Senior Manager of the Open Research Funders Group (ORFG) Community

About the ORFG

The Open Research Funders Group is an initiative of the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC). The ORFG is a partnership of philanthropic organizations committed to the open sharing of research outputs. The ORFG believes openness benefits society by accelerating the pace of discovery, reducing information-sharing gaps, encouraging innovation, and promoting reproducibility. The ORFG supports actionable principles and policies that promote greater dissemination, transparency, replicability, and reuse of papers, data, and a range of other research outputs. Collectively, ORFG members hold assets in excess of $255 billion, with total giving per year in the $12 billion range.

Position Summary

The Senior Manager of the ORFG Community will expand the group’s network, helping to liaise with existing and prospective ORFG members to better understand the tools and resources necessary for developing, launching, and overseeing open policies. The role will expand the ORFG’s participation in external events, respond to opportunities, and cultivate strategic relationships with key constituencies. Additionally, the role will help further develop ORFG resources and community building efforts, including collecting and analyzing existing funder policies to determine best practices, cohort clustering, and opportunities for information-sharing. The role will work in partnership with the newly formed ORFG Coordinating Committee and engage with targeted funders to understand hurdles to policy adoption and identify appropriate tools to address these issues.

Position Title

Senior Manager of the Open Research Funders Group (ORFG) Community

Location

Virtual

Hours & Schedule

40 hours per week (average), generally available 9am-5pm Eastern Time with limited flexibility for other schedules or time zones. Extra hours may be necessary periodically and are offset by a generous time off policy during the rest of the year. Will require 3 to 5 overnight trips a year.

U.S. Overtime Status

Exempt

Compensation

Full time employee salary of $90,000-$110,000 USD per year, commensurate with experience.

Reports to

SPARC Executive Director

Availability

Desired start date of March 1, 2025

Responsibilities

• Support and manage the ORFG Coordinating Committee, and collaborate with the committee to determine the ORFG’s strategic priorities, in partnership with SPARC’s Executive Director.
• Plan and facilitate regular monthly member meetings as well annual in-person member gatherings.
• Liaise with existing and prospective ORFG members to better understand the tools and resources necessary to develop, launch, and oversee funder open research policies and practices.
• Coordinate the development of these tools and resources, in conjunction with the ORFG members and other key constituencies.
• Lead ORFG community building efforts to support members, the wider funder community, and others in the research ecosystem committed to (or interested in) open.
• Manage regular communications and updates within the ORFG membership.
• Identify and fill gaps in the ORFG’s suite of community-curated web resources (e.g., reading list, guide to open infrastructure tools).
• Cultivate, mentor, and coordinate grassroots leaders within the funder community to improve understanding and adoption of open policies and practices.
• Represent the ORFG at industry events, on social media, and in other appropriate venues.
• Support and manage the ORFG Coordinating Committee, and collaborate with the committee to determine the ORFG’s strategic priorities, in partnership with SPARC’s Executive Director.

Position Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• 8 years or more of relevant professional experience, preferably with direct experience working with the scholarly research ecosystem at philanthropies, universities/libraries, not-for-profit organizations, and/or government agencies
• Direct engagement with open science, open access, open data, scholarly communication, and/or research infrastructure projects
• Deep knowledge of the scholarly research ecosystem
• Experience working with distributed teams to develop and execute projects and programs, preferably including community building or management
• No specific degree is required, but a bachelor’s degree or equivalent level of coursework or training is preferred

Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated leadership skills
• Excellent organizational skills, including attention to detail, time management, and project planning
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including significant experience with group facilitation
• Ability to manage key communications functions, such as content creation and social media management
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a virtual team
• Familiarity with Google Suite and/or Microsoft Office and the capacity to quickly and independently learn to use new software applications and tools
• Motivation to advocate for SPARC’s mission and the ORFG’s objectives
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Fluent in written and spoken English; other languages are a plus

Additional desirable qualifications that will set qualified candidates apart:

• Knowledge of grant making processes, language, and oversight
• Experience in community building, coalition building, and/or growing member organizations
• Experience with policy advocacy

Studies have shown that people marginalized by racism and/or sexism are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every listed qualification. If you are unsure if you meet the listed requirements but believe you can perform the job as described, we encourage you to apply.