Massachusetts Nonprofit Network
# Chief Impact OfficerThe New England Foundation for the Arts### Job Description**Reports to:** Executive Director
**Position Type:** Exempt, Full-Time, On-site or Hybrid (not remote)**About the New England Foundation for the Arts**The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) is a 501(c)3 social impact organization that builds, sustains, and fights for arts and culture through grantmaking, partnerships, and advocacy in New England, the nation, and beyond.As an organization, NEFA believes the freedoms to create, access, express, and share arts and culture are human rights and essential to a just society and thriving communities. As an employer, we are dedicated to dismantling the systemic inequities, barriers, and actions that have excluded individuals and communities from professional opportunities.NEFA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is invested in creating an equitable and inclusive working environment and organizational culture. We are committed to hiring individuals who share and support our values, and who reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. NEFA does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or any other classes or characteristics protected by law.**About the Position**The Chief Impact Officer (CIO) is a dynamic, analytical, and collaborative leader responsible for driving the strategic design, implementation, and evaluation of NEFA’s , and developing a compelling and comprehensive storytelling strategy about the impact of NEFA’s work.As a member of NEFA’s Executive Team, the CIO reports to the Executive Director (ED) and partners with the Chief Operating Officer (COO). As a team, they are collectively responsible for developing, stewarding, and deploying the resources that power the organization’s work and service to the field. The executive team is charged with designing and implementing policies and plans that enhance NEFA’s ability to weather change, navigate short and long-term risk, and contribute to building the sustainability of the arts and culture sector in shifting financial, social, and political landscapes.The ideal candidate is a systems thinker and equity-focused leader who will bring a deep understanding of arts programming, grantmaking, research methods, data-driven decision-making, collaborative design, and communications strategy. As the organization’s primary architect for evaluation and assessment, the Chief Impact Officer will play a critical role ensuring NEFA’s programs are aligned with the strategic plan, , that they remain relevant in the current arts and culture landscape, are intentionally informed by constituents needs, and deliver impactful outcomes.The Chief Impact Officer supervises staff and work across programs, including grantmaking and services, advocacy and communications; identifying themes and trends, creating opportunities for connection, and fostering and enhancing collaboration across teams and the organization. Externally, the Chief Impact Officer will identify and leverage public opportunities to enhance the visibility of NEFA’s impact and promote its leadership in the field. They will be committed to building and strengthening external relationships with constituents, peers, and networks to further inform, connect and expand NEFA’s work.This is a new position that will evolve over time.**Essential Functions - % of Time****Organizational Leadership & Management – 30%*** Serve as a core member of NEFA’s Executive Team and Leadership Committee, working as an inclusive and collaborative leader, informing and contributing to decisions regarding strategy, capacity, and culture, setting organizational priorities and benchmarks, and assessing and evaluating outcomes;* Work in close collaboration with the ED, COO, staff and board members on continued implementation of NEFA’s strategic plan, refining the organization’s evaluation strategy and tools, and supporting teams with ongoing planning and assessment processes;* Support the ED, COO, and Director of Finance during the annual budgeting process, providing high-level insight into annual program and communications planning, financial needs, and identifying opportunities for deeper investment;* Work with staff to streamline and establish meeting strategies that create intentional space and opportunities for exchange and learning across teams to promote and reinforce the value of cross-org collaboration;* Develop and maintain strategic relationships with leaders in the national arts, nonprofit, advocacy, and funding fields to keep in touch with current thinking, developments and opportunities for NEFA;* Cultivate relationships with NEFA constituents, peers, advisors, funders, and other stakeholders; identify and engage opportunities to develop and strengthen partnerships and explore conversations with potential collaborators with a focus on improving field stability and enhancing organizational impact;* Participate in NEFA Board of Directors and board committee meetings; apprise the board and stakeholders on program strategy, activities, and impact.