Manager, Grantmaking

Manager, Grantmaking

Location: New York, New York

Type: Full-time

About Siegel Family Endowment

Siegel Family Endowment Is a foundation focused on understanding and shaping the impact of technology on society.  Siegel supports organizations whose work contributes to giving everyone the opportunity to learn and contribute to a rapidly changing society. We were founded in 2011 by David M. Siegel, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of technology-driven algorithmic investment manager Two Sigma. We primarily focus on three interest areas: Learning, Workforce, and Infrastructure. Our grantmaking philosophy and process differs from many more traditional foundations -- we encourage you to read through the “Our Approach” on www.siegelendowment.org/​ to understand more about how we work with potential grantees.

Position Summary 

Reporting to the Director and Head of Grantmaking, the Grants Manager will work closely with their colleagues on the Grantmaking Team to execute the vision for Siegel’s learning, workforce, and infrastructure portfolio through sourcing, recommending new grants, engaging with current grantees to help them build capacity and strengthen our network, and engaging with the field at large. 

The Grants Manager will identify potential philanthropic investments, and cultivate and sustain relationships with current and potential grantees, foundations, and other nonprofit organizations. The Grants Manager  will determine whether an effort or organization is of interest to the foundation and help shape connections and ideas within and beyond Siegel’s portfolio.

The Grants Manager will play a critical role in building Siegel’s reputation and partnerships. This role is an excellent opportunity to build strong relationships and gain exposure to a variety of nonprofit organizations.

Responsibilities

Sourcing, Learning, & Grantmaking 

• Source and conduct due diligence to vet promising ideas, programs, and organizations by developing a deep understanding of the work and the context in which it operates
• Work in partnership with colleagues to analyze and understand strategy alignment of potential new grant opportunities, with a specific focus on inquiry-focused grants in partnership with our research team
• Synthesize learnings from the field and collaborate with fellow team members to uncover interesting opportunities at the intersection of our interest areas and topics for  further exploration 
• Prepare grant pitches and grant recommendations for review by the Executive Director and the Board of Directors 
• Be responsible for the grant lifecycle from approval through to grant execution and implementation

Grantmaking Management

• Serve grantees in a multifaceted capacity as supporter, advocate, and observer
• Build and maintain strong relationships, particularly focused on creating strong network ties between our grantees and partners in our portfolio(s) 
• Apply Monitoring, Evaluation and Assessment system to grantee engagement
• Help facilitate internal learning from grantee relationships through observation of and reflection on our grants
• Manage grants data across systems and ensure its accuracy

Grantmaking External Engagement

• Increase and promote awareness of Siegel by cultivating a network of peers that understand our work
• Contribute to white papers, Medium posts, and/or other publications that elevate Siegel’s work or the work of our grantees
• Represent Siegel at conferences, in professional associations, and other public venues (occasional travel will be necessary)

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5+ years of experience working in nonprofit, philanthropy, or relevant field aligned to our interest areas
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Intellectual curiosity and deep interest in topics related to the foundation’s mission
• Exceptional at the art and science of working collaboratively across teams
• Strong organizational, project management, and problem-solving skills