The Organization

The Fels Fund’s mission is to improve conditions and opportunities for communities that are marginalized and/or historically excluded in Philadelphia, and move us towards a more socially, racially and economically just society.

The Samuel S. Fels Fund is a social justice funder that aligns its operations, grantmaking, programming, and endowment with the mission and core values of:

    ▪    Trust:  A framework of understanding and faith established between a group of people through behavior, words, and actions.

    ▪    Justice:  Action-oriented and not a fixed state of being. Justice honors the dignity and wholeness of all people, across all systems, leading to full, fair, and equal participation of all groups in a society that is mutually shaped to meet their needs.

    ▪   Accountability:  The practice of naming, tracking and showing progress on work. Fels embodies accountability by listening and responding to feedback from our partners.

    ▪    Responsiveness:  The practice of active listening, learning, and evolving in connection with community.

The Role

     Location:                          Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – In Person/Hybrid

     Reports To:                     Board of Directors

     Direct Reports:           Program Officer, Grants & Operations Manager, and one outsourced Accountant


Position Summary

The President of the Samuel S. Fels Fund leads the organization in its mission to advance social, racial, and economic justice, centering racial equity and supporting movements for justice and systems-change in Philadelphia.

The President will collaborate closely with the Board, staff, and grantee partners to steward the new grantmaking and programmatic focus for Fels which is centered on movement building and aligned with the organization’s values.

The President will lead a lean, collaborative team and implement operational policies and practices aligned with the vision and values of the organization.

The President will ensure Fels is a platform to share lessons learned with peer organizations and to elevate the work of grantee partners on both a local and national level. This role also entails actively engaging with and learning from others in the space, fostering collaborations that amplify collective impact and drive innovation.

Key Responsibilities

In close partnership with the board and staff, the president is responsible for leading the organization’s strategic vision and direction, overseeing its operations and finances, leading a nimble team, and representing the organization externally.

Strategic Vision and Direction:
▪    Support a strategic vision that is true to the organization’s values.
▪    In close partnership with the Board of Directors advance the new and evolving strategic direction of Fels focused on movement building.
▪    Lead, mentor, and develop a small, dynamic team.
▪    Support effective, values-aligned governance principles for the organization.
▪    Ensure Fels operates as a learning organization continually seeking opportunities to learn from grantees, community partners, and other key stakeholders to inform the grantmaking, investing, and convening opportunities of the organization.
▪    Embrace innovative flexible mindset to ensure Fels as an organization is able to adapt to the challenges and opportunities presented by the philanthropic environment.

Financial & Operational Oversight:
▪    Ensure vision- and values-aligned fiscal and administrative management of the Fels Fund.
▪    Ensure Fels has the appropriate policies, internal controls, systems and risk management practices.
▪    Work with the Investment Committee, external investment managers and the Board to steward Fels Fund’s mission-aligned endowment.
▪    Work with Fels’ Treasurer, accountant, and staff in developing a $2.5 – $3M annual budget including grants, program and administrative in support of the foundation’s goals and vision, performs duties associated with the foundation’s annual audit process, and other necessary and required finance- and compliance-related tasks.

Strategic Vision and Direction:
▪    Support a strategic vision that is true to the organization’s values.
▪    In close partnership with the Board of Directors advance the new and evolving strategic direction of Fels focused on movement building.
▪    Lead, mentor, and develop a small, dynamic team.
▪    Support effective, values-aligned governance principles for the organization.
▪    Ensure Fels operates as a learning organization continually seeking opportunities to learn from grantees, community partners, and other key stakeholders to inform the grantmaking, investing, and convening opportunities of the organization.
▪    Embrace innovative flexible mindset to ensure Fels as an organization is able to adapt to the challenges and opportunities presented by the philanthropic environment.

