ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION

The Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice is the only philanthropic organization working exclusively to advance LGBTQI human rights around the globe. We support brilliant and brave grantee partners in the U.S. and internationally who challenge oppression and seed change. We work for racial, economic, social, and gender justice because we all deserve to live our lives freely, without fear, and with dignity.

The Astraea Foundation is the first grantmaker to hundreds of organizations; the Astraea Foudation plays a catalytic role for LGBTQI groups worldwide – notably those led by lesbian, bisexual, and queer women, trans and gender-nonconforming people, intersex people, and people of color. Our grantmaking, capacity building, media and communications, and philanthropic advocacy programs support their work to build powerful justice movements. The Astraea Foundation has granted over $49 million to LGBTQI activists and artists in our 45-year history, a proud public foundation, and one of the world’s first queer feminist funds.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Astraea Foundation seeks a dedicated, passionate, and collaborative Program Officer to sustain our Intersex Human Rights Fund (IHRF) and join our program team. The IHRF disburses around $700,000 annually to intersex organizations in all regions, using a participatory grantmaking approach. Working with the Intersex Fund team (currently 2 persons) and the program team, the Program Officer, IHRF will be responsible for managing relationships with grantee partners, providing support and accompaniment, engaging in capacity building and advocacy in philanthropy, and participating in learning and evaluation of IHRF and Astraea’s programs. The program officer reports to the Astraea Foundation’s Associate Director, IHRF, and can be based anywhere in the world.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Grantmaking

• Develop and manage the Intersex Human Rights Fund’s (IHRF) grantmaking portfolios in relevant regional and thematic portfolios, including 1) designing, updating, or reviewing regional or thematic strategies and budgets, 2) conducting outreach to applicants, 3) soliciting input from activists and advisors, and 4) writing grant recommendations

• Contribute to the development of in-depth knowledge and strategic analysis of the IHRF portfolio, including current trends, threats and opportunities, and critical resources for people and organizations
• Manage relationships with the IHRF’s Advisory Board

Capacity-Strengthening and Accompaniment

• Manage relationships with potential applicants and current grantees, including resolving questions and issues, maintaining regular communications, engaging in networking, and conducting site visits
• Provide capacity strengthening and accompaniment support to grantee partners, including through organization of convenings and training, securing their access to technical assistance resources, and support with resource mobilization

Philanthropic Advocacy

• Engage in strategic philanthropic and movement partnerships by working closely with partner organizations, consultants, and funder and activist advisory groups
• Be a key player in represent IHRF and the Astraea Foundation at local and international grantmaking and advocacy conferences and donor affinity groups as appropriate to the Astraea Foundation’s philanthropic advocacy goals and participate in public speaking engagements, and support grantee partner access to such spaces
• Work collaboratively with IHRF and program team leadership, and the Astraea Foundation’s development team to help secure and retain resources for the Astraea Foundation’s programs
• Contribute to organizational initiatives through programmatic oversight, project coordination, budget management, strategy co-creation, and implementation, as well as liaison with activists, peer organizations, and consultants

Research & Communications

• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of issues and trends facing intersex organizations and movements globally, particularly in the Astraea Foundation’s and IHRF’s geographic and thematic focus areas
• Collaborate with the communications team, including generating data and reporting to influence philanthropy and developing materials that highlight the work of the IHRF grantee partners and support the Astraea Foundation’s strategic goals

Learning & Evaluation (L&E)

• Gather, analyze, and document issue-, country- and grantee-specific information to feed into the Astraea Foundation’s grantmaking, learning and evaluation, and development efforts
• Participate in the program design, implementation, and evaluation processes, including evaluating grantee progress and ability to link analysis, planning, and evaluation
• Support the learning & evaluation activities of IHRF, including coordinating with IHRF and program team members on mid-term check-in calls with grantee partners and contributing to the review and analysis of grantee reports/program activities

Cross-team Collaborative Work

• Participate in efforts to strengthen team capacity around digital security, particularly in the areas of communications and data storage

QUALIFICATIONS / REQUIREMENTS

Putting into practice our feminist values of being an organization that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive, and acknowledging that we all come from different lived experiences and backgrounds, we recognize work experience in the field over degrees or certifications for this position

Minimum:

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant fields (e.g., gender studies, international relations, social sciences, public policy, international human rights law) or equivalent work experience
• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience with intersex movements, gender, and racial justice, women’s rights, LGBTQI and human rights or social justice movements
• Commitment to and knowledge of issues facing intersex, LGBTQI and feminist movements and activists globally
• Proficiency in general computer and web-based technology, including word processing, spreadsheets, and grantmaking databases
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with demonstrated ability to manage and meet multiple deadlines and develop creative solutions
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to articulate a clear vision for social justice using a gender and racial justice lens, facilitation, and public speaking skills
• Ability to work and communicate with diverse audiences and multi-stakeholders, including donors, peer funders, community members, and grantees
• Ability to understand and maintain confidentiality
• Ability to travel within the US and internationally up to 25% of work schedule
• Passion for the Astraea Foundation’s mission as a public foundation and a queer feminist fund
• Understanding and acceptance of the Astraea Foundation’s core values and guiding principles as a social justice funder

Preferred:

• Experience working in an international organization, including experience working with remote teams
• Experience with overseeing the work of consultants
• Familiarity with funders and knowledge of grantmaking processes and procedures, particularly participatory or trust-based grantmaking models
• In addition to English, knowledge of a second language related to IHRF’s programmatic portfolios
• Comfortable talking about identities and issues related to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sex characteristics, class, ability, or gender in plain, specific terms

COMPENSATION

Astraea offers a competitive salary and benefits for this position, including resources for professional development. The annual compensation is $80,000 – $88,200USD.

HOW TO APPLY

All applicants must apply via email to jobs@astraeafoundation.org with Program Officer in the subject line.

Applications must include (ideally in a single PDF attachment):

1. A one- to two-page resume / CV describing your relevant work experience
2. A one- to two-page letter of interest that responds to the following questions:
   1. What motivates you to apply?
   2. How would your skills and experience advance the work and goals of the Intersex Human Rights Fund?
   3. What do you see as the key opportunities and challenges for Intersex activism and organizing?
   4. How has your personal or professional experience prepared you to contribute to a work environment with a strong commitment to gender justice, racial justice and intersectional feminism?

Applications are due by Friday December 1^st, 2023. We anticipate holding two rounds of interviews between December 2023 – February 2024.

Please, no phone calls. We will inform all applicants when the search is completed.

The Astraea Foundation is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse (multi-gender, cross-class and multi-racial), collaborative and sustainable work environment. We select, place, train, and promote the best-qualified individuals based upon relevant factors such as work quality, attitude, and experience to provide equal opportunity for all of our employees without regard to non-work-related factors such as sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sex characteristics, age, marital status, disability, economic status, personal appearance including height and weight, family responsibility, matriculation, political affiliation, or any other status. We strive to provide an inclusive interview experience for all, including people with disabilities. We are happy to provide reasonable accommodations to candidates needing individualized support during the hiring process. Please express that with your cover letter and resume submission.

For more information, visit www.astraeafoundation.org.