Director, Collaboratives & Initiatives

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Arizona, +11 more states.

📋 Description

• Act as the strategic lead or project manager for a portfolio comprising 5 to 7 client projects, overseeing the workplan, conducting research and analysis, preparing for meetings, and ensuring the delivery of work products, client meetings, and presentations that meet or surpass client expectations.

• Guarantee that deliverables and presentations are of high quality, clear, and actionable for the client, while maintaining consistent communication throughout each engagement, managing expectations, addressing tensions early, and continuously guiding the team towards enhancing the client’s impact goals.

• Cultivate, manage, and expand relationships with clients, funder networks, grantees, and field leaders.

• Model inclusive team dynamics by valuing every team member's voice, effectively delegating tasks, and providing support and training to help team members enhance their skills and talents.

• Ensure the team incorporates equity principles into the scope of work by consistently asking: “What can we do to create more equitable processes and outcomes?”

• Collaborate with senior leaders to qualify leads and pitch new opportunities to potential collaborative and initiative clients.

• Lead proposal efforts, including advising or directing on scope design and pricing, and successfully closing opportunities with prospects.

• Stay updated on field developments and utilize this information to refine services and business strategy; represent the firm at select conferences, field-building gatherings, and philanthropic infrastructure events.

• Collaborate with the Collaboratives & Initiatives Practice Leads to influence the direction and strategy of the C&I practice, lead training and learning activities throughout the year, and actively learn from and support colleagues on relevant engagements across the practice.

• Contribute to the development, implementation, and management of essential components of the team and firm's strategic plan, annual objectives, and key business performance metrics.

• Support the professional growth and satisfaction of junior staff—potentially serving as a direct people manager—by offering direction, support, guidance, and mentorship on project work, while promoting a firm culture centered on equity and belonging; develop and share relevant skills and issue-area expertise.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience (9 years of experience without a Bachelor's degree).

• A minimum of 8-12 years of relevant professional experience.

• Experience in philanthropy, professional services, management consulting, or nonprofit management, with a preference for those who have worked with or within philanthropic collaboratives, pooled funds, funder networks, or complex grant-making initiatives.

• Demonstrated ability to creatively and confidently facilitate multi-stakeholder groups—including funders, grantees, and field leaders—toward aligned decisions, constructive dialogue, and progress.

• A flexible mindset with the capacity to support initiatives at various lifecycle stages—from launch and structure-building to ongoing stewardship and strategic inflection points—and adapt between advisory and implementation roles as required.

• Experience in governance design and multi-funder alignment, including coaching diverse stakeholders in navigating new structures, shared decision-making processes, and evolving roles and responsibilities.

• Strong analytical skills and experience in strategy development and implementation.

• Excellent project management abilities to ensure project completion, including the capability to lead complex projects, oversee and delegate to team members, foster positive relationships with a variety of philanthropic clients, and meet deadlines.

• Exceptional interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills, with the ability to adapt style, tone, and content to meet varying needs; capable of coaching teammates on content creation and synthesizing large amounts of information effectively.

• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within a team.

• Capability to leverage available resources and feedback for continuous skill development in your role and to facilitate team and project-level learning, including mentoring others.

• Initiative in fostering an inclusive environment and implementing equitable policies, practices, systems, or strategies.

• Willingness to travel periodically for in-person meetings or events.

🏝️ Benefits

• Health insurance - Vital Impact subsidizes medical, dental, and vision premiums for all levels of participation.

• Paid time off – 16 vacation days, 10 personal days, 11 company holidays (7 federal and 4 additional from a list of inclusive cultural and religious holidays and your birthday), 20 hours of volunteer leave, 8 weeks of parental leave.

• 401(k) retirement plan - We provide a 4% employer match on a dollar-per-dollar basis, with no waiting or vesting period.

• Reimbursements for your personal cell phone plan, internet, and fitness expenses.

• Pre-tax withholding for transportation and parking costs.

• Bonus incentive opportunities.