Program Officers SOGIE Program, Domestic or Global Migration

Wellspring Philanthropic Fund (WPF) is a private grantmaking foundation
dedicated to advancing the realization of human rights and social and
economic justice for all people. With offices in New York, NY and Washington,
DC, Wellspring’s work is rooted in respect for the dignity and worth of
every human being and is informed by the following beliefs:
•       Social institutions and structures should promote the full realization of
human rights and human potential and should be accountable to these ends.
•       The rights of all people are advanced when the rights of the most
marginalized and     vulnerable peoples are protected.
•       Social justice movements should employ means that are consistent with
their ideals and should give agency to the people whose interests they seek
to advance.
•       As responsible stewards, we must strive to maximize the impact of our
charitable investments.

Core to Wellspring’s commitment to human rights, the Sexual Orientation,
Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Program seeks to confront and
dismantle entrenched homophobia and transphobia and to build a world in which
all LGBTQI people, including the most marginalized, enjoy full autonomy,
safety, dignity, and rights. WPF now seeks two Program Officers to join its
Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Expression Program (SOGIE). The new
Program Officers will bring capacity and expertise to a growing team
dedicated to changing the legal, social, political, and economic structures
that currently undermine LGBTQI people’s full enjoyment of equality and
justice. The ideal candidates will have deep knowledge of LGBTQI movements
and bring leadership to a distinct portfolio of grants within one of the
following two portfolios:
       Globally focused on LGTBQI people in migration with an emphasis on Latin
America:
•       Improvement in the ability of regional and international asylum systems
to respond to the needs of LGBTQI migrants, especially transgender & gender
nonconforming migrants.
•       Greater protection from violence and increased safety and security for
LGBTQI people in migration especially from Central America and at the US
Southern Border.
•       A reduction in the detention of LGBTQI migrants and asylum seekers at the
Southern Border and within the US.
•       Intersection of economic disparities with LGTBQI livelihoods globally.
       Domestically focused on a broad US based portfolio across LGTBQI
movements with an emphasis on:
•       Domestic policy work at the state and federal level.
•       Economic equity, empowerment, and inclusion related to LGTBQI people.
•       Increasing the body of research and evaluation of economic policy
implications on LGTBQI communities.
Each Program Officer will bring knowledge and familiarity in the core content
areas of the portfolio specifically: (1) LGTBQI migration issues with Spanish
language fluency required; or (2) domestic LGTBQI policy, economic justice,
and movement work. As an organization dedicated to social justice, WPF
strives to live the values they seek to cultivate within the broader society
by applying principles of fairness, respect, and justice in their
relationships with their grantees and collaborators, as well as in their
internal management processes and structures. Successful candidates will
embody WPF’s values and approach and be drawn to the opportunity to support
this important movement work as a trusted partner.

WELLSPRING PHILANTHROPIC FUND & SOGIE PROGRAM OVERVIEW

As a private grantmaking foundation with a focus on human rights and social
and economic justice, Wellspring Philanthropic Fund prioritizes work in the
following areas:
•       Promote the realization of human rights and access to economic and social
justice – including racial, gender, and economic justice – as reflected
in global norms, national policies, and local practice.
•       Expand the voices, dignity, and interests of the most marginalized and
vulnerable communities, including women, children, people living in poverty,
people of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQI people, and people affected
by armed conflict and mass atrocities.
•       Encourage vibrant, responsive, and participatory democracy.
•       Support the ability of people to hold governments and other powerful
institutions and individuals accountable to the rule of law.

The Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Program seeks
to eradicate the stigma, discrimination, and violence perpetuated by
homophobia and transphobia. It celebrates the diversity of the LGBTQI
community and recognizes that heteronormativity, misogyny, racism,
xenophobia, colonialism, state violence, and white supremacy impact people in
different ways. The Program centers LGBTQI people who face the greatest
barriers – youth, transgender and gender nonconforming people, Black people
and other people of color, and refugees and migrants. A world that is safe
for the most marginalized among us means that we are moving closer to a world
that is safer for us all.

The SOGIE Program believes that durable social change is rooted in strong
movements, bold leadership, and transformative ideas. This is fostered by
developing and supporting a vibrant ecosystem of diverse and effective actors
dedicated to changing the legal, social, political, and economic structures
that currently undermine LGBTQI people’s full enjoyment of equality and
justice.

Core to all work at WPF is a set of organizational and programmatic values
that form the base for how they approach the work and serve as guiding
principles for Wellspring staff:
•       Humility:  openness to listening to and learning from groups and leaders
working on the ground, from colleagues in philanthropy and across WPF, and to
elevating the work of our grantees, not ourselves.
•       Respect:  for WPF grantees and colleagues, their perspectives, pressures,
and contributions.
•       Teamwork:  a desire to work collaboratively and supportively with
grantees and WPF.
•       Curiosity:  to explore, to learn, to adapt, and to innovate in developing
a grantmaking portfolio that is centered on the needs, priorities, and
perspectives of those most impacted.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

