Director of Strategic Programs, Way to Rise/Valiente Fund

Way to Rise is hiring a Director of Strategic Programs who will report to the Deputy Executive Director of Way to Rise, a philanthropic fund and strategy center dedicated to building multiracial democracy where it is most at risk- the US South and Southwest. The Director of Strategic Programs will also provide programmatic support to Valiente Fund, a project of Way to Rise, that is an accelerator, donor collaborative, and fund dedicated to building and scaling Latine power.  The Director of Strategic Programs will develop programming to support and amplify Way to Rise’s grantmaking initiatives, lead the Way to Rise grantmaking strategy and support fundraising in support of our strategy. The WTR Director of Strategic Programs will work closely with Way to Win’s State Partnership Directors and Strategy team to interface with national, multi-state, and state partners to achieve our goals of building state-based community power and strengthening our multiracial democracy. Programming will support our strategic grantmaking priorities- Investing in Leaders, Harnessing the power of Data, and Shifting the Narrative and our goals to support state power building infrastructure. 

The Director of Strategic Programs will be a key contributor to defining and advancing Way to Rise and Valiente Fund’s grantmaking strategies and anchoring the year-round, multi-year investment strategy in organizing and issue advocacy in our south and southwestern core states. The Director of Strategic Programs will analyze data and monitor current events, emerging research and insights from our state and local partners to ensure that our strategy and programming is responsive to the current needs of movement partners in the field. 

Responsibilities

Develop Programming in Support of WTR’s nonpartisan objectives

• Identify and execute strategies that strengthen the state movement building ecosystem to build multiracial coalitions in each state and advance state and national strategic objectives.
• Assess local and state conditions, identify needs from WTR grantees and design effective programming to respond to gaps and needs in the movement building infrastructure, particularly around Data, Leaders, and Narrative. 
• Identify opportunities to invest in capacity building and grantmaking to support Latine power building organizations in Valiente Fund’s core states: AZ, NV, TX, NC, and FL.
• Leverage academic and research partnerships to assess emerging trends and data in the field and source information on gaps and infrastructure needs from in-state partners. 
• Work in collaboration with the State Partnership team to shape the strategy for investing in state ecosystems and to stay abreast of the powerbuilding landscape in each state.
• Work with the Political Strategy Team and Valiente Fund to build a shared state-based power building strategy and state infrastructure in core Southern and Southwestern states. 
• Work alongside the State Partnership team and Valiente Fund team to establish and maintain relationships and build trust with national and multi-state c3 and multi-entity grantees.
• Develop and maintain expertise in Way to Rise/Way to Win narrative research and in state narrative tools like Race Class Narrative, and support the creation of nonpartisan messaging tools. 
• Engage in Way’s narrative research to provide strategic expertise and connect partners to participate in research and apply the learnings.
• Synthesize existing research products and work with the narrative team to make it actionable for frontline partners; monitor implementation and effectiveness. 
• Work directly with the Valiente Fund Executive Director to understand and support Valiente Fund’s unique approach to capacity building and grantmaking and assist Valiente Fund staff with identifying emerging Latine organizations. 
• Work closely across Way to Win’s family of organizations to anchor our collective strategy in a long term power building in our key states.

Supporting Institutional Donor Advising and Fundraising

• Work with the Way to Rise Institutional Advising Team (including VF staff) to secure resources in support of our strategy to build a multiracial democracy in the south and southwest
• Work across teams to effectively communicate funding needs and updates in a fast paced environment. 
• Collaborate with Donor Advisors and the Director of Institutional Giving to craft and execute effective pitches to funders.
• Be responsive to rapid response requests from the Advising team and the Institutional Fundraising team, and the Valiente Fund team.
• Participate in funder facing virtual and in person events to share expertise, insights and engage in meaningful dialogue about state and national strategies.
• Regularly write, review, and update strategic documents, including content that evaluates and summarizes program impact and that serve as fundraising content and updates to engage donors and mobilize resources in support of our state strategies.
• Work with the State Partnerships team to gather information and source stories that highlight the significance of our partners’ work and demonstrate opportunities for investment in Way to Rise’s strategy to strengthen multiracial democracy in the south. 

