and 3) intermediary organizations (such as Full Spectrum Capital Partners and Just Futures) that are facilitating such investments.
- Attend and speak at events such as conferences and workshops organized by partners and allies within the larger movement, philanthropic and investment landscape.
- Participate in coalitions/collaboratives with movement, philanthropic and investor allies working to advance a Just Transition.
- Participate in monthly meetings with Chorus Foundation and quarterly meetings of the Chorus Network Officers, submit quarterly written reports on the work of supporting ROPC to the Chorus Foundation and other Network Officers, and support projects related to the work of Chorus Foundation including a planning processes to determine how community-stewarded funds will be used.
ADMINISTRATIVE (10%)
- Manage and perform administrative tasks related to the responsibilities described above including scheduling meetings, maintaining tracking systems for information and relationships, and making travel arrangements.
- Utilize Asana Project Management System to coordinate work within teams and across programs, including creating and maintaining projects, tasks, and conversations.
ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (30%)
- Actively contribute to JF’s organizational processes of worker self-direction, including our Circle structure through which we collectively manage the organization’s functions and steward its resources.
- Facilitate and participate in knowledge sharing workshops and presentations to elevate organizational skills.
- Attend JF staff meetings and retreats (virtual and in-person), culture-building sessions, and political education trainings.
- Participate in JF’s Appreciative Inquiry-based Annual Employee Engagement process and organizational culture strategy.
- With support of their supervisor, create a professional development plan for ongoing skill-building and deepening leadership and well-being practices.
Please note that Justice Funders is committed to responding flexibly to changing circumstances and priorities which means that the expectations of every position are dynamic. This description reflects the assignment of essential functions, but does not prescribe or restrict tasks that may be assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
- A passion for Justice Funders’ mission and vision of a Just Transition for Philanthropy and the Just Transition Investment Framework
- A deep understanding of the Just Transition Framework; familiarity with the connected strategies of building local, regenerative economies; and the ability to translate these strategies to a philanthropic and investor audience.
- A demonstrated commitment to racial and economic justice and the redistribution of land, wealth, and power into community control. This includes, but is not limited to, experience working within and/or alongside movements for racial and economic justice and working to support self-governance within BIPOC communities.
- Prior experience, preferably in a leadership role, with capital campaigns and/or raising integrated capital (grants and non-extractive loans) for community economic development projects. This includes prospecting, outreach and relationship building with individual and institutional funders/investors.
- Experience working with coalitions and alliances, including navigating relational dynamics and balancing the priorities of multiple organizations.
- Skilled at building and holding multiple relationships of complexity and a high degree of personal accountability and integrity to those relationships–rather than an automatic default to positions of power/hierarchy.
- Organizational skills that include project management and time management skills, with the ability to adapt as needed, self-manage, and to prioritize between and manage multiple demands.
- Strong verbal and written communications skills; the ability to synthesize and clearly articulate ideas verbally and in writing.
- A commitment to the principles and practices of worker self-direction including shared leadership, democratic governance and tending to the organization’s internal systems and processes.
- As Justice Funders is in the midst of significant growth, comfort with change and an ability to adapt to shifting conditions are essential qualities.
- Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite and Google Online Office Tools.
EXPECTED HOURS OF WORK
Standard days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Daily schedule is flexible within the proximity of this time frame and will be decided in consultation with their supervisor.
TRAVEL
This position will primarily work remotely; however, the Director of Capital Strategies will be expected to travel for required meetings, conferences, site-based programming, and, if necessary, for other Justice Funders-related purposes. Given this position’s support of work in Richmond, CA, it will be important for this position to be based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
POSITION TYPE & COMPENSATION
The Director of Capital Strategies is a 100% FTE, exempt salaried position. Annual gross salary is $106,000*. Depending on annual revenue goals and priorities, employees may also receive an annual salary increase of 5% around each anniversary with the organization, as well as a 3% Cost of Living (COLA) bonus toward the end of each calendar year. Justice Funders’ benefit package includes 100% coverage of employee medical insurance (up to 50% premium coverage for employee dependents); 99% of dental and vision insurance premium (up to 50% for employee dependents); 100% life insurance premium coverage; access to a Health Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Dependent Care FSA, and Health Savings Account (HSA); opportunity to participate in Justice Funders-sponsored 403(b) retirement plan; an annual staff engagement plan with a $4,000 professional development budget; an onboarding home office ergonomic furniture or equipment budget; and a monthly cell phone and internet stipend. Annual leave benefits include: 20 vacation days, 24 Wellness Days (a combination of 12 sick days and 12 holidays, which can be used at any time, pending supervisor approval), up to five days Paid Leave for Parents or Caretakers of School-Age Children, up to 12 weeks Paid Family & Medical Leave (FMLA), Paid Time Off Winter Break, and a three-month Sabbatical after five years of continuous employment at Justice Funders.
*Please note: As part of our efforts to ensure equity among positions at each tier of the organization, the salary posted in this job description is the starting salary for all director-level positions at the organization at the time of this posting. We do not want to create disparity or leave it to subjective decision making by offering a salary range or practicing negotiation.
Justice Funders is a worker-led non-profit organization and an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or belief, disability, gender identity or expression, nationality, ethnicity, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, or any other status protected by law. Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color; working-class people; Disabled people; and, LGBTQIA persons are strongly encouraged to apply.
How To Apply
TO APPLY:
Please follow the link below to submit 1) Resume; and, 2) Cover letter that includes your reflections on: (a) How you would apply the Just Transition Framework in this role and (b) How you would practice Shared Leadership, Psychological Safety, and Emotional Intelligence with fellow team members: