Network Officer

The Endowment; Wilmington (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Endowment in Wilmington, NC seeks a Network Officer to manage a portfolio of grantees, cultivate partnerships, and advance the organization's strategic priorities.

You will source and develop grants, perform due diligence, monitor outcomes, and coordinate with Grants Operations to ensure timely processing, while representing The Endowment at community meetings and building long-term relationships with stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent experience; Master’s preferred.
• Strong verbal and written communication across diverse audiences.
• Ability to build relationships with nonprofits, partners, and community leaders.
• Proven project management and strategic thinking skills.

Responsibilities

• Grantmaking and portfolio management for assigned grants.
• Identify funding opportunities aligned with priorities and change theory.
• Provide guidance to applicants throughout grant development.
• Conduct due diligence and assess alignment and readiness.
• Manage budgets and monitor grants progress and compliance.
• Present recommendations to leadership and the Board.
• Foster long-term relationships with grantees and community partners.
• Coordinate with Grants Operations for timely processing.
• Represent The Endowment at meetings and convenings.

Skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Relationship building

Strategic thinking

Project management

Self-motivation

Analytical skills

Presentation skills

Community outreach

Education

Undergraduate degree or equivalent experience

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

Zoom

Job description

Reports To: Vice President Programs and Grants

Status: Full Time in office

Position Summary

The Network Officer serves as The Endowment's primary relationship manager for a portfolio of grantees, cultivating partnerships, identifying opportunities, and managing grants that advance the organization's strategic priorities.

The Network Officer is responsible for sourcing, developing, recommending, and managing grants while serving as a visible ambassador for The Endowment within the community. This role builds partnerships and advances strategy.

Primary Responsibilities

Grantmaking and Portfolio Management

• Identify and cultivate high-potential funding opportunities aligned with The Endowment’s strategic priorities and theory of change and New Hanover County’s strategic plan.
• Provide guidance to prospective applicants throughout the grant development process.
• Conduct due diligence and organizational assessments to determine strategic fit, organizational readiness, strategic alignment and charitable purpose.
• Manage grants and programs budgets assigned to their area of responsibility.
• Develop funding recommendations supported by research, community context, and organizational capacity.
• Present grant recommendations to leadership and the Board.
• Manage an assigned grant portfolio throughout the grant lifecycle.
• Monitor grant progress and reporting, tracking compliance and outcomes against target goals.
• Monitor portfolio performance against The Endowment’s theory of change, identifying trends and informing strategic adjustments.
• Maintain regular communication with grantee partners through meetings and site visits.
• Identify emerging risks or opportunities requiring proactive support or course corrections.
• Coordinate with Grants Operations to ensure timely processing of grant agreements, payments, amendments, and compliance requirements.
• Foster long-term relationships that strengthen organizational capacity and community outcomes.

Community Engagement and Cross-Collaboration

• Develop trusted relationships with nonprofit organizations, community leaders, public agencies, and philanthropic partners; promote engagement to coordinate, strengthen and advance shared interests
• Maintain a deep understanding of community assets, needs, emerging issues, and opportunities within assigned portfolio.
• Represent The Endowment at community meetings, conferences, convenings, and collaborative initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to convene partners around shared community priorities.
• Support the preparation and production of board, public, and constituent meetings, and the development of related materials and presentations.
• Partner with the Learning and Impact Associate, other members of the Programs and Grants team and the Communications team, providing content and grantee insights drawn from portfolio work to support impact storytelling.

Strategy Development and Support

• Monitor emerging trends, policy developments, funding opportunities, and community needs.
• Share field intelligence with the Programs and Grants team and leadership to inform strategic planning.
• Contribute practitioner insights during strategy development and annual planning.
• Recommend adjustments to grantmaking priorities based on changing community conditions.
• Support implementation of strategic initiatives across assigned portfolios, ensuring fidelity to strategy in execution.
• Monitor grant and portfolio-level execution against strategic goals, flagging gaps or drift and recommending course corrections.

Position Requirements and Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent experience, Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5-7 years of related professional experience: philanthropy, social & health equity, education, community safety, community development, behavioral health, housing, food security, workforce development, economic mobility, transportation, youth development, early childhood development, entrepreneurship and innovation.
• Confident verbal communicator and able to develop well-crafted and customized written communications that are clear, effective, and empathetic across various audiences.
• Experience in building and maintaining strong, collegial, and collaborative relationships with diverse constituencies and an ability to make and anticipate mutually beneficial connections between people and resources.
• Self-motivated and able to analyze, research, synthesize, take initiative, and execute strategies with agility and independence.
• Routinely engages in professional learning, growth, and activities that demonstrate a curiosity education to commonly held values and behaviors (i.e. commitment beyond self, openness and honesty, integrity. etc.)
• Technically Skilled: Able to plan and project manage complex meetings and events, manage virtual collaboration using advanced features of Zoom or other digital tools, and demonstrate proficiency in common office tools like Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strong focus on outcomes, consistency in execution, and exploring new approaches for greater impact and efficiency.
• Demonstrated ability to set and achieve ambitious personal and professional goals.
• Exceptional interpersonal, oratory, written and presentation skills, and the ability to represent the organization externally across a wide audience: strong writing skills, with the ability to clearly articulate grant recommendations and translate grant reports and data into impact reports for a general audience.