Director of Community & Partnerships

Job Description Summary

Job Description

The Director of Community & Partnerships reports to the President and CEO and ensures that grantees and partners have access to the connections they need to thrive.

The Director of Community & Partnerships is a vital part of the philanthropic landscape. By providing support and fostering a strong community, the Director helps ensure that grantees are equipped to succeed in their respective areas. These efforts recognize the value of active engagement with partners beyond financial support by facilitating learning and connection through networking events, workshops, learning alliances, task forces, rural insights tours, and other initiatives that bring together grantees, funders, partners, and experts, enhancing the overall ecosystem.

The ideal candidate is a systems thinker, relationship builder, and creative operator who brings experience working across groups and connecting people, information, and ideas.

Responsibilities

Grantee Support & Capacity Building

• Design and lead initiatives that support grantee success beyond funding, including access to capacity-building resources, training, and strategic guidance.

• Act as a resource for grantees and Patterson Fellows, assisting them with critical operations such as hiring, business development, marketing, and networking.

• Provide mentorship and strategic insights to grantees, helping them navigate challenges and make informed decisions about their operations.

Community Building & Network Development

• Cultivate and manage a network of partners, advisors, service providers, and peer funders who can add value to grantees.

• Build collaborative relationships with other philanthropic organizations, civic institutions, and community leaders

• Represent the Foundation at relevant events and forums to strengthen its presence and partnerships.

Resource Management

• Create and manage a resource library, learning modules, and advisory networks tailored to common grantee needs (e.g. fundraising, data, leadership development).

• Facilitate peer-learning opportunities and convenings among grantee organizations to encourage collaboration and shared learning.

Platform Operations & Internal Collaboration

• Collaborate with the Program, Impact, and Communications Teams to surface insights, trends, and learnings from the field to inform strategy and future funding priorities.

• Implement and manage systems and tools that support grantee engagement, communications, and knowledge-sharing.

• Organize networking events, workshops, learning alliances, task forces, rural insights tours, and other initiatives that bring together grantees, funders, partners, and experts, enhancing the overall ecosystem for grantees.

• Track and report on key platform KPIs, including grantee satisfaction, engagement levels, and ecosystem impact.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in leadership, philanthropy, ecosystem development, or a related field.

• Demonstrated ability to build programs, communities, and partnerships that drive organizational effectiveness and field-level impact.

• Strong communication and facilitation skills; able to engage diverse stakeholders with authenticity and clarity.

• Experience designing or delivering capacity-building initiatives or peer-learning networks.

• Familiarity with tools such as CRM systems, content management platforms, and collaborative tech (e.g., Salesforce, Jira, Airtable, Notion, etc.).

• The ability to think strategically about how to best support grantees and enhance their growth.

• Passion for community impact and systems change.

• This ability to travel within the catchment and to conferences as appropriate.

• Model the Foundation’s Commitments: lead, communicate openly, avoid surprises, focus on solutions, stay curious, follow through, and lead with gratitude.