The New York Community Trust (“The Trust”) is one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the country. For the past century, The Trust has honored the wishes of donors who have entrusted them with their financial legacies to make lives better in the place they love. The Trust is a philanthropic leader in New York City, Westchester, and Long Island, delivering nearly $200 million in grants in 2023 and more than $2 billion in the past decade. Today, in addition to a distinguished competitive grantmaking program, The Trust hosts donor-advised funds (“DAFs”) that make grants throughout the United States and donor collaboratives that work on the leading edge of philanthropy to improve the lives of New Yorkers. The Trust has long been a leader in the field, with innovations ranging from establishing the first donor-advised fund in the 1930s to making landmark grants, including the first to fight AIDS, build the High Line, support immigrant communities, and respond quickly in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Trust seeks a Program Officer to manage its grantmaking in arts and culture as well as historic preservation. This Program Officer has primary responsibility for projects and grants to promote diversity in the arts and expand access for artists and audiences; strengthen management of arts groups in the five boroughs; and encourage arts advocacy. The Program Officer also will manage The Trust’s modest historic preservation funding to support preservation in historically disadvantaged communities and Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island; it also helps restore historic places that represent overlooked aspects of the City’s history.

The Program Officer is responsible for reviewing proposals for funding, initiating projects to advance the mission of The Trust and donors’ wishes, and exploring new areas for Trust involvement. The Program Officer will need the skills and knowledge to identify strategic opportunities for short-and long-term grant investments and exercise discretion and independent judgement accordingly.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Maintain expertise on current and emerging issues and policy in New York City’s arts and culture sector as well as historic preservation.
• Collaborate with Trust staff, outside experts, and a network of professional contacts to develop strategies for grantmaking and initiate special projects.
• Analyze and evaluate grant requests, including observing nonprofit programs and activities.
• Prepare numerous, succinct written grant recommendations for board meetings five times each year and throughout the year for grants that do not require board approval.
• Monitor and track ongoing grants and initiatives, including evaluation and reporting internally and to the board.
• Represent The Trust at sector workshops, public events, and in publications, as appropriate.
• Work collaboratively with the donor, philanthropic initiatives, communications, and other departments within The Trust as well as its Westchester and Long Island affiliates.

REQUIREMENTS

NYCT supports skills-based hiring and will review several aspects of an application including work experience (internships, volunteer, project-based, part/full-time employment, etc), skill proficiencies, education (courses, certifications, college degrees, etc.) and involvement in professional & industry organizations.

• At least 6 years of relevant full-time professional experience in the nonprofit, public, or private sectors and an advanced degree OR 10 years of relevant full-time professional experience and a bachelor’s degree.
• Robust work experience in a direct service and/or policy environment focusing arts and culture. (Experience in historic preservation is a plus, but not required).
• Substantive knowledge of issues affecting New York City’s arts and culture sector.

COMPETENCIES REQUIRED

• Outstanding writing, organizational, speaking, and language skills.
• Self-starter with strong problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage frequent and competing deadlines.
• Ease synthesizing and explaining complicated issues and programs.
• Ability to collaborate with nonprofits, government agencies, and other funders.
• Navigate relationships with both successful, and unsuccessful, grantseekers.

COMPENSATION

An annual salary of $130,000 – $160,000 commensurate with the candidate’s experience. The position is on-site at our New York office and we adhere to a hybrid work model (four days in the office and one remote), seasonal remote weeks and flexible remote days during the year. The Trust offers excellent benefits, including a pension plan, an 8% employer contribution to a 403(b)-retirement plan; partially subsidized medical insurance coverage & tiered medical plan offerings; generous paid time off, fully paid bonding leave and other benefits.

The Trust is a qualifying nonprofit organization as defined by the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. As such, Trust employees may claim their employment time on their PSLF application.

Please apply through The Trust’s HRIS platform, Paylocity.(opens in a new tab) Please upload your resume, cover letter, and an arts/culture/historic preservation related writing sample as a single pdf document for review. We are committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in our recruitment process. The Trust strongly encourages members of underrepresented communities and individuals who meet most of the job requirements to apply.

We will review all applications submitted prior to May 24, 2024 and do not expect the person to start until immediately following Labor Day.