Managing Director, Growing Justice Fund

Assets Under Movement

9d•Remote

About The Position

The Growing Justice Fund (GJF) is a practitioner-led philanthropic fund dedicated to transforming how institutions purchase food, making large-scale procurement a vehicle for racial equity, food sovereignty, and economic justice. GJF was built on the insight that those most affected by inequities in our food system have historically had the least power to shape solutions. The Fund is governed by an Advisory Committee of frontline leaders, and decisions are made through participatory processes that center lived experience, collective wisdom, and accountability to community. Since 2023, GJF has awarded over $13.7 million to 92 grantee partners across all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Fund’s three strategic priorities are Traditional Food Pathways, Building Infrastructure, and Building Policy Action. GJF is fiscally sponsored by and formally housed within Assets Under Movement (AUM+).

Requirements

At least ten years of demonstrated experience in philanthropic leadership, fund development, systems change, or movement-aligned institutions.
Demonstrated leadership and deep experience in the food movement, with strong knowledge of and relationships within BIPOC, Tribal, Indigenous, and worker justice communities central to GJF’s work.
A proven track record of raising a minimum of $5 million or more annually through institutional philanthropy, major gifts, and multi-year grant cultivation.
Experience in grant distribution and grantee portfolio management.
Demonstrated philanthropic relationships in food systems, Native communities, labor rights, and allied movements.
Strong governance literacy and experience working with nonprofit advisory boards or committees, particularly participatory or practitioner-led models.
Proven ability to build and manage complex, multi-sector partnerships.
Deep commitment to racial equity, community-centered leadership, and values-aligned institutional design.
Excellent communication, facilitation, and strategic thinking skills.

Nice To Haves

Comfort with significant travel to meet with funders, Advisory Committee members, grantees, and national conference audiences.

Responsibilities

Lead and facilitate long-range planning, strategic visioning, and alignment with input from the Advisory Committee.
Implement Advisory Committee-approved strategy, in alignment with organizational values or consensus process.
Work closely with the Advisory Committee to follow appropriate operating processes and procedures that advance decision-making frameworks and norms, derived from community and movement-rooter values.
Support and document Advisory Committee working groups in strategy development, policy review, and major decisions.
Ensure governance frameworks remain current, transparent, and responsive to the Fund’s scale and complexity, along with the requirements of the Fund’s fiscal agent.
Identify and engage potential funders that have values alignment and interest in supporting constituent communities.
Serve as the primary point of contact for philanthropic funders, institutional partners, and aligned investors.
Develop and execute multi-year fundraising strategies aligned with programmatic priorities and organizational growth, with a target of raising a minimum of $4 million annually.
Cultivate long-term funder relationships grounded in trust, transparency, and shared learning.
Design and initiate capital formation strategies, including reserve policies, pooled funding mechanisms, and long-term sustainability planning.
Coordinate shared fundraising responsibilities with AC members and staff where appropriate.
Provide direct management of operations and ensure effective execution of operational systems, including grants management, compliance, communications, and board administration.
Manage all internal staff and oversee the engagement and coordination of key consultants and vendors, including financial, legal, evaluation, and communications partners.
Build internal capacity to support grantmaking, funder reporting, learning, and impact evaluation.
Ensure organizational systems are well-documented, scalable, and aligned with best practices in philanthropy.
Clarify and build the staffing structure needed to support the Fund's growth.
Ensure compliance with AUM+ policies, procedures, and requirements.
Represent the Growing Justice Fund in public forums, conferences, funder convenings, and sector leadership spaces while coordinating and leveraging the Advisory Committee representation in alignment with AUM+ guidelines.
Articulate the Fund’s mission, values, and strategy to external stakeholders.
Position the Fund as a national anchor for equity-based food systems funding and practitioner-led philanthropic models.
Closely collaborate with the Growing Justice Fund Advisory Committee and Co-Chairs, while maintaining compliance with the Fund’s fiscal agent, AUM+.
Participates in the AUM + performance review and evaluation processes informed by the Fund’s governance framework.
Upholds the Fund’s commitments to racial equity, community leadership, transparency, and shared accountability.