Heartland Fund Rural Democracy Policy & Program Senior Manager

Clover Search Works • Remote, United States, None

4d • $85,000 - $100,000 • Remote

About The Position

Heartland Fund, part of the Rural Democracy Initiative (RDI), seeks a strategic, collaborative Policy and Program Senior Manager to support and help drive Rural Democracy’s grantmaking and policy strategy. The role manages a portfolio of grantees, builds trusting relationships, assesses organizational capacity needs, and recommends investments intended to increase rural communities’ power and advance meaningful policy change. The position also works with the Communications and Policy Director to co-lead the bi-annual Rural Policy Action Summit and produce the Rural Policy Action Report, while building grantee capacity, sharing learning and success stories, and coordinating with funding partners.

The position supports Rural Democracy’s 501(c)(3) program and also works part-time on its affiliated Rural Victory Fund (RVF) project, advancing 501(c)(4) investments. The role is supervised by the Rural Democracy Senior Program Officer; RVF responsibilities are overseen by Sixteen Thirty Fund. The position is full-time and exempt, remote from a home within the United States, with occasional travel within the US. The desired start date is in February 2027. The starting salary range is $85,000 to $100,000, based on skills and relevant experience.

Heartland Fund is a funder collaborative that invests in rural and Native organizations and leaders through grantmaking, convening, research, communications, and storytelling. Its work supports local capacity for issue advocacy, community organizing, economic development, climate solutions, civic engagement, and sustainable urban-rural coalitions, with racial justice prioritized throughout. The Rural Democracy program invests in civic engagement infrastructure in small towns and rural areas to strengthen democratic participation and help communities shape their futures.

Requirements

• At least 7 years of related work experience in a nonprofit, advocacy, government, intermediary, or foundation setting, or equivalent, working on projects with varied deadlines and deliverables.
• Understanding of social change, civic engagement, public policy, or political strategy.
• Significant experience advancing policy change and navigating policy tradeoffs within coalitions, including connecting local and state priorities to federal policy.
• Demonstrated commitment to racial justice and fluency with equity and anti-racist practices.
• Ability to listen deeply, make space for different perspectives, and work with people from varied political, cultural, and social backgrounds.
• Strong writing and verbal communication skills, including the ability to clearly communicate an organization’s mission and impact.
• Excellent relationship-management skills with diverse constituencies and a service orientation in grantee relationships.
• Ability to work independently and drive complex projects requiring substantial cross-organizational and external collaboration.
• Demonstrated experience building and using organizational systems to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and complex projects, with exceptional attention to detail.
• Experience with event and convening organization and facilitation, and with coalition work.
• Entrepreneurial, resourceful, proactive, and creative problem-solving approach.
• Connection to and passion for rural people and places.
• Ability to work remotely from a home within the United States and undertake occasional travel within the US.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in philanthropy and grantmaking.
• Experience working on rural federal policy and/or with national advocacy organizations.
• Understanding of the media and communications landscape and the relationship between media and policy outcomes.
• Understanding of rural and small-town America through lived, professional, and/or volunteer experience.
• Familiarity with digital platforms and tools, including Monday.com, Google Suite, Airtable, Fluxx, and Slack.
• 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) nonprofit program management experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement grantmaking strategies for assigned priority states.
• Manage policy- and communications-focused grantmaking as well as state-based grantmaking portfolios.
• Conduct research and outreach in specified geographies, communities, and issue areas to advance strategy.
• Lead outreach to current and prospective grantees and partners, including check-ins, report collection, and site visits.
• Gather, review, and organize grant proposals, reports, and supporting materials; prioritize and recommend grants; and support grant docket preparation.
• Assess impacts and opportunities with field and funding partners.
• Co-lead and manage the bi-annual Rural Policy Action Summit, coordinating a 50-person convening for federal policy development and peer learning.
• Project manage and contribute to the bi-annual Rural Policy Action Report on federal policies, legislation, and executive action that can strengthen rural communities.
• Serve as a thought partner to democracy staff on policy best practices.
• Support grantees in advancing rural policy priorities through resources, coaching, and peer-to-peer learning.
• Contribute to policy-focused communications and amplify policy efforts.
• Support the Senior Program Officer and Strategic Partnerships team in responding to funders, stakeholders, partners, and aligned organizations.
• Participate in grantee data collection, including the bi-annual civic engagement survey, capacity-building surveys, and political landscape summary.
• Monitor and update grantmaking data systems with the Grants Management team.
• Advance program priorities through team meetings, retreats, grantee surveys, work plans, and project plans.
• Connect grantees with resources, tools, and capacity-building opportunities.
• Identify persuasive case examples and timely news, and communicate grantee success stories and lessons learned through newsletters, annual reports, and policy memos.
• Turn grantee stories, photos, quotes, and anecdotes into content supporting fundraising, including proposals and reports for funders and donors.
• Work with the team on Rural Democracy’s affiliated Rural Victory Fund project to advance 501(c)(4) investments.
• Provide leadership and vision to advance the organization’s mission, vision, and core strategies.

Benefits

• 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families.
• 401(k) retirement plan with a 3% automatic employer contribution and up to a 3% employer match on employee contributions.
• Pre-tax transportation benefits.
• 120 hours of vacation time annually.
• 80 hours of health leave annually.
• Up to 2 days of casual leave annually.
• 20 hours of volunteer leave annually.
• 13 paid holidays annually.
• 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave after 90 days of employment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed