Director of LGBTQ Programs

Founded in 1994 by software entrepreneur Tim Gill, the Gill Foundation is one of the nation’s largest funders of efforts to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people.

Position

The Gill Foundation seeks an impact-driven, campaign-oriented Director of LGBTQ Programs to lead two key bodies of work: 1) execute grantmaking strategies to build the public imperative for LGBTQ equality; and 2) manage the cohesion of LGBTQ grantmaking strategies to ensure portfolios and projects layer up to greater impact. This position reports to the Senior Director of Programs.

The Director of LGBTQ Programs works in close partnership with the Senior Director of Programs and program officers to foster the exchange of information across portfolios and ensure foundation investments stitch together to magnify impact. This role will isolate gaps in strategy, maintain efficiency of coordination, and support processes for iteration. Additionally, this role collaborates with the Communications Team to communicate successes and lessons learned with the Gill Foundation Board of Directors, as well as with the Donor Resources Team to scale funding for the most effective organizations and strategies advancing LGBTQ equality.

The Director of LGBTQ Programs is an idea generator who will also oversee a grant portfolio leading breakthrough campaigns that increase LGBTQ equality, preserve existing protections, and insulate LGBTQ youth and families from anti-LGBTQ threats.

The Director of LGBTQ Programs will embody the following guiding principles of the foundation:

• Mission-driven and pragmatic, aiming to make progress whenever possible.
• Nimble, reacting quickly to new ideas, information, and events.
• Innovative, eschewing a business-as-usual approach.
• Iterative, learning quickly from mistakes and pivoting to new approaches.
• Tolerance for risk and willingness to engage unlikely allies.
• Daring and creative, embracing failure as an opportunity to learn and improve.

Responsibilities

Strategy Coordination, Implementation, & Reporting - 35%

• In collaboration with the Senior Director of Programs and the Director of Colorado Programs, support program officers with ongoing portfolio planning that includes rigorous landscape analysis, learning questions, ambitious but achievable goals, actionable strategies, and key metrics – all in alignment with the foundation’s priorities.
• Contribute to the development of the monthly grant docket and evaluate project deliverables to optimize portfolio coordination, maximize impact of investments, and isolate gaps in strategy.
• Collaborate with the Senior Communications Officer to stay informed of research findings and evidence-based strategies, and identify areas where grantees across the LGBTQ program can further incorporate those into public education campaigns.
• Package and present successes, failures, and progress toward annual outcomes at board meetings and within materials, presentations, and monthly updates, in coordination with the COO, Senior Director of Programs, and Communications Team.
• Coordinate with the Programs Team, Donor Resources Team, and Grants Manager to maintain reporting mechanisms for strategic decisionmaking, internal tracking, organizational communication, and engagement of the OutGiving network.

Portfolio Management - 30%

• Develop and manage 1-2 portfolios of high-impact grants, consulting contracts, and relationships with influential partners to advance LGBTQ equality.
• Identify, vet, and engage new and unexpected allies, partners, grantees, and issue experts.
• Solicit grant proposals in accordance with foundation priorities and portfolio objectives, and prepare monthly docket materials for consideration by the foundation’s board co-chairs.
• Become familiar with and maintain timely knowledge of emerging threats to LGBTQ protections. Rigorously monitor the issue, media, and policy landscapes to seize opportunities for new investments and partnerships, promoting curiosity and exploration of uncharted territory.
• Serve as a foundation representative at convenings of movement leaders and allies.
• Work with the Grants Manager to ensure all proposals are in full compliance with laws governing private foundations.

Staff Management & Growth - 35%

• Oversee and manage 3-4 LGBTQ program officers implementing the foundation’s priorities.
• Be an inspirational coach who provides guidance on strategy, priorities, goal-setting, and professional growth, including annual work plan development with specific, measurable goals.
• Reinforce a mission-driven culture that learns from its successes and failures by encouraging regular evaluation of initiatives, discussion of emerging trends, sharing of lessons learned, and recommendations to pivots in strategy or approach.
• Check in bi-weekly with LGBTQ program officers to offer guidance and input on priorities, troubleshoot challenges, and brainstorm ideas.
• Encourage ownership and accountability by providing clear and constructive feedback in real time and in bi-annual work plan reviews, relaying critical information in a timely manner, and sharing relevant context that connects staff’s day-to-day work with the priorities of the foundation and vision of the CEO and Board.
• Develop the agenda for and lead weekly LGBTQ program officer meetings, and contribute to the agenda for weekly Programs Team meetings and periodic retreats.
• Brief relevant Senior Team members on successes, emerging challenges, and concerns of LGBTQ program staff, updating the Senior Director of Programs as you drive to resolution.
• Collaborate with the Operations Team to ensure the LGBTQ program officers deliver against timelines, in alignment with foundation priorities and individual work plans, in compliance with laws governing private foundations and internal policies, and with measurable outcomes.

Key Qualifications

• At least five years’ experience designing and managing complex advocacy or public education campaigns, preferably with federal knowledge or experience.
• A proven track record of managing high-performing staff, fostering collaboration, and inspiring a team to achieve project goals.
• Clear and concise verbal and written communication skills.
• Adept at research with the ability to quickly vet, consume, and synthesize large amounts of information from diverse sources.
• Enjoys looking for challenges and can quickly turn ideas into action, even when limited information is available.
• Self-starter who can focus under pressure, meet deadlines, manage multiple tasks, and adapt to changing project requirements.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the confidence to debate ideas without ego interfering.
• High standards for personal and professional integrity and ability to exercise tact and diplomacy.
• Strong knowledge base or considerable interest in LGBTQ equality.
• Familiarity with administrative policy, rulemaking, or legal proceedings strongly preferred.
• Thrives in a team-centered environment, wholeheartedly implements whatever decision is made, and contributes to the success of the whole team.

Applicants who meet some but not all or exceed the above criteria are still encouraged to apply. We are eager to speak with candidates with varied backgrounds and can assess role leveling on an individual basis.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Gill Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy to provide equal employment opportunity in full compliance with all federal, state, and local laws. The foundation’s policy applies to all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment and prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, height, weight, military status, and any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

To Apply

This full-time position is based in our dog-friendly office in Denver, CO. Interested candidates should send a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to careers@gillfoundation.org. Please, no phone calls.