Program Director, Environment

PURPOSE

The Program Director provides leadership and management for the Environment domain. The Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies (MACP), which includes the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation and the Anne Ray Foundation, organizes most of its grantmaking activities into seven program domains with defined strategies, guided by donor intent. Across all programs, MACP seeks to support work in and with communities toward developing solutions that deliver effective, sustainable programs that provide meaningful assistance and support to society, the arts, and the environment.

The Program Director collaborates closely with the domain's core team of four Program Officers and Program Associate(s), along with Managing Director, Programs, Vice President, Programs, and staff from other program and functional areas in MACP, all toward building, managing, and evaluating an effective grantmaking domain. The Program Director reports to the Managing Director, Programs and is primarily responsible for ongoing development and implementation of program strategies, providing direction and oversight for domain grantmaking and operations, directly managing the team, and engaging when needed with the Program Committee of the Board and outside organizations as necessary.

The Environment team currently focuses on work in four ecosystem program areas: Tropical Forests, Coastal Marine, Grasslands and Freshwater across four geographic regions: North America, Latin America, Africa and Asia Pacific. In addition, the team manages a small portfolio of Legacy grants that support work in the Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia and California.

The core strategy of the Environment Domain focuses on community conservation approaches that center Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs) as long-term stewards of natural resources in tropical forest, coastal, freshwater, and grassland ecosystems. This approach aligns with MACP values and commitment to work deeply in and with communities and is grounded in our hypothesis, or theory of change, that: Lasting conservation of critical ecosystems and their resources is best achieved when their management is defined and implemented by the communities who most depend on them.

RESPONSIBILITIES

DOMAIN MANAGEMENT

Oversee program portfolios aligned with program strategies and ensure Program Officers translate those strategies to develop proposals and implement grants for selected programs of the Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies. Grantmaking assignments may shift over time as MACP continues to evolve. Detailed aspects of this work include:

• Lead department budget development and manage cash distribution goals across all five program areas of the domain.
• Oversee and support four Program Officers and Program Associate(s) to manage program portfolios in a manner that fosters meaningful and respectful relationships with grantee and funder partners, respects workload demands on staff and grantees, captures, and applies relevant learning, and keeps staff and board leadership appropriately informed of progress, risk and lessons learned.
• Translate and communicate domain-level program strategy, adapting to the needs of diverse audiences, ensuring the Program Committee and Board have the necessary knowledge to fully consider and understand domain strategy and refinements.
• Occasionally travel with Program Officers and others to source new grantmaking opportunities, develop and monitor grant outcomes and learning with grantee partners, build constructive relationships, and stay current with program strategies and relevant fields of knowledge.
• Collaborate with the Managing Program Director on strategy, process, implementation, and evaluation, ensuring accountability, timely communication, strong cross-team coordination and effective delegation.
• In partnership with Program Officers, develop and oversee evaluation plans for the domain in the context of MACP's evaluation and organizational learning goals.
• Maintain accountability for due diligence on all grants within the portfolio with support from Program Operations and cross-functional colleagues, and in collaboration with legal, finance, grants management, and evaluation functions.
• Evaluate opportunities to coordinate and collaborate with other funders to multiply overall impact within the Environment domain strategies and focused goals.
• Lead domain-level learning and assessment efforts by integrating sector knowledge, grantee and partner insights, and evaluation findings to inform strategy refinement, strengthen grantmaking practice, and share actionable lessons with program and cross-functional colleagues.

LEADERSHIP

Serve as a member of the MACP Program Leadership Team (PLT) to support MACP-wide goals, coordinate MACP programs and operations, and model the values-based culture, content and philanthropic expertise the foundation represents to its employees and its grantees. Specifically:

• Provide inclusive, effective leadership for program staff by fostering belonging and respecting diverse perspectives; setting clear expectations and accountability; and supporting training, coaching, and professional development. Use learning-focused approaches to assign work, onboard and mentor staff, support day-to-day execution, and review performance. Partner closely with staff to advance MACP-aligned grant development, oversight, and evaluation.
• Lead and manage change effectively as a change agent aligned with MACP's strategic priorities, goals, and cultural values - setting clear direction, reinforcing shared accountability, and enabling teams to move forward with confidence and purpose.
• Participate in functional-level program planning, learning leadership, organizational development, and team building.
• Work in partnership with others to advance the overall philanthropic vision of Margaret A. Cargill.

