Office of the President (OOP) Fellow

Kauffman Foundation • Headquarters, KY

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The Office of the President (OOP) Fellow is a 12-24 month leadership fellowship at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, designed for an emerging leader. This role offers firsthand experience at the intersection of philanthropy, civic leadership, public affairs, and executive strategy. The Fellow will work directly with the President and CEO and the Office of the President team to support high-impact initiatives that advance the Foundation's mission of fostering economic mobility through entrepreneurship, workforce and career development, and college access and completion. This fellowship provides significant exposure to executive leadership, community partners, policymakers, nonprofit leaders, business executives, and philanthropic organizations. The Fellow will contribute to strategic initiatives, strengthen stakeholder relationships, support executive communications, and collaborate across the Foundation. It is designed as a leadership development experience with meaningful responsibility, executive mentorship, and broad organizational exposure, preparing participants for future leadership roles.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required; master's degree or equivalent professional experience preferred.
• Three to five years of professional experience in public policy, nonprofit management, government, consulting, communications, philanthropy, business, or a related field.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong research, analytical, and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment, discretion, and professionalism when handling confidential information.
• Passion for civic leadership, philanthropy, entrepreneurship, education, or public service.

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting senior executives or organizational leadership.
• Experience engaging with community stakeholders, public officials, or cross-sector partnerships.
• Familiarity with Kansas City's civic, business, nonprofit, or philanthropic landscape.
• Experience preparing executive presentations, speeches, briefing materials, or policy analyses.
• Experience collaborating across multiple teams in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Support the President and CEO's engagement with community, civic, business, philanthropic, education, and government leaders.
• Help cultivate and strengthen relationships with strategic external stakeholders and community partners.
• Conduct stakeholder research and prepare briefing materials for meetings, events, and community engagements.
• Represent the Office of the President at community meetings, convenings, and public events, as appropriate.
• Identify opportunities to deepen the Foundation's visibility, partnerships, and community engagement.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to the Office of the President by conducting research, preparing analyses, and developing recommendations.
• Collaborate with the Strategic Communications team to develop messaging, speeches, talking points, and communications supporting the President's external engagements.
• Coordinate across Policy, Strategic Communications, and other Foundation teams to ensure consistency and alignment in executive messaging and public engagement.
• Prepare briefing documents, issue summaries, and background materials to support executive decision-making.
• Coordinate follow-up on executive meetings and strategic priorities.
• Assist in managing cross-functional initiatives involving multiple Foundation teams.
• Lead and support strategic initiatives identified by the President and executive leadership.
• Conduct research, coordinate stakeholders, and develop recommendations on issues of strategic importance to the Foundation.
• Develop project plans, monitor milestones, and help ensure successful execution of cross-functional initiatives.
• Analyze information and synthesize findings into actionable recommendations for leadership.
• Support innovation efforts and emerging opportunities aligned with the Foundation's strategic priorities.

Benefits

• Direct mentorship from the President and senior Foundation leaders.
• Broad exposure to executive leadership, philanthropy, strategy, and community engagement.
• Build relationships with leaders across the nonprofit, business, education, philanthropic, and public sectors.
• Lead meaningful projects with visible organizational and community impact.
• Participate in professional development opportunities, executive learning sessions, and leadership networking experiences.
• Strengthen executive communication, strategic thinking, project management, and stakeholder engagement skills.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level