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Heartland Fund, part of the Rural Democracy Initiative (RDI), is seeking a Rural Democracy Policy and Program Senior Manager. This position requires a strategic thinker who is committed to building a thriving democracy and rural communities. They will develop and manage a portfolio of grantees, convene rural policy partners and drive key rural policy outcomes, and inform our strategy.
We are looking for a collaborative team player with experience building powerful civic, political, and/or policy infrastructure that advances community solutions, ideally for rural people and places. The successful candidate will be service-oriented, an excellent writer, able to manage competing priorities and deadlines, and balance many strategic considerations.
You will have an opportunity to help us enable equitable investment in rural communities, democracy, and climate solutions. This is a unique and dynamic position with opportunities for growth and impact as the Heartland Fund prepares to launch as an independent entity in 2027.
This is a remote position with a salary range of $85,000 to $100,000 and includes a generous benefits package.
About the Organization
As a funder collaborative, the Heartland Fund scales investment, supports local leaders, and builds long-term partnerships with rural and Native organizations to create thriving places where rural working people can determine our own futures, strengthening the entire nation. Heartland's grantmaking and programmatic investments support rural people working to transform their lives and communities toward shared prosperity, a healthy climate, and stronger democracy. We invest in building local capacity for issue advocacy, community organizing, economic development and local jobs, climate solutions, civic engagement, and sustainable urban-rural coalitions. We prioritize racial justice in all aspects of our work. In addition to grantmaking, Heartland also supports rural leaders and organizations through convening, research, and communications and storytelling.
Heartland Fund has three programs:
Rural Democracy builds civic power by investing in rural organizing infrastructure and leadership to ensure rural people have a meaningful say in the decisions that shape their lives.
Resource Rural (RR) mobilizes resources enabling rural communities to unlock public and private investment to create positive economic change in their communities.
Rural Climate Partnership (RCP) supports hometowns across America to accelerate climate solutions and build healthy local economies.
This position is with Heartland Fund’s 501(c)(3) Rural Democracy program that, alongside the 501(c)(4) Rural Victory Fund, comprises the Rural Democracy Initiative. RDI invests in civic engagement infrastructure in small towns and rural areas. Building power in these communities is essential to establishing an enduring pro-democracy, multiracial majority, and implementing the policies required for rural and small city communities to have vibrant, thriving futures.
Our coalition of rural innovators and aligned funders is working in more than 25 states across diverse regions. We support rural people working to transform rural America – and therefore the entire country – for decades to come.
Why Rural Democracy
Small town, small city and rural voters maintain disproportionate power to shape national policy and politics. Historically, a strong coalition of rural farmers and urban laborers advanced progress in this country, but in recent decades the leadership and funding infrastructure for progress has largely withdrawn from non-metro areas. At the same time, anti-democratic interests have invested heavily in rural voters. They’ve built organizing, policy, and communications machines to spread disinformation and ignite fears among rural electorates, promoting their own agendas to deepen divides.
Primary Duties & Responsibilities
The Policy and Program Senior Manager will support and help drive Rural Democracy’s grantmaking and policy strategy. They will be supervised by the Rural Democracy Senior Program Officer. The Policy and Program Senior Manager will manage a specific portfolio of grantees, where they will be responsible for cultivating trusting relationships, providing flexible resources, and assessing overall capacity needs. They will recommend timely investments that result in greater power and meaningful policy change for rural communities. They will also work closely with the Communications and Policy Director to co-lead and manage our bi-annual Rural Policy Action Summit and Rural Policy Action Report. Finally, they will build the capacity of our grantee network, communicate learning and success stories, and coordinate with key funding partners. The person holding this position will also work with the team on Rural Democracy’s affiliated project, Rural Victory Fund (RVF), to advance 501(c)(4) investments.
The Rural Democracy team takes pride in building an organizational culture rooted in learning, collaboration, racial justice, and a deep commitment to our mission. All staff are expected to provide leadership and vision to advance our mission, vision, and core strategies.
Grantmaking & Program Management
Develop and implement grantmaking strategies for assigned priority states.
Manage a policy and communications-focused grantmaking portfolio in addition to state-based grantmaking.
Conduct research and facilitate outreach in specific geographies, communities, and issue areas to advance our strategy.
Lead outreach to existing and new grantees and partners, including check-ins, collecting reports, and participating in site visits.
Gather, review and organize grant proposals, reports, and accompanying materials.
Prioritize and recommend grants. Support grant docket preparation.
Assess impacts and opportunities in partnership with field and funding partners.
Rural Policy Development
Co-lead and manage the bi-annual Rural Policy Action Summit by working with grantee and partner networks to organize a 50-person convening to shape federal policy and learn from each other.
Project manage and contribute to the bi-annual Rural Policy Action Report, which outlines federal policies, legislation, and executive action to strengthen rural communities.
Serve as a thought partner to democracy staff team members around policy best practices.
Support the grantee network in advancing rural policy priorities through resources, coaching, and peer-to-peer learning.
