About Northwest Area Foundation

The Northwest Area Foundation (NWAF) stands alongside changemakers in its region of eight states and 76 Native nations and funds work that leads to racial, social, and economic justice. The eight states include Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. The Foundation’s driving vision is that the people of its priority communities—including Native Americans, communities of color, immigrants, refugees, and people in rural areas—thrive on their own terms. A key motivation is to support grantee partners that change unjust systems to serve, support, and heal their communities.

As we all move forward changed from the relatively recent and ongoing crises—a pandemic, economic turmoil, the upsurge for racial justice in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, and mounting pressures on priority communities—the Foundation continues to deepen its commitment to supporting grantee-led change.

Internally, it has made measurable progress to strengthen justice-centered systems designed to support a deeply engaged staff and build an inclusive culture and belonging. At this critical juncture in time, the Foundation seeks a new Vice President, Program (VPP) to lead its Program team, which conducts grantmaking and makes program-related investments (PRIs) to support the mission. The VPP will lead a team that currently includes five Program Officers, two Program Coordinators, and a Program Operations Manager. The VPP works closely with the CEO to develop and implement the Foundation’s funding approach and serves as the lead staff to the Board of Directors’ Program Committee. The VPP also works closely with the CFO to execute the Foundation’s impact investing strategy, which includes both PRIs as well as market-rate mission-related investments (MRIs). As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the VPP will collaborate cross functionally with peers leading the communications, justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI), finance and operations, and HR functions for the organization. As a representative of the Foundation with key stakeholders, including grantee partners, communities, and philanthropic peers, the VPP will deepen connections to the field and spearhead the Foundation’s evaluation efforts.

This position is hybrid with in-person office time required at least two days a week, specifically on Wednesdays and Thursdays, for collaborative time with colleagues. Foundation staff may work from home, or in other work-friendly environments, on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays.

To Apply

More about Northwest Area Foundation may be found at: www.nwaf.org.

This search is being led by Allison Kupfer Poteet, Phuong Quach, and Andres Marcuse-Gonzalez of NPAG. Candidates may submit their cover letter, outlining their interest and qualifications, along with their resume via NPAG’s candidate portal by Wednesday, January 8, 2025. NPAG welcomes expressions of interest, questions and/or nominations submitted via this form.

An Equal-Opportunity Employer with a commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
NWAF is an equal opportunity employer and all employees and applicants for employment are afforded equal opportunity in every area of hiring and employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity, age, disability, mental illness, sexual harassment, sexual orientation, genetics, military/veteran status, citizenship, arrest record, and any other legally protected characteristic.

The above statements are not intended to encompass all functions and qualifications of the position; rather, they are intended to provide a general framework of the position's requirements. Job incumbents may be required to perform other functions not specifically addressed in this description.