These new Program Officers represent critical investments in WPF’s
commitment to the SOGIE program and will deepen the expertise, strength, and
capacity of the team. In addition to the content areas outlined, the SOGIE
Program expects the new Program Officers to share responsibility for
grantmaking in other areas, including movement, field-building, and legal and
policy work, and to work collaboratively under the direction of the SOGIE
Program Director and with team members across SOGIE and the foundation. The
Program Officer’s responsibilities fall in three broad categories, each of
which is central to the role:
Strategy and Grantmaking
•       Develop, refine, and implement grantmaking priorities and strategic
approaches to advance the program’s theory of change, goals, objectives,
and outcomes and contribute to strategic learning, evaluation, and program
adaptation.
•       Monitor new developments and trends in the field and provide analyses to
synthesize implications for the program and ensure that Wellspring’s
resources are directed appropriately toward the highest level of impact.
•       Identify potential grantees and invite grantmaking proposals; build
relationships and trust with prospective grantees and partners; conduct due
diligence; and write grant recommendations.
•       Effectively manage grantee relationships, review progress reports,
conduct evaluations of grantee programs, and monitor use of grant funds.
•       Act as a connector between grantees and partners, strengthening
relationships across sectors and seeking opportunities for collaboration.
•       Ensure adherence to internal grantmaking processes via appropriate
documentation, grant budgeting, data entry, and reporting.
•       Collaborate with the department of Learning and Evaluation to develop
ways to evaluate grants and share learnings.
External Relations
•       Engage with peer funders and external stakeholders working in fields
relevant to the SOGIE Program by sharing best practices and integrating new
learnings into the portfolio.
•       Take part in creative use of learning processes, conferences, convenings,
co-funding partnerships, pooled funds, and other tools to promote common and
complementary grantmaking agendas and advance learning in the philanthropic
and advocacy sectors.
•       Participate on panels at funder conferences and other learning
opportunities highlighting WPF’s grantees’ work and progress made under
the program’s grantmaking strategy.
•       Remain well-connected to key actors in the field and understand what new
and deepening opportunities exist to lift up and support communities on the
ground.
Organizational Engagement
•       Support and contribute to SOGIE Program team development and
infrastructure, including weekly meetings and annual retreats.
•       Shape and participate in internal program presentations and opportunities
for shared learning.
•       Advance institution‐wide initiatives, including by serving on internal
committees and/or task forces.
•       Contribute to educating and engaging Wellspring’s donors, leadership,
other staff members, and public audiences on issues and develop program
communication materials, in collaboration with the team and other Wellspring
departments.

QUALIFICATIONS OF THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate brings a deep commitment to WPF’s mission and passion
for LGBTQI liberation. They should bring both a seriousness of purpose and a
sense of joy to the work. WPF seeks colleagues eager to learn, grow, and be
part of an enterprise larger than themselves. Key qualifications include:
Content Knowledge and Champion
•       Ten years’ experience in social justice work paired with deep knowledge
and expertise of LGBTQI movements and issues gained through professional
and/or lived experience.
•       An understanding and commitment to continued learning of the forces that
create and maintain systemic inequities.
•       Passion for and commitment to social justice, including racial and gender
equity, as an organizational operating principle – and committed to
continued learning on issues related to race, gender, identity, disability,
equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
•       Program Officer, Migration:  Familiarity with key issues and trends
facing migrants globally and specifically in Latin America and at the US
Southern border, and how those intersect with LGTBQI people; Fluency in
Spanish and experience living outside the United States required in order to
effectively communicate with and support grantees in Latin America.
•       Program Officer, Domestic:  Familiarity with domestic policy/advocacy
landscape and the economic disparities facing LGTBQI people; experience
leveraging and advocating for pathways toward greater economic equity,
empowerment, and inclusion.
Reasoning and Strategic Thinking
•       Ability to center an intersectional analysis of equity, especially
regarding race, class, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and
gender expression.
•       Excellent research and analytical skills with the ability to recognize
connections and identify patterns; curiosity to seek out information and
connection across a broad range of issues and synthesize information clearly
and concisely.
•       Sound judgment and the ability to make complex, multidimensional
decisions based on both facts and experience.
•       Strong oral and written communication skills and dexterity in
communicating with a broad diversity of partners and audiences with clarity
and authenticity.
Building Relationships and Influencing Others
•       Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain close, collegial, and
effective working relationships with colleagues and grantees of diverse
backgrounds and perspectives.
•       Strong listening skills with the ability to quickly connect and build
trust.
•       A collaborator and team player, someone who is open, adaptable, and leads
with humility.
Portfolio Management
•       Ability to plan and manage multiple priorities on different timelines.
•       Sophistication and commitment to adhere to confidentiality policies and
manage confidential information thoughtfully.

WORKING WITH WPF

While this position will be based in New York, NY, please note that due to
COVID-19, all WPF staff are currently working remotely. WPF anticipates being
able to reopen their offices in accordance with health and safety guidelines
in 2022 at which time the position is expected to work out of the NY based
office on a hybrid schedule. Once it is safe, travel 30-40% of the time will
be required as the Program Officer builds relationships and engages with
partners.

The salary range for this position is $120,000 - $135,000 based on
experience. WPF offers a very generous benefits package including health
insurance (with 100% of the premiums paid for employees and 80% of the
premiums paid for spouses, domestic partners, and qualified family members),
life insurance, long‐term disability protection, 401(k) retirement plan,
support for continuing education, up to $5,250 in annual student loan
repayment or college savings assistance for qualified dependents and is
committed to providing transgender‐inclusive healthcare.