**Program Strategy and Evaluation – 30%*** Lead programmatic strategy in alignment with NEFA’s mission, vision, values, and priorities as a social impact organization;* Drive evidence-based program design and evolution; use data, research, and constituent input to identify fieldwide needs and strategic opportunities where NEFA is well positioned to serve; assess capacity and resources to take on new initiatives; generate ideas for new directions and feasible approaches;* Partner with the ED to co-design and implement a dynamic, adaptable program evaluation system; work with program leaders to articulate annual and long-term program goals; define and set benchmarks to articulate impact and define success;* Facilitate efforts to assess program processes, finding opportunities to streamline workflows or build consistency, and ensure continued legal and funder compliance;* Partner with the COO and Senior Director of Technology and Data to ensure NEFA’s technical systems are effectively supporting NEFA’s programmatic work and ambitions; explore new tools and methodology for program delivery; include Technology and Data team in program planning, research, and evaluation efforts;* Synthesize and write about program learning to assist internal program planning efforts, inform funder proposals and relationship building, and external storytelling;* Convene all program staff regularly to facilitate cross-program dialogue and learning.**Impact Storytelling & Communications – 25%*** Lead and partner with the communications team to develop compelling and effective storytelling strategies, narrative content, campaigns, reports, and messaging that promote and elevate program successes and convey the impact of NEFA’s organizational work;* Support communications staff with setting and maintaining the organization’s brand, visual identity, written positioning, and social media strategy, ensuring NEFA’s public profile and relations are aligned with the organization’s mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities;* Partner with the ED, communications and program staff to assess and contribute to efforts to enhance and appropriately scale NEFA’s portfolio of advocacy efforts and activity in alignment with the organization’s strategic direction;* Support, and strengthen collaboration between communications and program staff, aligning planning timelines, creating space for brainstorming and exchange, and mapping implementation strategies;* Support communications staff to design innovative messaging and implementation strategies that leverage a variety of tools, formats, and platforms to enhance and expand NEFA’s reach;* Collaborate with Senior Development Director to leverage program storytelling as content for funding proposals and reports; contribute to efforts #J-18808-Ljbffr
**Position Type:** Exempt, Full-Time, On-site or Hybrid (not remote)**About the New England Foundation for the Arts**The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) is a 501(c)3 social impact organization that builds, sustains, and fights for arts and culture through grantmaking, partnerships, and advocacy in New England, the nation, and beyond.As an organization, NEFA believes the freedoms to create, access, express, and share arts and culture are human rights and essential to a just society and thriving communities. As an employer, we are dedicated to dismantling the systemic inequities, barriers, and actions that have excluded individuals and communities from professional opportunities.NEFA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is invested in creating an equitable and inclusive working environment and organizational culture. We are committed to hiring individuals who share and support our values, and who reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. NEFA does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or any other classes or characteristics protected by law.**About the Position**The Chief Impact Officer (CIO) is a dynamic, analytical, and collaborative leader responsible for driving the strategic design, implementation, and evaluation of NEFA’s , and developing a compelling and comprehensive storytelling strategy about the impact of NEFA’s work.As a member of NEFA’s Executive Team, the CIO reports to the Executive Director (ED) and partners with the Chief Operating Officer (COO). As a team, they are collectively responsible for developing, stewarding, and deploying the resources that power the organization’s work and service to the field. The executive team is charged with designing and implementing policies and plans that enhance NEFA’s ability to weather change, navigate short and long-term risk, and contribute to building the sustainability of the arts and culture sector in shifting financial, social, and political landscapes.The ideal candidate is a systems thinker and equity-focused leader who will bring a deep understanding of arts programming, grantmaking, research methods, data-driven decision-making, collaborative design, and communications strategy. As the organization’s primary architect for evaluation and assessment, the Chief Impact Officer will play a critical role ensuring NEFA’s programs are aligned with the strategic plan, , that they remain relevant in the current arts and culture landscape, are intentionally informed by constituents needs, and deliver impactful outcomes.The Chief Impact Officer supervises staff and work across programs, including grantmaking and services, advocacy and communications; identifying themes and trends, creating opportunities for connection, and fostering and enhancing collaboration across teams and the organization. Externally, the Chief Impact Officer will identify and leverage public opportunities to enhance the visibility of NEFA’s impact and promote its leadership in the field. They will be committed to building and strengthening external relationships with constituents, peers, and networks to further inform, connect and expand NEFA’s work.This is a new position that will evolve over time.