Program Manager, Economic Practice

Position Overview

The Rockefeller Foundation’s mission - unchanged since 1913 - is to promote the well-being of humanity throughout the world. Together with partners and grantees, The Rockefeller Foundation strives to catalyze and scale transformative innovations, create unlikely partnerships that span sectors, and take risks others cannot.

The Rockefeller Foundation is seeking a Manager, Economic Practice – Equity and Economic Opportunity (EEO) Initiative to further the Foundation's focus on expanding equity and economic opportunity in the United States. The EEO Initiative seeks for every person in the US who works to be able to meet the needs of their families and have a path to a better future. Our mission is to bring stability and mobility to the 44 million households in the US, representing 90 million people, for whom work is not enough to make ends meet. To do this work, EEO has two interdependent units – one focused on economic practice and another on economic policy interventions.

Position Overview

The Manager, Economic Practice will contribute to the ongoing development and deployment of interventions and support developing strategies to execute on the economic practice unit’s goals. The Manager, Economic Practice will manage internal processes, help monitor economic practice grantmaking processes, and track progress against the established economic practice unit goals. Reporting to the Managing Director, Economic Practice, the Manager will collaborate, coordinate and work hand-in-hand with the Managing Director, Economic Practice unit to advance the unit’s goals and objectives. The Manager will also work closely with grassroots leaders, researchers, economists, elected and public policy officials, The Rockefeller Foundation partners, national associations and community-based organizations with shared values and focus.

Reporting to the Managing Director of Economic Practice, the Program Manager will help develop and shape grants, contracts and partnerships that are in support of financial income practices or practice ideas that demonstrate the greatest potential to increase worker economic security by leveraging our relationships in ROC cities to (1) increase financial income and assets; (2) develop business equity and cash flow by expanding public and anchor institution procurement from businesses in historically marginalized communities at the federal, state, and local levels; and (3) expand ownership of tangible assets and associated cash flows.

The Manager will bring to the role knowledge and experience with economic development, public policy, community development, finance, management, and evaluation at local, national and/or international levels, and partnership development. The role will support and strengthen relationships with grantees, contractors, and partners, while sharing knowledge, promoting innovation, and facilitating collaboration.

The Manager should be interested to focus squarely on maximizing stability for lower-wage workers, emphasize evaluation and learning over outcomes measurement, pursue innovation while diversifying risks, and balance broad experimentation with deep understanding.

The Manager will work closely across the EEO team to ensure program strategy alignment.

Location: Currently, we are fully remote. Once COVID restrictions ease, this position will be based in New York, NY, with a moderate amount of travel expected.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Support the MD, Economic Practice in the management of a portfolio of grants, contracts, and partnerships within the Equity & Economic Opportunity initiative with processes related to work planning, relationship management, knowledge management as well as monitoring and reporting.
• Manage relationships with grantees and partners to ensure timely and regular engagement by setting agendas for check-in meetings, documenting progress and lessons learned, and providing analytical assessments to elevate opportunities for adaptive management and course correction.
• Partner and collaborate with grantees to ensure on-time, quality delivery of key deliverables and commitments throughout the life-course of a grant.
• Contribute to strategy development and execution by reviewing scientific literature, policy documents, reports from governmental and nongovernmental agencies, and other resources to inform decision-making on the team.
• Monitor and research trends and new developments in inclusive economic development, but not limited to municipal policy movements, community dialogues in racial equity, new research related to financial tools or models for consumer or small business finance, etc.
• Liaise with the Communications, Policy and Advocacy team to support communications and influence efforts, including planning of program-related convenings through the development of event agendas, briefing reports, talking points, input into speeches, as required.
• Coordinate activities with and across grantees to plan and manage program related meetings.
• Support the MD, Economic Practice in the preparation of internal documents including program inputs for board meetings and quarterly reviews, as well as other internal communications.
• Research potential grantees and experts, write concept notes and grant memos, conduct due diligence, and review grantees’ proposal and budget documents.
• Where appropriate, represent the economic practice team on working groups, committees and external events or conferences.
• BIPOC and women-owned enterprises research, practice and policy experience is ideal.
• Develop and implement a robust measurement, evaluation, research, and learning framework and track KPIs across grantees.

Education, Experience and Skills

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree; Masters preferred.
• Generally expected to have a minimum of 7-10 years’ related experience.
• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in the U.S. community or economic development space, preferred.
• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in community or economic development with at least 2 years of experience in either philanthropy, diagnostics, financial or business services, or US government preferred.
• Experience working with governments (local and/or national) and nongovernmental organizations.
• Fluency in the English language required. Fluency in the Spanish language is preferred.
• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written) to effectively partner with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders to deliver novel insights and practical solutions.
• Strong relationship building and management skills and comfort working in a dynamic environment.
• Strategic thinker with strong analytic and project management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to be agile, flexible, and innovative in rapidly changing environments.
• Commitment to The Rockefeller Foundation's mission and core values – effectiveness, equity, integrity, innovation, and leadership.
• Excellent judgement and professional standards, with a proven ability to handle sensitive or confidential organizational issues, and to apply appropriate judgement in complex situations.
• The ability to travel when it is safe to do so again.

Qualifications and Competencies

• Resilient and Adaptive: Flexible, patient, positive attitude and self-image, the ability to adapt to changes, a tendency to regard challenges as opportunities and a recognition of one’s own limits.
• Execution: Strong project management skills, upward management, sense of responsibility and accountability and the ability to effectively multi-task.
• Partnership and Relationship Building: Strong professional representation of the Foundation, interpersonal relationship abilities, intercultural knowledge and appreciation, strategic partnership building.
• Strategic Ability: Ability to see opportunities, design innovative approaches backed by strong analysis and planning. Experience in systems thinking and adaptive strategic planning.
• Leadership: Vision, innovation, thought leadership, collaboration, integrity, accountability, and emotional intelligence.
• Integration: Ability to demonstrate inclusiveness, collaboration, respect, and broad organizational interests.
• Communication: Strong interpersonal and communication abilities; exceptional listening, written and verbal skills.
• Presentation: Comfort producing leadership-level slide decks and presenting them adeptly in large meetings; interest in public speaking for larger audiences in convenings and webinars.

The Rockefeller Foundation is proud to offer a competitive compensation and benefits package that includes: comprehensive health insurance coverage, generous retirement savings plan with employer match and contributions, vacation and personal leave, safe and sick leave, summer hours, flexible work arrangements, tuition reimbursement and student loan repayments, an Employee Assistance Program, backup childcare and family support services, life and disability insurance, legal and identity theft services, paid family leave, semi-annual volunteering opportunity and gift matching program, and much more.

As an organization, we focus on six values to advance our culture and to continue our success. We are dedicated to being Transparent, Optimistic, Accountable, Collaborative, Trusted and Equitable. We operate from a strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in everything that we do. It’s not only the right thing to do – we couldn’t make an impact without the diverse perspectives and experiences of our team members. We expect all employees at the Foundation to contribute by developing their unique perspective and talent, and to challenge conventional wisdom through evidence and reason, and by amplifying marginalized voices.

The Rockefeller Foundation is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity and to compliance with all federal, state, and local laws concerning employment discrimination, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. To this end, the Foundation ensures equal opportunity to all employees and applicants regardless of race, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, lawful alien status, physical, mental, and medical disability, veteran status or liability for service in the United States Armed Forces.

The Rockefeller Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.