BACKGROUND
Founded in 1971 by Mrs. Flora Ettlinger Whiting, the Whiting Foundation believes in identifying and empowering talented people at just the right moment in their creative and intellectual development to provide far-reaching societal benefits. Since its inception, the Whiting Foundation, a New York-based private nonprofit foundation, has advanced literature and the humanities. Its mission is to provide support for writers, editors, educators, and librarians, and archivists who preserve humanity’s shared cultural heritage. By nurturing new creation and expanding access to art and insight, Whiting helps bring about a world where everyone can engage deeply with the richness of literature and the humanities.
The Foundation’s grantmaking programs are:
In literature
- The Whiting Award supports early-career writers every year across fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama. Whiting winners have gone on to win numerous prestigious awards and fellowships, including the Pulitzer Prize. The Foundation is proud that on the 2024 Pulitzer Prizes list, past Whiting Awardees were represented as winners or finalists in every category the Award supports. Others have gone on to receive the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Obie Award, and MacArthur, Guggenheim, and Lannan fellowships. The program’s longstanding reputation for spotting talent is based on decades of providing early support for authors such as Colson Whitehead, Tony Kushner, Sigrid Nunez, and Tracy K. Smith.
- The Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant fosters original, ambitious, deeply researched book-length projects by providing funding at a crucial mid-stage of the writing process and holding them to the highest possible standard. Grants are given annually for books under contract with publishers in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Like Whiting Awardees, Creative Nonfiction Grant recipients have gone on to win the National Book Award, Pulitzer Prize, and numerous other awards.
In the humanities
- Cultural Heritage Preservation grants support the preservation, documentation, and dissemination of timeless contributions to world heritage that are under threat in less well-resourced countries worldwide, with an emphasis on documentary heritage, such as manuscripts, inscriptions, and archives. Recognizing that irreplaceable cultural heritage is being lost at an alarming rate around the world, the Whiting Foundation has committed to joining the fight to save the treasures of human civilization from both man-made and natural threats.
- High-School Humanities grants foster deep engagement with rich works of history, philosophy, literature, and the arts, so that students graduate equipped with the beginnings of a mental map of human history and cultural achievement – and with the informed curiosity to continue expanding.
The Foundation is completely self-supported through an endowment which has grown to approximately $75M. Over the years, the Whiting Foundation has become a convener, a leader, and a partner with other foundations in supporting writers and cultural preservationists.
For more information about the Foundation, visit www.whiting.org
POSITION and RESPONSIBILITIES
The Executive Director serves as the chief professional officer of the organization and reports directly to the Board of Trustees.
The core work of the Executive Director is divided into four parts:
● Partner with the Board of Trustees: The five-person Board and its two committees, the Programs Working Group (PWG) and the Investment Committee, each meet formally three times a year. The Executive Director is responsible for facilitating these interactions, ensuring that Trustees have all the information they need to oversee the Foundation's work, serving as a thought partner, and ensuring that Board decisions are implemented effectively.
● Program Management and Development: The Executive Director directs all programs and activities, including but not limited to celebratory events and ceremonies. Working closely with the Resident Directors and Program Officers, the ED ensures that the literary programs are supported at every stage of the process with the utmost professionalism and ethical standards. The ED supports the Resident Directors in selecting judges and administers all aspects of the process leading up to the final selection of the grantees. In the Humanities, the ED supports the Program Officers in developing a strong national and international network for humanities grants. Serves as the humanities grantees’ primary point of contact at Whiting and, working closely with Program Officers, manages the administration, monitoring, evaluation, and potential renewal of grants approved by the Board.
● Event Administration: Plan and oversee the execution of two major annual literary events; the Whiting Awards for Emerging Writers and the winners' celebration of the Whiting Non-Fiction Grant for Works-in-Progress.
● Organization Administration: The ED ensures optimal operational and fiscal management of the Foundation by working closely with partners across accounting, auditing, finance, HR, technology, web design, graphic design, public relations, and legal.
Other responsibilities include:
● Serves as the Executive Director of the Foundation and reports to the Board of Trustees.
● Explores new areas where the Foundation makes its impact and designs a forward-looking strategy to expand readership and authorship. Evaluates programs on a regular cycle and encourages cross-pollination and partnerships in knowledge creation to achieve greater impact and effectiveness, especially during unprecedented times.
● Promotes collaboration and partnership with funders, organizations, stakeholders, and individuals, nationally and internationally.
● Administers all aspects of the Foundation’s organizational management and develops accountability standards that evaluate the Foundation’s long-term effectiveness and impact.
● Ensures the Foundation continues to be a convener of people and innovator of ideas that support the humanities and literary arts, both nationally and internationally.
● Builds and leverages a network of relationships that are impactful for the organization and its stakeholders.
● Serves as the Foundation’s spokesperson and ambassador to external constituencies, inspiring support and engagement among the board, staff, the media, authors, the literary community, and the broader public.
Professional leadership is an integral component of the position. The Executive Director will be expected to serve as a leader and a resource for the Board and staff. They will oversee and maintain multiple high-quality grant programs while exploring new areas where the Foundation can make an impact. The Executive Director will ensure the Foundation continues to be a convener of people and innovator of ideas that support the humanities, cultural preservation, and literary arts.
SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
Professional
● At least 10 years of progressive senior-level management experience and an advanced degree in a related discipline are required.
● Demonstrated track record of excellence in developing and implementing successful programs to meet pressing needs in innovative ways, ideally in a humanities, grantmaking, and/or nonprofit setting.
● Extensive experience overseeing all aspects of grantmaking and program operations, ensuring adherence to the highest standards of legal, ethical, compliance, fiduciary, and due diligence.
● Experience in literary, humanities, and cultural preservation work, with a track record of effective program design, implementation, and award-making.
● Proven effectiveness in serving as a spokesperson and representative with grantees, organization leaders, program officers, and other internal and external stakeholders
● Experience working collaboratively and collegially, ideally with a small- to medium-sized team, and an ability to bring people and ideas together.
● Knowledge of principles involved in strategic planning, organizational management, budget development and oversight, and coordination of people and resources.
● Strong leadership skills with a philosophy and style that encourages creativity, growth, collaboration, problem-solving, open communication, and accountability.
Personal
● Demonstrated passion for the humanities, cultural preservation, and literary arts.
● An open and inclusive style that encourages teamwork and acknowledges enthusiasm and success.
● Ability to present as a persuasive, informed, and inspiring leader and spokesperson.
● Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
● Superior active listening, observation, analytical, and problem-recognition and problem-solving skills.
● Ability to make sound judgments independently and to take initiative.
● Well-disciplined and results-oriented self-starter who is extremely resourceful and resilient.
● Action-oriented, adaptable, and innovative approach to business planning.
● Passion, integrity, and a positive, mission-driven, and self-directed attitude.
● Past success working with a Board of Directors, with the proven ability to cultivate existing board member relationships.
● Ability to manage multiple responsibilities, adapt to, and lead in an evolving environment of priorities, policies, and practices.
● Knowledge and awareness of national and international trends and their potential impact on the Foundation’s program activities.
The Whiting Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. It is committed to ensuring equal opportunity to all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, age, or gender identity or expression.
For more information, to refer a candidate, or to apply in confidence, please contact:
David Hinsley Cheng, Managing Partner
Jennifer Thorne, Search Consultant
DHC Search
[email protected]
www.DHCSearch.com
(203) 307-0120
Pay: $230,000.00 - $250,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
