november 19, 2024

FORGE Seeking Democracy at Work Fund Program Director


***WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THIS ROLE***

FORGE - Funders Organized for Rights in the Global Economy
Program Director, Democracy at Work Fund
18 month fixed-term contract with potential for extension, subject to funding

TERMS OF REFERENCE

OVERVIEW

The Democracy at Work Fund (DAWF), a project of Funders Organized for Rights in the Global Economy (FORGE), is designed to support workers’ organizations leading efforts at the intersection of labor rights, democracy, and a just transition. This is the first multi-donor pooled fund dedicated to supporting workers’ organizations in the Global South.

THE FUND

The Fund focuses on enhancing resilience and bolstering the capacity of workers’ organizations in the informal economy, prioritizing women-led, and migrant-led groups, as well as initiatives addressing the intersection of workers’ rights, gender justice, racial justice, and climate justice. In its first year, DAWF has awarded grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 to 19 organizations in 11 countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, aiming to build resilience and strengthen the capacity of worker organizations.

THE POSITION

The Program Director will oversee the strategy, operations, and growth of the Democracy at Work Fund, playing a pivotal role in advancing the next grantmaking round. This includes leading the development of governance frameworks, establishing sustainable operating procedures, and working closely with partners to set grantmaking priorities aligned with labor movement needs. The Program Director will design a participatory and transparent grant selection process, actively cultivate and engage new funding sources, and leverage an existing network within philanthropy and labor rights to build support for the fund.

In this role, the Program Director will also represent the fund publicly, serving as a thought leader in philanthropic strategies for labor rights, worker organizing, and economic justice. Maintaining strong relationships with grantees is key, as is leading learning efforts to document and share insights with donors and stakeholders. The Program Director will collaborate closely with FORGE partners to coordinate aligned activities, donor reporting, and relationship-building across the fund’s ecosystem.

As a senior member of the FORGE Secretariat, the Program Director will support essential administrative functions, contribute to FORGE’s communication efforts, and help drive FORGE’s broader strategy. They will work closely with FORGE’s Executive Director and Program Associate. This full-time remote role is initially for an 18-month term and requires occasional travel for meetings and events.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy & Grantmaking

  • Lead and co-create a strategic grantmaking framework in close consultation with donors and field partners, ensuring alignment with labor movement needs and priorities.

  • Develop and oversee a Grant Selection Committee, leveraging insights from the fund’s initial grant round to refine processes and selection criteria.

  • Collaborate with FORGE’s fiscal sponsor to effectively administer grant funds, ensuring streamlined grant disbursement and compliance.

Fundraising & Resource Mobilization

  • Develop and execute a resource mobilization strategy to secure funding for future grantmaking rounds, drawing on a strong network within philanthropy and labor rights sectors.

  • Actively engage with donors to expand and deepen the fund’s support base, identifying new funding opportunities and leveraging existing relationships.

  • Disseminate communications that articulate the fund’s impact and importance to potential donors, particularly in underfunded areas like labor rights.

Grantee Engagement & Support

  • Build strong, trust-based relationships with grantees through appropriate regular communication and collaboration.

  • Conduct virtual and in-person site visits to deepen understanding of grantees’ work, challenges, and impact, as needed.

  • Serve as the primary point of contact for grantees, offering guidance, resources, and timely support tailored to their needs.

  • Facilitate opportunities for grantees to connect, exchange experiences, and collaborate across regions and sectors.

  • Advocate for grantee voices and insights within donor spaces, ensuring their needs and perspectives shape fund priorities and strategy.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning

  • Design and implement outcome and indicator tracking at both grant-specific and fund-wide levels to assess and document progress, adapting strategies as needed.

  • Compile and disseminate learnings from grantmaking activities, providing regular updates and impact stories to donors and stakeholders.

  • Develop mechanisms to gather and incorporate feedback from grantees, ensuring continuous improvement of grant processes.

Governance, Coordination, & Relationship Building

  • Facilitate semi-annual donor meetings to review strategy, progress, and shared learning, ensuring strong alignment and open communication across the pooled fund.

