About The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation
A renowned entrepreneur and co-founder of The Home Depot, Arthur M. Blank is now recognized for his values-based Blank Family of Businesses (BFOB) and as one of America’s leading philanthropists through the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. All his industry-leading businesses, including the foundation, operate on six core values: Put People First, Listen and Respond, Include Everyone, Innovate Continuously, Lead by Example and Give Back to Others.
After 30 years and over $1 billion in giving, the foundation has committed to significantly escalating the impact of its philanthropy over the next 10+ years. This milestone coincides with deeper participation among the next generation of Blank family members on the board and in advisory capacities, partnering around their shared core beliefs, including the Jewish value of tikkun olam (“heal and repair the world”) and seeking a fuller realization of American ideals.
The foundation works across various programmatic areas, including Youth Development, Democracy, Environment, Atlanta’s Westside, and Mental Health and Well-Being. The foundation also manages a large portfolio of founder-led initiatives, supporting the causes, institutions and relationships our founder holds dear. Geographically, much of the foundation’s work prioritizes Georgia (with a focus on Atlanta) and Montana, while also considering the potential for greater national impact and influence.
About the foundation’s Mental Health and Well-Being Team
The Mental Health and Well-Being team is comprised of a managing director, two senior program officers, one of which is this position, and a shared administrative program associate.
The foundation’s approach to Mental Health and Well-being is a 10-year grantmaking strategy with the goal of “supporting flourishing mental health and well-being for young people 0-18.” The three outcomes of this strategy are: 1) parents establish secure emotional bonds with their infants, 2) children develop resilience and a sense of belonging and 3) teenagers have a positive relationship with digital technology.
This role will focus on and support the outcomes related to children’s resilience and belonging, as well as crisis response. This includes leading a national, school- and out-of-school–based portfolio focused on elementary and middle school students, with particular emphasis on scaling evidence-based programs and approaches that strengthen resilience, social connection, and a sense of belonging.
Senior Program Officer, Mental Health and Well-Being Key Responsibilities:
The senior program officer, Mental Health and Well-Being will execute responsibilities in three primary areas: grantmaking, portfolio management and operations; research, results tracking; and communications and external relations.
Grantmaking, portfolio management and operations:
Support the managing director to monitor the Mental Health and Well-Being grantmaking strategy.
Support the managing director to develop departmental workplans, monitoring, and adjusting workplans and timelines as needed.
Source new grantee partner opportunities consistent with strategy and desired outcomes.
Draft memos, grant analyses and recommendations, and summary reports.
Manage a portfolio of existing and new grants through the full lifecycle from inception to completion.
Be a resource and thought partner for grantees and other partners.
Understand and monitor grant budgets and ensure compliance with foundation practices and protocols, including appropriate programmatic and financial due diligence.
Collaborate with other foundation program staff to explore ways that other foundation collective giving areas might find expression in Mental Health and Well-Being
Support information and updates for quarterly board meetings
Collaborate with the managing director to develop and support initiatives that create and promote opportunities for the BFOB to engage in this work, both the business entities and the associates interested in having a focus on mental health and well being.
Research and Results Tracking
Stay current on literature in the field, remain abreast of current news and philanthropic strategies relevant to the strategy areas, particulary school-based prevention, social-emotional learning, mindfulness, belonging and crisis.
Collaborate with the Foundation’s effective philanthropy team to review evidence and data, ensure alignment with strategy and develop and refine measurement and evaluation for grants and the portfolio as a whole.
Communications and External Relations:
Collaborate with the communications team to share portfolio and grantee progress and relevant trends.
Build internal and external relationships with a variety of stakeholders including colleagues, nonprofit grantees, other funders, and community leaders and residents.
Represent the foundation in external meetings and conferences and liaising with other philanthropies and agencies.
Candidate profile:
The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following ability, skills, and attributes:
Support and promote a growing culture of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
Possess an inquisitive spirit and commitment to continuous improvement.
Demonstrate a passion mental health and well-being across the continuum
Demonstrate nimbleness to adapt to a dynamic team and workplace.
Possess a balance of intellectual and emotional intelligence.
Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and work collaboratively with stakeholders.
Be adept at multi-tasking, prioritizing, and balancing changing priorities with minimal direction.
Possess excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Demonstrate proficient research and analytical skills.
Demonstrate the ability to work independently balanced with the ability to work on a team.
Possess excellent organizational, planning and time-management skills.
Welcome feedback and committed to learning and growing.
Demonstrate record of building bridges across sectors to strengthen and scale innovation.
Model leadership for colleagues across the foundation’s program staff.
Model positive energy and can-do attitude.
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree required, master's degree or equivalent experience is a plus.
5-7 years or more of grantmaking expereince, including experience within a foundation, government, intermediary, or other institutional funding environment.
Experience working in the field of mental health and well-being, especially youth mental health.
Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and SharePoint.
Keenly discreet and respectful and practices good judgement when handling private and confidential matters.
Working Environment and Conditions:
This is an in-person position working at the Arthur M. Blank Family Office in Atlanta, Georgia. Staff are required to be in the office every day.
Works primarily in a business office but will be required to frequently travel to offsite meetings across and occasionally beyond Atlanta.
Use of computer requires hand/wrist motion and visual focus.
Occasionally lifting items weighing 5 – 20 lbs.