Manager, Communications and Knowledge
Washington, D.C.
National Center for Family Philanthropy
Date Posted: 10/31/2024
Executive Summary
The National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP) welcomes applications for a manager on its communications team. NCFP works in collaboration with visionary philanthropic families to unlock their potential to create meaningful and enduring change.
A member of the communications team, the manager also works closely with the senior director of knowledge and others across the organization to support external communications and member engagement—such as member requests for information, speaking and consulting engagements, and website content—and internal research and communication projects that contribute to the organization’s practices and strategy. The manager will be a “dot connector,” able to collect, synthesize, and effectively share relevant trends, information, and data from and among members, the field, and colleagues. The manager will be adept at understanding how to adapt communications to various audiences and ensuring that resources provided fulfill the requestor’s need and meet their level of understanding. The ideal candidate will have a strong interest in family philanthropy and experience with external audiences. They enjoy juggling multiple projects in different stages of development and working in a collaborative team structure.
The salary for this position is $83,000–$90,000 plus benefits, which include:
Flexible vacation leave, three weeks paid sick leave, 12 holidays, one-week July office closure, one-week December office closure, and new parent leave
100-percent employee premium paid for medical/dental/vision insurance and generous premium subsidies for dependents (medical insurance has $0 individual and family deductibles)
Five-percent retirement contribution after approximately six months of service
Short- and long-term disability and life insurance
Professional development support
NCFP will determine the final salary at the time of offer and will base the offer on the depth of and applicability of the candidate’s experience. This is a Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) exempt position. Staff members are working in a hybrid environment, with a required two days per week in the office (Tuesdays mandatory and the second day is flexible in consultation with the employee’s supervisor). Employees are welcome to work in the office more often. Please see application instructions at the end of this document.
The National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of NCFP to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. NCFP prohibits any such discrimination or harassment.
Essential Responsibilities
The Manager, Communications and Knowledge will report to the senior director of communications and primarily will be responsible for:
Network Research and Communications (~30-40%)
Develop a system for and triage all inbound requests for information from members and non-members.
Respond to straightforward requests using pre-existing templates and collect information for more complex requests.
Partner with senior director of knowledge to research and respond to more complex requests.
Develop a deep understanding of Salesforce and how to track requests in it. Ensure all information is captured in Salesforce and use the information to identify patterns. Work with senior director of knowledge to elevate, analyze, and report on trends to program and advancement teams.
Work closely with the advancement team to capture information from member onboarding calls in Salesforce. Review the information on a regular basis and identify themes to elevate within the organization.
Monitor the Peer Exchange Platform and help answer questions directly or connect members with one another on the platform. As needed, support other staff in implementing platform changes.
Respond to all requests promptly and thoughtfully and follow up as needed.
Content and Research Management (~10-20%)
Develop deep understanding of NCFP’s library of resources, in-house expertise, and network.
Manage in-house resources, ensuring materials remain up to date and providing recommendations to the senior directors of communications and knowledge for removing or updating outdated materials.
Support ongoing project to curate, consolidate, and redesign the resource library to make it more accessible and navigable.
Help maintain and update content on the website so that it is user-focused, clear, and brand-aligned.
When needed, support activities and reporting for grants related to content and research.
Conduct ad hoc research to inform the organization’s practices and strategies.
Speaking and Consulting Engagements (~10-15%)
Track all requests for external speaking engagements and, with oversight by the senior director of communications, determine priorities and recommended staffing.
Coordinate with external organizations on logistics, including documenting honoraria and reimbursement guidelines and sharing internally to inform travel planning.
Build and refine talking points, with guidance from the senior director of communications, and create materials and resources as needed.
Provide support for a small number of consulting engagements (likely two to three annually) by supporting facilitator prep, including note taking during discovery calls, developing deliverables, and managing supplies for onsite facilitation.
The above list includes the primary responsibilities of this role and while comprehensive, is not exhaustive. All NCFP team members attend bi-weekly staff meetings, contribute to culture efforts, and support the bi-annual Forum and other events. These responsibilities are expected to evolve over time based on the needs of NCFP and the skills of the person in the role.
Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate will be inspired by NCFP’s mission to elevate a bold vision for family philanthropy; equip family philanthropies with community, support, and resources; and activate our network to make lasting and meaningful change in the world. They enjoy building relationships and connecting people, finding answers to questions, and analyzing data to identify trends. They value thoughtful communications and see data input and management as an essential component of relationship management.
We encourage you to apply if you are interested in the role regardless of whether you meet all of the qualifications below. We are interested in meeting candidates who want to learn and grow into the role as defined.
Desired Qualifications
Four years or more of donor-, customer-, client-, and/or member-relations experience
Strong verbal and written communication skills and the ability to adapt tone and message to different audiences
Familiarity with private foundation structures and grantmaking practices
Interest in family philanthropy; experience is a plus, but not a requirement
Deep curiosity, learning orientation, and demonstrated resourcefulness that drives you to find answers to questions
Interest and experience in supporting and building relationships that foster engagement
Strong attention to detail and an ability to develop and stick to organizational systems to establish priorities and meet deadlines
Desire to work in a collaborative, fast-paced, and changing environment
Ability to manage through ambiguity while knowing when to ask for clarification
Creativity and the desire to pitch in all tasks, large and small, to support the team
Experience with database management; Salesforce a plus, but not a requirement.
Application Instructions
To apply, please e-mail your resume and cover letter to the attention of Diana Heath at hr@ncfp.org. Please include “Manager, Communications and Knowledge” in the subject line. A cover letter that explains the candidate’s interest in the position and provides insight into the candidate’s experiences is an essential part of our application process and is critical in helping us differentiate among applicants. Cover letters can be brief. Please do not omit this important component. We will review resumes on a rolling basis beginning the week of November 4 and will remove this posting when we have completed first round interviews. No calls, please, unless you experience an error in submitting your cover letter and resume.
About NCFP
NCFP is a network of philanthropic families committed to a world that is vibrant, equitable, and resilient. We share proven practices, work through common challenges, and learn together to strengthen our ability to effect meaningful change. As we navigate individual journeys of reflection and transformation, we see the results of intentional, impactful giving.
We promote open inquiry and ongoing reflection to advance the practice of family philanthropy, and we value the partnerships and mutual respect that make it possible for families to discover their purpose and possibilities.
NCFP offers a range of programs and services to foster learning for philanthropic families. We understand family philanthropy has many points of inflection—moments to embrace proven practices and advance momentum or to stall out due to uncertainty and lack of clarity. Our programs are rooted in a Family Giving Lifecycle that provides easy onramps for families to connect with us—to begin planning, learning, and accessing custom support and resources.
Our decades of experience working with philanthropic families uniquely position us as a reliable partner who meets families where they are and provides the support and services they need to move forward with long-term planning and day-to-day decision making with confidence.
For more about the National Center for Family Philanthropy, please visit: www.ncfp.org.