**Essential Functions - % of Time****Organizational Leadership & Management – 30%*** Serve as a core member of NEFA’s Executive Team and Leadership Committee, working as an inclusive and collaborative leader, informing and contributing to decisions regarding strategy, capacity, and culture, setting organizational priorities and benchmarks, and assessing and evaluating outcomes;* Work in close collaboration with the ED, COO, staff and board members on continued implementation of NEFA’s strategic plan, refining the organization’s evaluation strategy and tools, and supporting teams with ongoing planning and assessment processes;* Support the ED, COO, and Director of Finance during the annual budgeting process, providing high-level insight into annual program and communications planning, financial needs, and identifying opportunities for deeper investment;* Work with staff to streamline and establish meeting strategies that create intentional space and opportunities for exchange and learning across teams to promote and reinforce the value of cross-org collaboration;* Develop and maintain strategic relationships with leaders in the national arts, nonprofit, advocacy, and funding fields to keep in touch with current thinking, developments and opportunities for NEFA;* Cultivate relationships with NEFA constituents, peers, advisors, funders, and other stakeholders; identify and engage opportunities to develop and strengthen partnerships and explore conversations with potential collaborators with a focus on improving field stability and enhancing organizational impact;* Participate in NEFA Board of Directors and board committee meetings; apprise the board and stakeholders on program strategy, activities, and impact.**Program Strategy and Evaluation – 30%*** Lead programmatic strategy in alignment with NEFA’s mission, vision, values, and priorities as a social impact organization;* Drive evidence-based program design and evolution; use data, research, and constituent input to identify fieldwide needs and strategic opportunities where NEFA is well positioned to serve; assess capacity and resources to take on new initiatives; generate ideas for new directions and feasible approaches;* Partner with the ED to co-design and implement a dynamic, adaptable program evaluation system; work with program leaders to articulate annual and long-term program goals; define and set benchmarks to articulate impact and define success;* Facilitate efforts to assess program processes, finding opportunities to streamline workflows or build consistency, and ensure continued legal and funder compliance;* Partner with the COO and Senior Director of Technology and Data to ensure NEFA’s technical systems are effectively supporting NEFA’s programmatic work and ambitions; explore new tools and methodology for program delivery; include Technology and Data team in program planning, research, and evaluation efforts;* Synthesize and write about program learning to assist internal program planning efforts, inform funder proposals and relationship building, and external storytelling;* Convene all program staff regularly to facilitate cross-program dialogue and learning.**Impact Storytelling & Communications – 25%*** Lead and partner with the communications team to develop compelling and effective storytelling strategies, narrative content, campaigns, reports, and messaging that promote and elevate program successes and convey the impact of NEFA’s organizational work;* Support communications staff with setting and maintaining the organization’s brand, visual identity, written positioning, and social media strategy, ensuring NEFA’s public profile and relations are aligned with the organization’s mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities;* Partner with the ED, communications and program staff to assess and contribute to efforts to enhance and appropriately scale NEFA’s portfolio of advocacy efforts and activity in alignment with the organization’s strategic direction;* Support, and strengthen collaboration between communications and program staff, aligning planning timelines, creating space for brainstorming and exchange, and mapping implementation strategies;* Support communications staff to design innovative messaging and implementation strategies that leverage a variety of tools, formats, and platforms to enhance and expand NEFA’s reach;* Collaborate with Senior Development Director to leverage program storytelling as content for funding proposals and reports; contribute to efforts #J-18808-Ljbffr