Vice President for Community Impact

PURPOSE OF POSITION

The Vice President for Community Impact serves as a primary liaison between the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties (CFPBMC) and its surrounding communities. This executive leads CFPBMC’s impact-focused, trust-based grantmaking model, providing strategic oversight and management of all programmatic activities including competitive scholarship and grant programs, and community leadership initiatives.

This position requires deep understanding of and regular interaction with all constituents of the Community Foundation – donors, grantees, nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, and the Board of Directors – as well as other community conveners to effectively advance the Foundation’s mission.

The role demands a deep commitment to fair access and opportunities for everyone in our community, coupled with thoughtful awareness of different backgrounds and a genuine willingness to learn from diverse experiences.

The Vice President builds and stewards relationships with nonprofits, funding partners, family foundations, government agencies, and community leaders throughout Palm Beach and Martin Counties to amplify CFPBMC’s visibility and champion critical community causes. Through strategic scholarship administration, responsive grant making, and proactive community leadership efforts, this position strengthens CFPBMC’s role as a catalyst for positive change in the region.

As a member of the Leadership Team reporting to the President & CEO, this position attends Board of Directors meetings and provides staff leadership to the Board-led Community Impact Committee and Scholarship Committee.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Team Management and Leadership

• Support the President & CEO in strategic planning, operations, and special projects
• Champion the Foundation’s strategic vision, mission, values, and equity commitments
• Lead the Community Impact team through effective talent management, coaching, and career development
• Deliver high-quality performance management, budgeting, and administrative systems
• Serve as a strategic Leadership Team member to set organizational direction and priorities
• Lead engagement with the Board’s Community Impact Committee and Scholarship Committee to refine impact strategies
• Demonstrate a collaborative leadership style that prioritizes active listening, empowering staff contributions, and providing meaningful support for professional growth
• Foster strong collaborative relationships with peers across departments to ensure alignment and maximize organizational impact

Nonprofit Resource Leadership

The VP leverages the Community Impact Index (an internal database of all CFPBMC grantees from the past 5 years) to ensure comprehensive capture of nonprofit organizations operating in the region. By maintaining and expanding this knowledge base, the VP arms the Community Foundation with vital information about service providers and their focus areas throughout Palm Beach and Martin Counties.

This role ensures the Community Impact team serves as the definitive resource for information related to how community issues are being addressed, positioning CFPBMC as the go-to authority for stakeholders seeking insights about local nonprofit activities and service gaps.

Community Engagement

• Maintain high community visibility through strategic relationship building with community partners and nonprofits
• Create opportunities to listen directly to community needs, prioritizing voices with lived experiences and their service providers
• Cultivate grantee relationships built on transparency, mutual accountability, trust, and collaboration
• Provide comprehensive support beyond funding, including network connections, capacity building assistance, and thought partnership
• Develop and maintain premier knowledge resources on community nonprofit organizations to enhance grantmaking and philanthropic advising
• Identify and prioritize community civic and social needs by leading the Community Impact team as a grassroots information source
• Design and facilitate strategic convenings of community leaders and nonprofits to address critical issues
• Build strong relationships with peers in philanthropy, government, nonprofit, and business sectors to create impactful collaborations

Nonprofit Capacity Building

• Develop and implement comprehensive capacity-building strategies to strengthen nonprofit organizations throughout Palm Beach and Martin Counties
• Identify common organizational challenges and design targeted resources, training opportunities, and technical assistance programs
• Collaborate with community partners to leverage collective expertise in supporting nonprofit effectiveness
• Evaluate and measure the impact of capacity-building initiatives to ensure they meet community needs
• Create peer learning opportunities for nonprofit leaders to share best practices and build supportive networks

Competitive Grant Program Management

• Design, implement, and supervise comprehensive community impact initiatives, including targeted grant programs and capacity-building efforts
• Focus grantmaking on critical need areas identified through community-informed assessments
• Collaborate with the Chief Financial Officer to develop and manage annual competitive grantmaking budgets
• Serve as the primary point of contact for grant seekers regarding funding priorities while maintaining positive community relationships
• Manage special projects and initiatives, including oversight of consultants and contractors
• Develop knowledge-sharing processes to identify the best practices and philanthropic trends
• Implement and refine feedback systems to continuously improve grantmaking processes
• Ensure impactful outcomes through accessible reporting mechanisms that respect grantee capacity
• Partner with Marketing & Community Engagement to showcase impact stories

Scholarship Program Management

• Oversee and lead the Foundation’s scholarship program, enhancing processes and implementing best practices for annual scholarship cycles
•  Partner with the Philanthropic Services team to strategically address and reduce the scholarship program’s funding gap
•  Collaborate with the Chief Financial Officer to develop and manage dedicated scholarship budgets
•  Drive initiatives to improve program efficiency, accessibility, and overall impact
•  Establish robust feedback and evaluation mechanisms to ensure continuous improvement in scholarship delivery

Donor Engagement and Value Creation

Collaborate with the Philanthropic Services team to:

• Identify and communicate community needs to Foundation donors
• Support development of nonprofit database resources to enhance donor philanthropy
• Cultivate regional and national funder relationships to increase resources for Palm Beach and Martin Counties
• Innovatively address the scholarship program funding gap through targeted donor engagement strategies

CORE COMPETENCIES

The ideal candidate brings a deep understanding of philanthropy’s unique role in addressing community challenges. Success requires passion, empathy, humility, and courage to drive meaningful change, alongside personal and professional integrity, sound judgment, and intellectual curiosity. The position demands a commitment to transparency, relationship-building excellence, and advanced project management skills, with a demonstrated ability to manage multiple workstreams while meeting deadlines.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Adaptability and willingness to champion innovative approaches in community philanthropy
• Deep commitment to the Foundation’s purpose and equity principles
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with a proven ability to build trusting relationships across diverse backgrounds
• Comprehensive understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion principles and their application
• Strong customer service orientation, both internally and externally
• Ability to thrive in fast-paced environments while maintaining accuracy
• Commitment to confidentiality when handling sensitive information
• Team-oriented mindset with demonstrated success in cross-functional collaboration
• • Inclusive leadership approach that empowers staff through active listening and supportive mentorship

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred
• Minimum 10 years of professional experience, including five years in the social sector at a leadership level
• Proven experience in strategic planning, operationalizing values and strategies, change management, and budget oversight
• Demonstrated success in talent management, professional development, and team building
•  Track record of developing and implementing successful nonprofit capacity-building initiatives

COMMUNICATION STRENGTHS

• Exceptional writing, proofreading, and critical thinking skills
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication capabilities
• Excellence in public speaking and presentation delivery 
• Strong editing skills for reports and other communications 
• Ability to translate complex community needs into compelling narratives for diverse audiences

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while setting clear priorities
• Adaptable mindset with attention to detail and creative problem-solving skills
•  Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders
• Exceptional organizational and self-direction capabilities

Salary and benefits commensurate with experience.