Advisor, Art for Justice Fund (RPA)

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors; New York (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) seeks an enthusiastic Advisor to lead the grantmaking function of the Art for Justice Fund, coordinating program resources and establishing relationships with donors and grantees.

The successful candidate will oversee governance, donor development, and day‑to‑day project management, working with Ford Foundation partners and RPA teams to ensure strategic, transparent, and impact‑driven philanthropy.

Qualifications

• BA and an advanced degree or equivalent required.
• Three to five years of demonstrated project management experience.
• Commitment to RPA values: integrity, trust, diversity, quality.
• Exceptional relationship-management skills with internal and external partners.
• Three to five years of experience in criminal justice reform, arts, advocacy, or related fields.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, set priorities, meet deadlines.
• Excellent writing and communications abilities.

Responsibilities

• Grant and program management for the Art for Justice Fund with Ford Foundation coordination.
• Develop monitoring protocols for grant activities with Ford and RPA staff.
• Administer contractor, vendor and related agreements for the Project.
• Coordinate with RPA Advisory, Finance and Grants Management teams for seamless execution.
• Provide guidance to grantees on communication and implementation strategies for Fund objectives.
• Lead governance communications and manage Governing Board activities.

Skills

Project management

Relationship management

Grantmaking

Communication

Writing skills

Criminal justice reform knowledge

Education

BA and advanced degree or equivalent

Job description

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) is a nonprofit organization that currently advises on and manages more than $200 million in annual giving by individuals, families, corporations and major foundations. Continuing the Rockefeller family’s legacy of thoughtful, effective philanthropy, RPA remains at the forefront of philanthropic growth and innovation, with a diverse team led by experienced grantmakers with significant depth of knowledge across the spectrum of issue areas. Founded in 2002, RPA has grown into one of the world’s largest philanthropic service organizations and, as a whole, has facilitated more than $3 billion in grantmaking to nearly 70 countries. RPA serves as a fiscal sponsor for more than 50 projects, providing governance, management and operational infrastructure to support their charitable purposes. For more information, please go to www.rockpa.org .

Who We Seek

We seek an enthusiastic, self-starter that has passion for RPA’s mission and values, and a commitment to excellence. The individual must have a strong nonprofit background with an exceptional project management, client service orientation, and ability to be a strong team participant. Candidate should demonstrate commitment to RPA’s values of integrity, diversity, quality and trust.

Primary Responsibilities

The Advisor will maintain a focus on executing the grantmaking function of the Art for Justice Fund, coordinating necessary programmatic and grantmaking resources, and establishing relationships with both donors and grantees. The successful candidate will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the initiative with specific duties that include: facilitating Governing Board activities and communications; acting as an RPA liaison with the Ford Foundation program team; serving as a key contact with Fund donors; and supporting communications activities related to the Fund.

Grant and Program Management

• Work closely with Ford and RPA program team to ensure that grant award and implementation efforts align with the approved program strategy
• Develop a protocol for monitoring grant award activities with Ford Foundation program staff and RPA Advisory staff to ensure effective implementation
• Administer, execute and monitor independent contractor, vendor and related agreements for the Project
• Liaise with RPA Advisory, Finance and Grants Management teams to ensure seamless execution of program grants
• Provide guidance to grantees as needed on communication and implementation strategies that support the overall objectives of the Fund
• Earn the trust of grantees to learn of their successes as well as their challenges and serve as a troubleshooter where appropriate

Fund Governance and Oversight

• Facilitate communications and governance activities for the project’s Governing Board
• Lead preparation and distribution of docket and manage logistics for two Governing Board meetings annually
• Collaborate with all internal and external providers of content for the docket and certify completeness prior to distribution
• Work closely with RPA Finance team to manage grant outlays and project expense projections and develop financial reporting systems to the Ford Foundation and others
• Act as project liaison between the Ford Foundation and RPA communications teams and communications consultants to ensure that all stakeholders receive consistent, timely and relevant information
• Anticipate challenges so they can be addressed in a responsible and timely fashion

Donor Development and Stewardship

• Working closely with RPA and the Ford Foundation, identify key external partnerships that create donor awareness, receptivity and active participation in the Fund
• Working closely with the RPA and the Ford Foundation, cultivate relationships with key influencers in the arts, rights, criminal justice and other relevant donor communities
• Contribute to the production of customized events for potential and current donors
• Manage and regularly report on the project’s donor pipeline, tangible commitments, potential challenges and fulfilled obligations
• Work closely with RPA and Ford Foundation communications teams in the development of external publications, newsletters and donor events
• Provide content expertise in the co-development of publications and symposia about criminal justice reform for broader distribution
• Participate in or coordinate speaking engagements as directed by Governing Board, RPA leadership or Ford Foundation

Desired Qualifications

• BA and advanced degree or equivalent required
• Three to five years of demonstrated project management experience
• Commitment to RPA’s values of integrity, trust, diversity and quality
• Exceptional relationship management skills, with demonstrated experience managing internal and external relationships
• Three to five years of experience in criminal justice reform, arts, advocacy, or related fields.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, set priorities, meet deadlines and accept new challenges
• Ability and judgment to know when to lead from ahead and when to lead from behind in a supportive capacity. Acumen that permits equal comfort leading or participating in organization initiatives
• Experienced, creative and direct communicator
• Exceptional writing skills
• Process-oriented thinker, with the ability to develop efficient processes and systems