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Research Director at Oregon Community Foundation

Digest topic: Jobs & Internships

Information

organization:The Oregon Community Foundation
position summary:

Status: Full-Time, Exempt

Background

The Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) is Oregon’s largest foundation. OCF is a statewide, publicly supported nonprofit corporation that administers charitable funds established through gifts and bequests from individuals, families, businesses, and other nonprofit organizations. OCF makes grants and other distributions to qualified educational and charitable organizations principally in the state of Oregon. OCF currently manages over 1,600 charitable funds with assets of approximately $950 million and annual grant awards of $60 million.

Job Summary

As a leading convener and funder in Oregon, the Oregon Community Foundation is committed to supporting best practices and educating its constituencies on policies and strategies that will produce positive change for Oregon residents. OCF is seeking a Research Director to collect, organize, analyze and present data, both quantitative and qualitative, in a useful format to inform and guide the Foundation’s activities, including a recently adopted five-year strategic plan. The Research Director will (1) investigate the highest priority issues selected by the board of directors; (2) keep OCF current on trends and needs in Oregon; (3) present information in creative, engaging ways; (4) conduct other research as needed to serve donors, staff and volunteers.

The Research Director will work at OCF’s Portland office and is supervised by OCF’s Chief Operating Officer. The Research Director works closely with the management team to prioritize tasks and develop his/her work plan.

Salary / Pay Rate:Beginning salary range: $70K - $80K. Excellent benefits include health, dental and vision insurance; life and disability insurance; 401K.
Apply by:September 13, 2010
Required Skills and Abilities:• Serve as overall manager of OCF’s research on statewide and local issues related to its strategic plan and other key issues affecting Oregon. • Stay current on recent data, trends, thoughts and practices on various issues, from multiple perspectives, to inform OCF stakeholder discussions. • Develop portfolios on selected issues reflecting current trends, best practices, case studies, pros and cons of recommended strategies, and potential partners within or beyond Oregon who would be supportive. Both rural and urban perspectives should be included to reflect the Foundation’s role as a statewide organization. Examples of issues include economic development, education, and others relevant for children and families. Portfolios will be reviewed by staff and the board of directors. • Present information to the staff and board of directors, including convening expert panelists, inviting speakers, and preparing background materials. • Write content for OCF constituencies to understand the issues and strategies implemented by the board of directors and staff. Content may be used for multiple media including brochures, website, social networking sites, newsletters, and presentations. Diverse styles of writing are required to reach multiple types of audiences. • Present the data, policy decisions, and other information OCF wants to convey to the public through local presentations, blogs, and conferences as needed. • Help evaluate the Foundation’s progress and publish reports, case studies or other documents as needed in formats described above. • Conduct special projects from time to time to research issues identified by advised fund donors and other OCF departments. • Develop a budget for research contractors and allocate funds for priority projects. • Manage the work of research contractors, volunteers, interns or staff working on specific OCF research projects. This position description reflects management's assignment of essential functions. It does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.
Qualifications:• Strong interest in philanthropy and its role in addressing broad public issues and problems. • Knowledge of major trends in Oregon, including but not limited to the welfare of children and families, public education, and the economy. • Masters degree or 5 years of experience as a researcher and writer. • Able to conduct qualitative and quantitative research (interviews, focus groups, surveys, internet searches, literature reviews, etc.) as needed. • Excellent communication skills, including both interpersonal and public speaking skills. • Excellent ability to write for multiple audiences in various formats. • Experienced with various forms of data collection; strong ability to synthesize data into useable formats. • Strong ability to work as a team member and work independently when necessary. • Excellent organization skills; able to produce work in a timely manner and meet deadlines. • Willingness to travel occasionally as needed, primarily within Oregon. Must have valid driver’s license. Application Submission Submit resume and cover letter by September 15, 2010 to: [email protected], or Research Officer, The Oregon Community Foundation, 1221 SW Yamhill St., Suite 100, Portland, OR 97205. No phone calls please. • Willingness to work occasional evenings or other hours outside normal work hours as needed. • Good technology skills: adept at use of Microsoft Office applications; facile internet user; keyboard proficiency and experience working in a network environment with an integrated database. • Occasionally lift or move objects of moderate weight (e.g., printed materials, projector). • Regular attendance and punctuality.
Education Required:Graduate degree
Other:Equal Opportunity Employer
website link:oregoncf.org