Senior Director of Civic Strategies

ABOUT US

Interfaith America is a national nonprofit organization based in Chicago. We believe that religious diversity is a foundational American strength, and we are building a nation that achieves that promise for the common good. Our mission is to inspire, equip, and connect organizations and leaders to unlock the potential of America’s religious diversity. We leverage our expertise in interfaith leadership in different sectors in American life, activating a public discourse on pluralism with a focus on higher education, workplaces, and civic partners. IA activates leaders and institutions in these sectors with the tools and resources they need to positively engage religious diversity for the common good.

At Interfaith America, we are ever-adapting and changing. We look for people who set audacious goals and love that one workday may not be like the next. We have a strong commitment to pluralism and building bridges across deep differences. Our programs help people build skills to bridge deep ideological divides. Our work is about staying in relationship with one another and contributing to the common good even when we might disagree on fundamental things. We seek to attract and retain a team of staff comprised of a wide variety of views and backgrounds we need to achieve our vision.

ABOUT YOU

The Senior Director of Civic Strategies will galvanize an internal team and external partners to work together towards an inspiring vision. If you are a motivational, inviting, and passionate leader this is the role for you.

THE POSITION

The Senior Director of Civic Strategies oversees strategy development and program execution for one of IA’s three key sector areas, civic communities. IA’s civic strategy area includes programs focused on a range of key audiences in the IA network, including national service and community organizations, national religious organizations, IA’s emerging leaders network, and the growing bridgebuilding and democracy fields.

The Senior Director will manage high-level external programmatic relationships and align IA staff to ensure high-quality programs. This role will oversee a 6+ person team, identify synergies across civic program areas, guide evaluation efforts within these initiatives, and assess opportunities to expand or contract programming based on impact. The Senior Director will also play a critical support role in fundraising efforts for civic initiatives, ensuring alignment between internal and external collaborators to secure necessary funding for all programs in the civic sector.

Responsibilities:

High-Impact Program Development and Execution (50%):

• Develop and execute multi-year, impact-focused civic program strategy, in line with IA’s overall strategic plan and in partnership with Chief Program Officer
• Incubate and oversee the highest-profile civic programs, independently or with director staff
• Develop & execute program plans in pursuit of high-level goals
• Coordinate communications across collaborating partners, constantly prioritizing highest-impact collaboration and impact potential
• Support communication with funders to build buy-in and financial support for various civic programs
• Oversee future growth strategies and program evaluation
• Liaise with internal teams to ensure civic programs are maximized (e.g., Strategic Communications on narrative opportunities, Learning Team on curricular development)
• Determine program staffing needs; supervise IA staff to ensure strong performance and highest impact
• Manage program budgets with attention to funder requirements and needs
• Cultivate strategic external relationships to incubate new IA opportunities and for the benefit of partnerships and fields to which IA contributes.
• Speak, write, and present on behalf of IA to a wide range of partners (e.g. higher ed senior administrators, VPs/Directors at partner associations, high level folks at external third-party orgs)
• Lead or oversee pilot opportunities to innovate new programs/approaches within IA’s organizational strategy
• Oversee government partnerships or legislative opportunities as they arise

Civic Initiatives Oversight & Strategic Alignment (40%):

• Oversee team implementing civic initiatives (all programs focused on national religious organizations, national service and community organizations, IA’s emerging leaders network, and the growing bridgebuilding field), ensuring overall strategic alignment, strong team culture, excellent individual performances, and high-impact programs
• Ensure alignment, communication, collaboration, and integration within team and across the organization
• Collaborate with other sector leads or team leads to explore overlaps, prioritize strategic questions, and ensure organization-wide cohesion and impact
• Conduct assessment and learning opportunities within and across civic initiatives; ensure “quality control” for all civic initiatives in line with IA methodology
• Liaise with Advancement team to identify funding needs, priorities, and key staff in executing fundraising activities; support reporting on all projects
• Supervise 6+ employees on the civic team; oversee staffing strategy for any team expansion

Organizational Leadership and Culture (10%)

• Think strategically about organizational culture and program opportunities alongside other senior program staff
• Collaborate with the Executive Team on civic programming, especially as related to maximizing opportunities
• Serve as a representative of IA senior leadership team with internal and external colleagues as needed
• Provide input on some policies and organizational culture, upholding policies, values and culture for team

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Seven or more years professional experience in a related field, including interfaith work, consulting, democracy and bridgebuilding, nonprofit management, education, etc.
• Proven project management and organizational skills in managing collaborative projects with multiple stakeholders
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills
• Ability to project “peer quality” to executive organizational leaders
• Experience with high-level networking and building relationships or coalitions
• Supervision/ management (direct or indirect) of individuals with diverse working styles and backgrounds
• Ability to oversee multiple ongoing projects and meet deadlines with a high degree of excellence
• High level of religious literacy and fluency in diversity, pluralism, and inclusion.
• Authorization to work in the United States

Preferred Qualifications (not required)

• Advanced degree in Religious Studies, Civic Education, Nonprofit Management, or related disciplines
• Professional experience in religious pluralism, civic pluralism, bridgebuilding, or democracy fields
• Experience affecting change in complex organizations
• Demonstrated ability to hold others accountable while also being adaptable
• Experience in in-person and online training, facilitation, consulting, education, assessment and/or related skill sets

Supervisor: Chief Program Officer

Leadership Level: Senior Director

Travel: 20% of the time traveling on behalf of IA

Location: This position will work 2-3 days per week from our Chicago Loop office and 2-3 days per week from home

Compensation: $125,000 - $135,000, plus excellent benefits. Please read more about our benefits here.

Benefits: Interfaith America offers medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance and generous paid time off options, based on full-time, part-time, and other employment statuses. For employee only coverage of medical, dental and vision, Interfaith America covers 100% of the premium costs.

Other Requirements:

The Senior Director of Civic Strategies position requires the ability, with or without reasonable accommodation, to: maintain regular attendance; travel across this US; work cooperatively with others; adhere to Interfaith America personnel policies and safety rules; sit and/or stand for extended periods of time; operate standard office equipment, including computers, telephones, photocopiers, and projectors; communicate orally, in writing, and via computers and digital devices; and requires close visual acuity to prepare and analyze data and figures, transcribe, view a computer terminal and other office equipment.

Interfaith America is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of religion, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, marital status, or any other status protected by applicable law. Reasonable accommodation will be provided as needed to enable qualified applicants with a disability to participate in pre-employment procedures.