  • Lead annual planning, including budgeting processes, to align fund priorities and resource allocation.

  • Oversee financial and grants management systems in coordination with FORGE and its fiscal sponsor, ensuring operational excellence.

  • Build and maintain strategic relationships with labor organizations and allied funders to strengthen the fund’s impact, influence, and reach.

EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE REQUIRED

  • Significant experience working on labor rights issues, with at least 7 years in roles addressing labor and social justice issues. Direct experience working within or closely with trade unions, or informal worker associations/networks, is highly desirable, along with deep knowledge of labor movement dynamics and challenges.

  • Ability and proven capacity for cross-sectoral engagement and cross movement grant making connecting labor, feminist and climate justice movements.

  • Successful track record in fundraising and donor engagement within philanthropy. Ability to effectively communicate the importance of labor rights and mobilize donor support in areas outside traditional funding interests.

  • Proven strategic leadership in complex settings. Demonstrated ability to lead, inspire, and set a vision in a challenging field, with strong political judgment and strategic acumen.

  • Advanced skills in building consensus, making high-stakes decisions, and navigating crises, change, and conflict.

  • 3-5 years of experience in designing, implementing, and evaluating grantmaking strategies. This includes reviewing proposals, budgets, and assessing impact.

  • Experience working with organizations and stakeholders in Global South/Global Majority regions. Ability to build strong relationships and work effectively across diverse geographic and cultural contexts.

  • Specialized expertise in key areas such as trade union and worker organizing, labor rights in the informal sector, and migrant labor issues. A deep understanding of social and economic rights, with a focus on advancing economic, gender, racial, and climate justice. Demonstrated commitment to promoting democracy and human rights in economic systems, particularly in the context of a just energy transition.

  • Familiarity with collaborative funding institutions and a strong background in relationship management in the philanthropy and labor rights sectors.

  • Excellent organizational and time management skills. Well-organized, detail-oriented, and adept at balancing priorities and managing multiple responsibilities.

  • Event planning and management experience.

  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Suite.

  • Fluency in English, with exceptional verbal and written communication skills. Additional language skills, particularly in Spanish, are an advantage.

  • Strong problem-solving skills and adaptability, with a proactive approach to addressing challenges.

  • Effective collaboration skills in a remote setting. Resourceful, personable, and flexible, with a good sense of humor.


LOCATION & SCHEDULE

This is a full-time remote position that can be carried out anywhere in the world. The position requires at least 4 hours of work each day that overlap with business hours in the CST time zone, periodic calls outside the CST time zone to accommodate colleagues in other time zones and occasional in-person meetings in the United States (likely New York or Washington D.C.). If not U.S.-based, candidates must have legal authorization to visit the U.S. for work meetings and conferences. Candidates must have appropriate work authorization in their country of employment (i.e. this position is not eligible for work authorization sponsorship).

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

FORGE’s salary system accounts for cost-of-living variances across different locations, while minimizing differences between staff for the sake of equity. The salary range for the Program Director position in New York City is US$135,000-$150,000, depending on skills and experience. We cite the salary range in NYC as an illustrative example. Because the successful candidate may be located anywhere in the world, the salary will be adjusted to between 75-90% of the stated range for lower-cost locations, in accordance with FORGE’s personnel policy. Salaries are converted to local currency for non-U.S. residents. 

FORGE is a fiscally sponsored project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) and FORGE employees in the US are employed by RPA. FORGE offers a pension plan (401k in the U.S. or equivalent in other countries), 25 paid days off, and health insurance options as well as a stipend to cover some health care costs in countries without a national health care system.

We are committed to fostering equity and inclusion in our hiring process and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, particularly those from underrepresented communities.

HOW TO APPLY

Candidates can apply from any location. Please submit a resume/CV (no more than two pages), a cover letter (no more than two pages), and a list of three references in a single PDF.

Applications can be submitted to: Forge-jobs@forgefunders.org 

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled. We will begin reviewing applications on December 2, 2024.