Program Director-Fighting False Solutions at CS Fund [Remote]

About the Organization

CS Fund is a nonprofit family foundation dedicated to creating an equitable democracy and a just transition to regenerative economies and food systems. CSF addresses critical, under-resourced issues; contends with root causes of problems; and seeks systemic solutions. We practice values-aligned grantmaking and investing and serve as a partner and resource to our grantees. As a small foundation, we strive to educate and organize other funders to invest in critical strategies and organizations, and bring our institutional voices together to advocate for important issues related to our grantmaking.

About the Program

This program (formerly called Emerging Technologies) is focused on fighting false solutions related to climate justice, food sovereignty, biodiversity and human rights. This includes technologies like geoengineering, synthetic biology, and digital agriculture that have serious known, unknown, and unknowable social and ecological impacts. These technologies perpetuate extractive and harmful systems including the fossil fuel industry
and industrial agriculture and prevent a just transition to an equitable and regenerative future. This program seeks to stop the widespread adoption of these technologies and instead secure precautionary and participatory assessment, regulation and oversight of potential and expected impacts. In doing so, this work aims to preserve social and political opportunity for movements fighting for a just transition, climate justice, and food sovereignty. Program grantmaking is increasing to ~$1.5m annually plus rapid response funds and integrated capital investments. Learn more about our current grantees.

About the Position

The program director will lead the Fighting False Solutions program in learning, evaluation and planning; grantmaking; providing technical assistance for grantees; and organizing other funders. The program director will focus at least as much on externally focused priorities (grantee assistance and funder organizing) as internal (program strategy and grantmaking).

They will also collaborate closely with our Food Sovereignty,
Just Transitions, and Rights and Governance program directors on shared strategies and help continue to evolve our organizational culture, policies and practices.

• Status: Exempt (FTE negotiable; consultants considered)
• Reports to: Executive Director
• Location: Petaluma, CA (remote/hybrid negotiable; SF Bay Area preferred)

Responsibilities

Learning, Evaluation, and Planning

• Maintain extensive knowledge of the field
• Steward relationships with staff, board, grantees, advisors, and other funders
• Collaboratively develop, implement, and evaluate program goals and strategies
• Help inform our organizational learning, evaluation and planning processes Grantmaking
• Research, co-develop, and solicit grant proposals and financial documents
• Collaborate with grantees to conduct due diligence and evaluate impact
• Write and present funding recommendations to the Board of Directors
• Collaborate with other staff on cross-program grants
• Assist in administering grants and maintaining records
• Help inform our organizational grantmaking processes

Qualifications

• Demonstrated commitment to CS Fund’s mission and organizational values of solidarity, integrity, learning, and boldness.
• At least eight years of philanthropic, nonprofit, or equivalent lived experience.
• Deep expertise and networks in relevant fields and social movements (climate justice, food sovereignty, environmental health, technology ethics, and data justice) and especially with Black, Indigenous/Native, and communities of color/Global Majority communities.
• Strong analysis and practice around intersectional justice and equity.
• Demonstrated expertise in developing and assessing the feasibility and effectiveness of social change theories and practices.
• Strong networking, organizing and presenting skills; educates and moves others to action.
• Strong listening, communication, and emotional intelligence; conscientious of power dynamics; builds mutual trust, respect, and accountability.
• Skilled researcher and disciplined writer; analyzes complex information and synthesizes it into accessible and compelling analyses.
• Analyzes and communicates nonprofit financial information.
• Excellent attention to detail and project management skills.
• Adaptable with a resourceful approach to problem solving.
• Highly motivated and independent self-starter who collaborates well with a small team.
• Contributes to healthy and supportive organizational culture and relationships.
• Proficient in MS Office, Google Workspace, Filemaker, Asana and Slack.
• Travels regularly to CSF’s Petaluma office as well as nationally and internationally 4-6 times per year for board meetings, conferences and site visits (as circumstances allow).

Compensation

• Salary range is $126,416 to $164,341 depending on experience.
• Benefits start at .75 FTE and include 8 paid holidays plus winter break between 12/24 and 1/1, 2 staff service days; 20 vacation days, 12 sick days, and 6 personal days for full-time staff; 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees, partners and dependents; long-term disability and life insurance; supplemental SDI and PFL payments; and 2.5% pension plan match.

How to Apply

• Please submit one PDF to [email protected] by Tuesday, June 20, 2023:
  • Cover letter detailing how your experience, knowledge and skills directly relate to the responsibilities and qualifications outlined above
  • Resume
  • Relevant writing sample (3 pages max, excerpts accepted)
  • Contact information for three recent references (will notify before contacting)
• No phone inquiries, please. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

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