New Pluralists Collaborative is a cross-ideological funder and field collaborative catalyzing a culture of pluralism in America. We believe the promise of pluralism is core to America realizing our founding ideals of liberty, equality, and justice. When we’re able to live among, work with, and care about people who are different from us – including across race and ethnicity, faith, geography, and political affiliation – and when we can navigate conflict well, we can strengthen our communities, and solve the challenges we face as citizens of a healthy and peaceful democracy.
The work of living up to our founding ideals has been unfinished, with hopeful steps forward alongside profound failures. We continue to grapple with conflicts that go back to our country’s founding, and while facing massive social upheavals and division accelerated by the pandemic, digital technology, economic and demographic shifts, and climate change. We are growing increasingly segregated and polarized along class, racial, religious, and ideological lines, and we are losing trust in each other and in the promise of participatory democracy.
Like the problem, the solutions are complex. Tackling the root causes of divisiveness requires structural changes, and also that we shift our hearts and minds. Culture shapes the way we treat each other, what we consider “normal” or acceptable, and how we make sense of our own experiences. It transcends politics and specific law. Research suggests that most Americans are exhausted with the current climate, and are hungry for different ways to come together, navigate conflicts both big and small, and solve problems.
New Pluralists is meeting that hunger by inviting us all to proactively build a different reality that reflects our country’s founding commitment to equality, dignity, and justice. As a pooled fund, we are raising and investing $100M to catalyze a cultural shift. We are strengthening an ecosystem of practitioners, storytellers, researchers, and innovators from across many different fields, sectors, and communities who share our vision. We use our voice, connect and invest resources in people and ideas that will enable millions of Americans to have the skills, incentives, and imagination to belong in a politically vibrant, multiracial, and multifaith democracy.
At this critical confluence of growth, community momentum, and team energy, the new Director of Ecosystem Strategy will be a strategic visionary, partner and doer on the New Pluralists’ growing team. In partnership with a fellow Director of Culture Strategy, they will shape and drive investment strategies that enable New Pluralists’ resources to support, connect, elevate and catalyze people, organizations and ideas who are advancing our mission. They will listen for, seek and shape opportunities that are building momentum, making the case for, and enabling a range of diverse ecosystem actors to advance and adopt pluralism as a mindset, norms and set of behaviors. They will also lead efforts related to the initiative’s evaluation and network weaving, helping the team to learn from and uplift what works across the New Pluralists network of Field Builders, grantees, partners, and funders, and identify where shifts need to be made in real-time.
Ideal candidates will hold a passion and commitment for the vision, values and mission of new pluralism, with a strong understanding of and curiosity about what enables people and cultures to change. They enjoy navigating complex challenges with dynamism and nimbleness, and are committed to ongoing learning and reflection. They have an ability to shape and drive strategy and action with a sense of imagination and a commitment to making real impact. They can collaborate effectively and translate ideas across teams and organizations that represent a wide diversity of ideological, cultural, social, and political milieu. Compelling candidates for this position must be highly motivated, capable of self-directed work, detail-oriented, and able to navigate uncertainty, challenges, power dynamics and tensions with skill and graciousness. They must exhibit a keen sense of responsibility and enjoy working with multiple demands, shifting priorities, and ongoing change. While an understanding of grantmaking and portfolio development/implementation in a networked environment is important, formal experience in philanthropy is not required. In fact, it may be additive to the Collective’s work for candidates to bring experience in different sectors and communities. Previous experience working in a complex organization or network is highly desired, as is the ability to hold space for others, understand multi-directional power flow and experience working in collaboration with a kaleidoscope of organizations, consultants, and leaders with different missions. The successful candidate will be a strong relationship builder. Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills are necessary. Strong verbal and written communications skills are absolute musts.
Application Instructions
Talent Citizen, a national executive search and consulting firm focused on the pursuit of positive social impact across sectors, is partnering with New Pluralists on this search. President Tracy Welsh and Senior Associate Connor Daley are leading this engagement. Additional questions and nominations should be directed to Connor (cdaley@talentcitizen.com).
Interested parties should please send an updated resume and how you learned of the position to NP-DES@talentcitizen.com
