We’re Hiring! Community Impact Officer

Lynx Employer Resources is proud to support Community Foundation Sonoma County in its search for a Community Impact Officer!

At CFSC, our team is made up of people with different strengths, experiences, and backgrounds who share a passion for investing in the promise of Sonoma County. We are deliberate, intentional, and purposeful about the kind of culturally diverse team we are building.

If this position resonates with you, we encourage you to apply!

All qualified applicants will receive consideration without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, medical condition, disability, or sexual orientation.

If you’re someone who:

• Enjoys cultivating relationships and building strong community partnerships
• Shows up with a sense of purpose, heart, and humility
Is mission-driven and committed to creating a more equitable community
• Is adept at project management and detail work
• Is compelled by your innate desire to grow & learn and loves conducting thorough research
• Is an exceptional communicator

…then we have a great opportunity for you! 

ABOUT Community Foundation Sonoma County:

Community Foundation Sonoma County is the hub of philanthropy—we connect people, ideas, and resources to benefit all who live and work here. We invest in the promise of Sonoma County by facilitating:

Connections: We partner with donors and professional advisors to build resources that create long- term philanthropic solutions.
Stewardship: We fulfill the charitable legacies of our donors by supporting a diverse cross-section of effective nonprofits.
Solutions: We convene individual leaders and support dynamic organizations to stimulate innovative ideas, foster collaborations, and strengthen community resilience.

Established in 1983 by a group of local community leaders, CFSC promotes philanthropic growth and supports the long-term sustainability of our nonprofit partners. As a public 501c3 nonprofit, we strengthen Sonoma County through our local knowledge, leveraged philanthropic resources, and inspiration for legacy and estate planning.

Our work is guided by our values statement:

• We know that to create a fair and just community, some may need more to achieve the same.
• We embrace our differences and our common bond.
• We cultivate leaders, supporting them to advocate for their communities and empowering them to create change.
• We promise to tackle tough issues with compassion and courage, choosing humbly to take a step forward instead of resting in the comfort of where we are.

To date CFSC has given over $275 million to nonprofits addressing pressing community needs in our fields of interest: disaster relief and recovery; education; health and human services; animal welfare; the arts; and the environment. Building on its legacy of community partnership and the momentum of having granted over $18M from our Sonoma County Resilience Fund for disaster recovery over the last five years, CFSC is moving toward a new philanthropic model focused on impact and characterized by transformational relationships with donors that are inspired to “invest with” rather than simply “give through” the Foundation.

ABOUT the Community Impact Officer Position:

As a primary liaison between CFSC and the communities we serve, the Community Impact Officer will play a key role internally and externally in supporting the Community Impact Team’s trust-based and impact-focused model of grantmaking. Externally, they will forge and steward relationships with current and prospective nonprofit grantees throughout the community to increase CFSC’s visibility and champion the county’s most critical causes. Internally, the Community Impact Officer will manage the full life cycle of grantmaking, including creating and refining grant programs, conducting due diligence, evaluation, approval and denial recommendations, and communication with nonprofits.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

Community Engagement

• Builds relationships on behalf of CFSC with nonprofit leaders, sector groups, and other key stakeholders active in the specific fields of interest under the Community Impact Officer’s purview.
• Represents CFSC in the community to increase its visibility and strengthen its brand, but also to learn about and serve as a messenger for the community’s specific, evolving needs.

Grant Program Management

• Develops and refines grant programs by critically assessing community needs, donor intent, and budget constraints to best utilize resources.
• Performs due diligence on organizations through site visits, review of grant proposals, analysis of financial data, and assessment of capacity and alignment with Foundation priorities.
• Prepares proposal summaries and grant amount recommendations consistent with CFSC’s grantmaking guidelines; decisively makes or denies grants with a balance of humaneness, humility, and rigor.
• Proactively engages in continuous learning related to best practices in philanthropy and in the fields of interest under the CIO’s purview.

Foundation Communications

• Assists with preparing written information for CFSC communications, including grant program materials, grant acceptance/denials, and website content, as needed.
• Addresses requests from the nonprofit community for information and resources through thoughtful and clear communications.
• Assists with communication to and from senior leadership, including the CEO, Board of Directors, and Community Investment Committee.

Supervisory Responsibilities:
• None.

Qualifications:
• 5+ years of nonprofit or other relevant experience demonstrating a commitment to community impact through professional and/or personal experience.
• Strong internal and external customer service ethic, personal warmth, and sincerity.
• Experience with diverse communities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage several workstreams simultaneously and meet deadlines while adapting to changing circumstances and adhering to high standards of personal and professional integrity; prior experience with complex project management.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively and effectively with individuals of diverse backgrounds.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking ability.
• Experience in policy work; diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives; and/or Spanish
language skills a plus.
• Prior relationships with nonprofit organizations in Sonoma County a plus.

Physical Requirements:
• Ability to sit, stand, stoop, reach, lift (up to 10 pounds), bend, etc.
• Hand and wrist dexterity needed to work on a computer.
• Visual acuity.
• Ability to travel locally.

Benefits:
• Medical, Dental and Vision insurance – 100% covered for employee and 60% for dependents
• Life Insurance
• Employer annual contribution to 403b Retirement Plan after one year of service
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Professional development
• Sick and vacation pay
• Bereavement pay
• 11 Paid Holidays
• Health and wellness time
• Flexible Summer Fridays
• Current Hybrid work model (2 days on-site office/ 3 days remote) – subject to change

Compensation:
• Salary range: $75,000 – $85,000

If you’re excited by this opportunity:
Interested candidates should email their resume and cover letter (with “CFSC – CIO” in the subject line) to recruit@lynx-er.com . THANK YOU!

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