Sr. Impact Officer – Strategic Initiatives

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a private, nonpartisan foundation that provides access to opportunities that help people achieve financial stability, upward mobility, and economic prosperity – regardless of race, gender, or geography. The Foundation uses its grantmaking, research, programs, affiliates, and initiatives to support the start and growth of new businesses, a more prepared workforce, and stronger communities. Our work is grounded in the principles of racial equity, diversity, and inclusion and is consistent with the aspirations of our founder, Ewing Marion Kauffman.

Based in Kansas City, Missouri, the Kauffman Foundation is one of the largest foundations in the United States with an asset base of approximately $3 billion. While striving to have national impact and global reach, the Foundation is deeply committed to Kansas City, as evidenced by work on initiatives that reach into neighborhoods and enrich the community and quality of life in the region. For more information about the Foundation, please visit the website at www.kauffman.org.
 

• Build strong communication and collaboration infrastructure across the three strategic pillars; facilitate shared learning, peer support, and knowledge transfer (especially during staff transitions).
• Serve as Impact Team liaison to the Uncommon Leader Awards work group
• Work closely with the SDSI to ensure coherence across all grant pathways and to effectively communicate alignment with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Strengthen team decision-making and alignment across all shared grantmaking processes; surfacing risks or decisions that need leadership attention.
• Support change management and continuous improvement by helping with consistent adoption of new tools/processes while identifying workflow gaps and opportunities.
• Provide strategic sensemaking on cross-cutting issues by pulling together internal and external perspectives and translating it into useful assessments of implications and recommendations for leadership.
• Develop productive relationships with internal teams and external partners, reviewers, consultants, and community stakeholders as needed to advance strategic initiatives.

• Serve as a representative of the Foundation, advancing EMKF’s strategic priorities and grantmaking philosophy, goals, and opportunities.
• Support the implementation of the Collective Impact grant pathway.
• In collaboration with Impact team members, source and evaluate potential grantees and proposals based on strategic fit and organizational capacity.
• Provide clear, concise, and insightful written analysis and recommendations for funding.
• Manage and oversee assigned grant portfolio, staying attuned to challenges in the field, grantees' needs, learnings, and opportunities for further impact.
• Stay abreast of topic areas associated with respective grantmaking portfolio, including trends, barriers, and areas for exploration. May be asked to provide leadership on a specific subject, while developing expertise on a broad range of issues.
• Work collaboratively with internal support teams, e.g., grants administration, research, learning and evaluation, legal, or strategic communications, in all stages of a grant request from intake to commitment letter.
• Prepare requested data and updates for board reports.
• Upon grant closure, provide clear and insightful written analysis of strategic and operational learnings to inform future grantmaking.

• Has a passion for advancing equitable and transformative solutions for communities served by the Foundation.
• Prioritizes and multi-tasks effectively using excellent organizational skills with keen attention to detail in addition to managing short-term urgent tasks while maintaining progress on long-term goals.
• Demonstrates success in process management and administration of organizational budget, financial, and grant management functions.
• Knows and uses project management tools, technology, and methodologies, e.g., gathering requirements, conducting business analyses, and providing documentation.
• Has the ability to function well in a high-paced and at times stressful environment.
• Posesses an adequate understanding of organizational and leadership dynamics to identify grantee capacity for success and potential risks.
• Analyzes and understands financial information, e.g., budgets, forecasts, cash flow statements, and income statements.
• Has excellent communication skills, including well-developed interpersonal, written, and listening skills.
• Has strong judgment, humility, and can build trust and navigate difficult conversations thoughtfully.
• Is committed to ongoing reflection, learning, and growing.
• Possesses a passion for “doing what is right,” with unquestioned integrity, positive ethics and values reflective of the Kauffman Foundation.
• Is committed to the Foundation’s credo, standards, and values in alignment with our racial equity, diversity and inclusion statement, by  prioritizing racial equity, diversity, and inclusion in culture and strategic work.
• Possesses computer literacy skills, including proficiency with Microsoft tools, project management software, Slack, and social media.