Grants Portfolio Manager, Community Responsibility Strategy
Fulltime/Hybrid, Boston
The Opportunity
As a Program Officer, you will play a crucial role in developing, implementing, and managing the Foundation and Corporate grant programs that align with the organization's mission and strategic goals. As a member of the broader Community Responsibility team, you will contribute to the alignment of our corporate values with meaningful social impact, employee engagement, and strengthening MassMutual’s reputation as a responsible corporate citizen.
The Team
In Addition To The Grants Program, The Foundation And Corporate Giving Team Includes National Partnerships, Foundation Operations, And Foundation Board Management. As a Team, We Pursue The Following Strategies
- Challenge the status quo, shifting social norms, and proving alternative solutions in addressing the complex and systemic barriers to financial resilience
- Amplify and follow voices of the community; acknowledging we do not hold the answers
- Initiate and incentivize partnerships across entities, organizations and sectors in order to scale impact
- Leverage all of MassMutual's our resources to increase the sustainability of partner organizations to serve their constituencies
The Impact
Grantmaking Strategy and Philanthropic Field Leadership
- You will lead the evolution of a growing grant portfolio aligned with broader philanthropic goals and social impact objectives
- Allocate and monitor annual grantmaking budget (approx. $15M) and up to 5 years’ forecasting
- You will consider how trends and best practices in philanthropy will shape our grantmaking practice
- You will represent the organization at appropriate meetings, conferences, and events, communicating our strategy and demonstrating our thought leadership
Grantmaking and Portfolio Management
- You will provide ongoing adaptive management of a diverse portfolio of grants and projects to meet the ever-evolving needs of the social sector
- You will encourage collaboration, learning, exchange and strategic partnerships among grantees
- You will review, evaluate and respond to grant inquiries and proposals
- You will support grantees to develop, draft and refine proposal requests and prepare grant recommendations for senior management and Board approval
- You will engage grantees to assess and address capacity building needs
- You will conduct due diligence through site visits, financial analysis and other activities
Impact Assessment and Reporting
- You will evaluate grant effectiveness against stated objectives and overall portfolio effectiveness
- You will prepare reports for board members and other key stakeholders
- You will input relevant and timely information into grants management system to support reporting and analysis
Stakeholder Engagement & Communications
- You will establish and maintain ongoing and productive relationships with grantees, partners, peer funders, and other external stakeholders
- You will collaborate across internal departments (Finance, Legal, Communications, Brand) in order to connect resources and amplify the work
- You will engage board members and Foundation leadership to enhance their understanding of the field and inform their decision making
The Minimum Qualifications
- 7+ years of experience developing, implementing, and managing Foundation or Corporate grant programs
The Ideal Qualifications
- Employs systems thinking to understand complex social issues
- Capacity to identify leverage points for maximum impact
- Awareness of current trends and best practices in the field of philanthropy
- Experience in community financial health and/or familiarity with the social determinants of health
- Existing knowledge of the nonprofit and social services landscape in Boston and across MA
- Synthesize and apply research to inform grantmaking strategies
- Keenly navigates inherent power dynamics in philanthropy
- Understanding of legal and compliance issues in corporate grantmaking
- Highly collaborative and collegial team player able to thrive in a dynamic and evolving work environment
- Exceptional listening, writing and verbal communication, with experience in crafting compelling narratives for a wide range of stakeholders
- Acute attention to detail, offering precision and thoroughness in all aspects of work
What to Expect as Part of MassMutual and the Team
- Regular meetings with the Foundation & Corporate Giving Team
- Focused one-on-one meetings with your manager
- Access to mentorship opportunities
- Networking opportunities including access to Asian, Hispanic/Latinx, African American, women, LGBTQ, veteran and disability-focused Business Resource Groups
- Access to learning content on Degreed and other informational platforms
- Your ethics and integrity will be valued by a company with a strong and stable ethical business with industry leading pay and benefits
MassMutual is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer Minority/Female/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/Individual with Disability/Protected Veteran. We welcome all persons to apply. Note: Veterans are welcome to apply, regardless of their discharge status.
If you need an accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us and share the specifics of the assistance you need.