Commitment to MACP's Mission and Values, including Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice:

• Advance MACP's mission and cultural values of excellence, humility, learning, respect, integrity, and making a difference. Support MACP's vision and commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ), which are rooted in our cultural values and embedded in direction from our donor.
• Contribute to community learning and impact goals, including efforts to strengthen a culture of belonging that embraces different viewpoints, seeks full participation, cultivates welcoming and respectful environments, promotes fair treatment, and confronts discrimination in all its forms.

Other Key Responsibilities

• Participate in cross functional or enterprise level projects and evolving priorities, as appropriate to role and expertise.
• Perform other related duties as assigned in support of programmatic and organizational goals.

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum requirement is an undergraduate degree with at least 10 years of direct experience leading teams in the philanthropy or environment/conservation sectors.
• Graduate-level academic degree in a related field or equivalent level of experience with a proven track record of success and leadership accomplishments is preferred.
• Management and leadership experience managing teams, leading teams through organizational change, and coaching staff through complex grantmaking decisions.
• Extensive knowledge and experience in international and domestic community-led conservation/environment programming, including key field issues and their political and economic implications, with demonstrated ability to navigate these issues diplomatically.
• Diverse and rich experience working with nonprofits and/or foundations with a solid understanding of nonprofit organizational structure and actions to advance social change.
• Experience, and credibility working in strategic philanthropy, with measurable objectives and accountability to grantee partners and organization leadership.
• Proven record of overseeing an annual grantmaking portfolio.
• Experience working in one or more of the domain's ecosystem program areas, including Grasslands, Tropical Forests, Coastal Marine or Freshwater is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to translate the goals and strategies of an organization into actionable plans that align to organization values, philosophy, and mission.
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills with proven ability to build collaborative relationships and operate in a team environment that advances the donor's intent.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY:

• Proven ability to think strategically; demonstrated record of success working with a diverse constituency of partners and stakeholders to achieve specific programmatic outcomes.
• Knowledge of methods for incorporating equity, inclusion, and diversity into grantmaking and relationships with staff and community.
• An understanding of the key issues in philanthropy, a detailed knowledge of grantmaking tools and types, and an understanding of principles of trust-based philanthropy.
• Knowledge of community-led philanthropy and capacity building that helps support grantees in their efforts to build sustainable impact in their community.
• Understanding or experience in streamlining processes, oversight, and evaluation processes to allow more attention on impact and relationships, while continuing to provide strong stewardship of resources.
• Strong detail orientation and project management skills with ability to maintain perspective on the broader principles driving an organization's work.

TRAVEL

Up to20% domestic and international travel.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment is an office setting with a designated office or workstation at the Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies office in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

• We practice a hybrid work schedule with the expectation that employees will work in-office 3 days per week with the option to work remote up to two days per week. This includes working in the office Tuesday and Wednesday and either Monday or Thursday; all employees work remote on Friday.
• There may be occasions where it is required to be in-office more than 3 days in a week or on a day normally scheduled as a remote workday, depending on the role.
• We practice shared work hours between 9am-3pm Monday-Thursday and 9am-12pm Friday.
• Occasionally, the person in this role may be required to adjust to time pressures and frequent changes. This role may require an irregular schedule or overtime.
• This position is primarily a sedentary role with an adjustable sit/stand desk.
• The person in this position needs to occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office equipment, attend meetings or events, etc.
• Occasional or intermittent physical activities may include bending, reaching, twisting, stooping, or climbing within an office environment.
• This position requires regular use of a computer to complete work responsibilities. It also includes regularly working with other office equipment and communication technology, such as a videoconferencing, telephone, copy/print machine.
• This role also frequently performs multiple tasks simultaneously and works closely with others as part of a team.

The above statements are not intended to encompass all functions and qualifications of the position; rather, they are intended to provide a general framework of the requirements of the position. Job incumbents may be required to perform other functions not specifically addressed in this description.