Analysis, Research. Documentation, and Writing

• Be curious and stay current on the in state landscape and national trends in voter conditions and issue campaigns, and in opportunities in building Latine power. 
• Develop and regularly hone expertise on the demographic data, economic conditions, and key voter trends in Way to Rise and Valiente Fund’s core states (AZ, NV, TX, LA, MS, FL, GA, SC, NC) and produce written reports as necessary
• Write and update strategy documents, including periodic landscape memos, data briefs, and investment strategies.
• Meet consistent writing deadlines so that team members know when they can expect fresh materials to leverage with donors and key allies. 
• Identify key funding priorities in states in conversation with state based partners.
• Deliver ongoing data analysis to inform lessons and funding strategies, including a comprehensive analysis of organizing metrics and nonpartisan civic engagement activities by gathering data from grantees.
• Work with the team of advisors and consultants to manage additional needs.
• Represent Way to Rise and Valiente Fund in donor facing meetings and events as assigned.  

Qualifications & Requirements

• 8+ years of direct experience in state or national grassroots powerbuilding, electoral politics, or political infrastructure. 
• Thorough understanding of state level politics, elections, grassroots powerbuilding. 
• Experience with organizational or campaign leadership positions.
• Experience with foundations and donor networks.
• Strong listening, interpersonal, communication, time management, and problem-solving skills while maintaining a devotion to detail.
• Demonstrated commitment to movement building, grassroots organizing and/or issue-based advocacy. 
• Strong preference for people living in Way to Rise’s priority states. 

Salary and Generous Benefits Package

Salary Range: $120,000 - $140,000

Way To Win offers a fully remote environment and is proud to offer a robust benefits package:

• Health Care - Comprehensive and robust 100% employee and family paid health care coverage to all employees.
• Retirement Plan - employees are fully vested in the company’s retirement plan 90 days after their start date. Way to Win contributes 3% of the base salary to the employee’s retirement account, regardless of whether the employee contributes or not. 
• Life, Short-term Disability, Long-term Disability, and AD&D - Employer paid Life Insurance, Disability and AD&D. 
• Unlimited Paid Time Off.
• Office Closure - 30 days of holiday time, this includes a Spring break, Summer break, Thanksgiving break and an EOY break.
• FSA - Three different tax-deferred FSA accounts (funded by employees) – Health, Commuter, and Dependent Care.
• Family Leave - 12 weeks of paid Family Leave for the birth, adoption, or fostering of a child after one full year of employment.  
• Professional Development - Yearly stipend for staff to receive training and development.
• EAP - Confidential Employee Assistant Program (EAP) to all full-time employees to assist with work and personal challenges.
• Work from Home - $150 monthly mobile phone stipend.

Way to Win is an equal employment opportunity employer and does not discriminate against applicants or employees because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, citizenship status, disability status, genetic information, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression of an otherwise qualified individual, or membership in any other class protected by applicable law.

Way To Win offers a fully remote environment and is proud to offer a robust benefits package:

• Health Care - Comprehensive and robust 100% employee and family paid health care coverage to all employees.
• Retirement Plan - employees are fully vested in the company’s retirement plan 90 days after their start date. Way to Win contributes 3% of the base salary to the employee’s retirement account, regardless of whether the employee contributes or not. 
• Life, Short-term Disability, Long-term Disability, and AD&D - Employer paid Life Insurance, Disability and AD&D. 
• Unlimited Paid Time Off.
• Office Closure - 30 days of holiday time, this includes a Spring break, Summer break, Thanksgiving break and an EOY break.
• FSA - Three different tax-deferred FSA accounts (funded by employees) – Health, Commuter (transit/parking — including UberPool), and Dependent Care.
• Family Leave - 12 weeks of paid Family Leave for the birth, adoption, or fostering of a child after one full year of employment.  
• Professional Development - Yearly stipend for staff to receive training and development.
• EAP - Confidential Employee Assistant Program (EAP) to all full-time employees to assist with work and personal challenges.
• Work from Home - $150 monthly mobile phone stipend.