Philanthropic Strategy and Legal Coordinator

Position: Regular, Fulltime, Nonexempt

Department: Philanthropic Strategy

Reports to: General Counsel and Senior Vice President, Philanthropic Strategy

Organizational Overview: Founded in 1914, the Cleveland Foundation (“TCF”) is the world’s first community foundation. Visionary Frederick Goff, a banker and an attorney, was inspired to pool the charitable resources of Clevelanders from all walks of life, both living and deceased, into a single, great, permanent trust administered for the betterment of the community. It was such a good idea that there are currently over 2,000 community foundations worldwide.

Until recently, TCF was grateful to call Playhouse Square home for nearly 40 years. During that time, TCF had the opportunity to play a key role in the community effort to redevelop the theater district and downtown Cleveland. After careful and thoughtful exploration of a wide range of options for a future home, TCF’s board and staff determined that there was an opportunity to play a similar role in the development of a different Cleveland neighborhood.

In the Spring of 2023, TCF moved to Midtown representing an investment in Greater Cleveland’s neighborhoods and a fundamental change in the way it interacted with the community it served. On August 1, 2023, Lillian Kuri made history by becoming the first female President & CEO of TCF, the world’s oldest and one of the largest community foundations with over $3 billion in assets under management. Lillian is currently leading TCF’s transformation with an innovative strategic plan to shape the “Community Foundation of the Future.” TCF’s vision is “A vibrant Northeast Ohio in which no Clevelander is left behind.”

Summary: The Philanthropic Strategy and Legal Coordinator provides high-level administrative and technical support to the Philanthropic Strategy and Legal teams that align with the mission of the Foundation.

Responsibilities and Expected Outcomes:

Administrative Support

• Provides proactive and comprehensive administrative support to the Philanthropic Strategy and Legal teams.
• Assists with scheduling and coordination of meetings, events, and appointments.
• Organizes files, databases, contact lists, and other department records to ensure data integrity and accuracy.
• Prepare expense reports for team members.
• Assists with processing and acknowledgment of incoming gifts.
• Files continuing education paperwork and credits for professional advisor attendance.

Event Management and Coordination

• Serves as administrative support for team events (making room reservations, ordering catering, and providing refreshments).
• Coordinates with cross-departmental teams for event preparation and post-event activities.
• Serves as point person for assigned events, preparing mailing lists, tracking RSVPs, preparing meeting agendas, and conducting data analysis.

Donor and Community Relations

• Create customized presentations for prospective donors.
• Works with staff and community to create a welcoming, inclusive environment for Foundation guests.
• Provides timely responses to internal and external inquiries.
• Collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to respond to inquiries from donors, organizations, and professional advisors.

Research and Technology Solutions

• Prepares nonprofit research that aligns with donors’ philanthropic priorities.
• Creates or provides technology-based solutions to problems.
• Other related duties and assignments assigned

Essential Qualifications, Credentials and Technical Skills required:

• High school diploma or equivalent and three to five years of experience working in a customer service, administrative and/or development environment. Associate or bachelor’s degree in a related field welcome.
• Exceptional interpersonal, organizational, grammatical, and proofing skills.
• Demonstrated customer service orientation and an ability to interact confidently and effectively with people of diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.
• Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion across all work.
• Strong critical thinking and verbal and written communication skills with a proactive, solution-based focus to addressing problems or issues.
• Ability to respond sensitively and patiently to staff, donor and community inquiries in a timely manner and the ability to handle sensitive information and maintain confidentiality regarding donor, prospect, and financial data.
• Demonstrated detail orientation, flexibility, and ability to coordinate several projects simultaneously and anticipate problems as they arise.
• Ability to take a proactive role in team efforts, promote cooperation and collaboration between team members and encourage open communication in multidisciplinary teams.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, Office 365 applications, internet research, database input/maintenance and the ability and desire to continually learn new technology as appropriate.
• Other highly desirable qualifications include familiarity with the Cleveland business and nonprofit community, an understanding of philanthropic fundraising, and proficiency with donor databases (Salesforce or other).

OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUAL OPPORTUNITY & DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION:

The Cleveland Foundation exists to enhance the quality of life for all citizens of Greater Cleveland. The ability to carry out our mission and to foster our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion can best be pursued if our workforce, grantees, donors, partners, and governing body are inclusive of individuals of diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and perspectives.

We believe that diversity encompasses, but is not limited to, age, color, education, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental abilities or characteristics, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and/or other characteristics that make an individual unique.

The Cleveland Foundation is committed to equal employment opportunities for all, and our policy is to ensure that employees are selected, developed, retained, and promoted based on the individual’s ability and job performance, and without regard to that individual’s status or characteristics protected by federal, state or local law.