Help amplify policy efforts by contributing to policy-focused communications.
Program Support & Management
Support the Senior Program Officer and Strategic Partnerships team to meet requests from funders, stakeholders, partners, and aligned organizations.
Participate in grantee data collection processes including our bi-annual civic engagement survey, capacity building surveys, and political landscape summary.
Monitor and update grantmaking data systems in partnership with the Grants Management team.
Advance program priorities through Program Team meetings, retreats, grantee surveys, and work and project plans.
Facilitate grantee access to resources, tools, and capacity building opportunities.
Communications Help the team showcase grantee success stories and lessons learned by identifying persuasive case examples and timely news for email newsletters, annual reports, and policy memos.
Translate impact stories, photos, quotes, and anecdotes from grantees into compelling content that supports fundraising efforts, including grant proposals and reports for our funders and donors.
Qualifications
We realize that great candidates may not have everything on this list. If you believe you would be a great fit for this role, we encourage you to apply.
Heartland Fund is seeking a strategic and ambitious team member who is excited to work in an entrepreneurial, fast paced, and creative environment. The person should exhibit a high degree of professionalism, initiative, and independence while also being collaborative and team focused. Specifically, the successful candidate will demonstrate:
Essential Skills & Characteristics
7+ years of related work experience in a nonprofit, advocacy, government, intermediary, or foundation setting, and/or equivalent, working on projects with varied deadlines and deliverables.
Understanding of social change, civic engagement, public policy, or political strategy.
Significant experience with advancing policy change and navigating policy tradeoffs within coalitions, including connecting local and state priorities to federal policy.
Demonstrated commitment to racial justice and fluency with equity and anti-racist practices.
Demonstrated ability to listen deeply, hold space for different perspectives, and work with people from a variety of political, cultural, and social backgrounds Strong writing and verbal communication skills, with an ability to clearly communicate an organization’s mission and impact.
Excellent relationship management skills with diverse constituencies, and a service orientation in grantee relationships.
Ability to work independently and drive complex projects involving a high degree of cross-organizational and external collaboration.
Demonstrated experience building and using organizational systems to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and complex projects, with exceptional attention to detail.
Acumen with event and convening organizing and facilitation, and working with coalitions.
Entrepreneurial and resourceful, a proactive and creative problem-solver.
Connection to and passion for rural people and places.
Preferred Skills & Knowledge
Experience in the philanthropic sector and with grantmaking.
Experience working on rural federal policy and/or with national advocacy organizations.
Understanding of the media and communications landscape, and the relationship between media and policy outcomes
An understanding of rural and small town America derived from either lived, professional, and/or volunteer experience.
Familiarity with a broad range of digital platforms and tools including Monday.com, Google Suite, Airtable, Fluxx, and Slack.
501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) nonprofit program management experience.
Compensation & Job Design
This is a full-time, exempt position. The organization is virtual, and the position will work remotely from their home within the United States. Occasional travel within the US. Expected compensation will be based on skills and relevant experience, with a starting salary range of $85,000 to $100,000.
The comprehensive benefits package includes 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance for employees (and their families). Employees are able to enroll in a 401k retirement plan and are eligible for a 3% automatic contribution and up to a 3% employer match on 401k contributions. Employees are also eligible for pre-tax transportation benefits. Employees will receive 120 hours of vacation time, 80 hours of health leave, up to 2 days of casual leave, and 20 hours of volunteer leave annually. Employees will also receive 13 paid holidays throughout the calendar year. Employees are eligible for 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave after 90 days of employment. All employees of Windward are required to complete timesheets.
Heartland Fund is a project of Windward Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity that incubates new and innovative public-interest projects and grantmaking programs. Windward Fund is committed to attracting, developing, and retaining exceptional people and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding and enables each of us to realize our potential. Windward Fund’s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.
The individual holding this position will also work part-time for an affiliated project, Rural Victory Fund, in Sixteen Thirty Fund, a 501(c)(4) organization, under a resource-sharing agreement between Windward Fund and Sixteen Thirty Fund. The responsibilities under that position will be overseen by Sixteen Thirty Fund.
Windward participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with employees’ Form I-9 information to confirm authorization to work in the United States. Job candidates and employees authorized to work may not be discriminated against on the basis of national origin or citizenship status.
How to Apply
Applications will be reviewed and considered on a rolling basis. A limited number of screening calls and interview spots will be filled starting in November 2026. Early applications are strongly encouraged. Desired start date in February 2027. Apply by submitting a cover letter and résumé to:
In your cover letter we are interested in learning why you are interested in this specific role at this time in your career, more about your connection to rural people and places, and the unique skills and talents you bring to this position. Anticipating a highly competitive applicant pool, candidates who demonstrate persuasive communications skills and rural policy experience will stand out in the process.
The Heartland Fund is partnering with Clover Search Works on this search. Questions regarding this opportunity are welcomed and can be directed to Julie Edsforth, julie(at)cloversearchworks.com.