Financial & Operational Oversight:
▪    Ensure vision- and values-aligned fiscal and administrative management of the Fels Fund.
▪    Ensure Fels has the appropriate policies, internal controls, systems and risk management practices.
▪    Work with the Investment Committee, external investment managers and the Board to steward Fels Fund’s mission-aligned endowment.
▪    Work with Fels’ Treasurer, accountant, and staff in developing a $2.5 – $3M annual budget including grants, program and administrative in support of the foundation’s goals and vision, performs duties associated with the foundation’s annual audit process, and other necessary and required finance- and compliance-related tasks.

Field and Thought Leadership:
▪    Positions Fels as a resource and partner to community partners and funders advancing justice and trust-based philanthropy (both grant-making and investing) that is accountable to communities.
▪    Serves as a public-facing thought leader for the organization and identities opportunities for the team to engage in field-building engagements.
▪    Actively collaborates and shares lessons learned with funders on movement building, equitable investing, and trust-based philanthropy.
▪    Thoughtfully design and build a communications plan for Fels to advance the mission of the organization.
▪    Identifies and/or nurtures opportunities for co-investment with peers, community partners, and city government, fostering collective impact through collaborative grantmaking and investment strategies.
Staff Leadership:
▪    Nurtures an internal environment/culture that helps Fels Fund professional staff grow and thrive.
▪    Promotes an organizational culture of equity, care, creativity, collaboration, and wellness among all staff members.
▪    Supports and mentors staff throughout the year as they work to achieve their yearly objectives, build their leadership and skill sets, and progress toward their longer-term career goals.
▪    Encourages and supports staff in engaging with external stakeholders, fostering relationships, and promoting the organization’s initiatives and impact in the community and beyond.

Candidate Profile:

     Professional Experience
▪    Deep understanding and awareness of Philadelphia’s movement-building landscape and historical context, or similar urban environments.
▪    Demonstrates a deep commitment to understanding and addressing social, racial, and economic injustices.
▪    Experience leading or supporting a lean values-driven organization to include management experience.
▪    Experience serving as public-facing leader and advocate, and expertise in leveraging communications in service of the mission of the organization.
▪    Experience developing a trust-based grantmaking program focused on listening and responding to the needs of grantee partners, adept at building strong relationships and supporting community-driven solutions for social change.
▪    Experience in effective board governance and experience in operationalizing different governance structures (e.g. shared leadership models, participatory grantmaking processes, etc.)
▪    Experience and comfort in building and sustaining best practice operational systems aligned to organizational values.
▪    Proven ability to strategize and execute mission-aligned investments that drive meaningful impact informed by organizational values.

Personal Attributes

▪    Embraces the foundation’s core values of trust, accountability, responsiveness, and justice, and embraces and operationalizes the organizational values statement, and inspire board and staff members to do so as well.
▪    Demonstrated commitment to advancing racial equity both personally and professionally. Actively confronts systems of oppression, including white supremacy, anti-immigrant bias, and economic stratification. Reimagines philanthropy to be more equitable and impactful in the 21st century.
▪    Embraces a learning mindset by actively seeking new approaches and perspectives on grantmaking and investing.
▪    Demonstrated strategic thinker; ability to embrace, manage and drive change.
▪    Exceptional mentoring, professional development and people management skills.
▪    Patient and good listener; willing to take the time to learn the organization and the people within it; seeking to understand how each person functions and contributes.
▪    Demonstrates a high degree of emotional intelligence.
▪    Effective and transparent communicator; able to gain confidence and trust of others through honesty and authenticity.
▪    Able to have and participate in tough conversations.
Compensation:

▪    $225,000 – $250,000
▪    Samuel S. Fels Fund offers a generous benefits package including full health coverage, 10% 401k employer contribution, professional development budget, life and disability coverage, federal holidays, and 4 weeks PTO.

Samuel S. Fels Fund is an equal opportunity employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. Fels Fund considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to age, sex, ethnicity, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity, military/veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

To learn more about this opportunity, please contact: