Senior Portfolio Manager, Economic Mobility

Senior Portfolio Manager, Economic Mobility About Ballmer Group Ballmer Group Philanthropy is committed to improving economic mobility for children and families in the United States, funding leaders and organizations that have demonstrated the ability to reshape opportunity and reduce systemic inequities.

Ballmer Group Philanthropy is both a national and regional funder – we have a presence and invest deeply in southeast Michigan, Washington state, and Los Angeles County.

Our organization was co-founded by philanthropist Connie Ballmer and her husband Steve Ballmer, former CEO of Microsoft, founder of USAFacts, and chairman of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Learn more at and Our Approach Since our founding in 2015, our focus and impact areas have continued to expand, informed by our grantees' work and by data that shows where the deepest inequities lie.

We invest in multiple impact areas and systems that can impact economic mobility - such as early learning, K-12 education, college and career pathways, housing, behavioral health, and criminal justice - and we support leaders and organizations that focus on undoing systemic racism and the barriers it has created.

In addition, we make grants in “Levers” that can improve outcomes across these issue areas and in the priority regions, such as improving data/tech infrastructure for data collection and reporting, achieving community impact through rigorous local Place Based Partnerships, and partnering with Government to invest in what works.

Learn more about Ballmer Group at The Opportunity Ballmer Group is seeking a Senior Portfolio Manager (SPM), Economic Mobility to join a small, nimble, action-oriented team in our SEMI office.

An ideal candidate is ready to apply business skills, an entrepreneurial mindset, and a passion for impact-driven work to our mission of economic mobility.

The SPM will be responsible for developing, leading and shepherding key strategic and policy initiatives that align BG strategies and priorities.

They will oversee a grantee portfolio of organizations to ensure that grant actions and BG representation are aligned with improved outcomes for kids/families in Southeast, Michigan, one of the top-three most segregated places in America.

With the cultural acuity, capacity, and interest to explore and implement interventions across policy areas and sectors, the SPM will also help design, lead, and facilitate potential regional collective impact efforts by incentivizing collaboration to help mitigate segregated and siloed actions.

They will represent BG, in select meetings and collaboratives, and will manage high-priority relationships with public sector, industry and private philanthropic partners at the local, regional and state levels.

The SPM will be based in Detroit and is expected to know the region, state, and key stakeholders, have historical context of the locale, and a deep understanding and a sense of urgency necessary to evolve systems to better meet the needs of the vulnerable populations BG serves in Southeast Michigan.

This is a collaborative, individual contributor role, reporting to the Executive Director - Southeast Michigan (SEMI). It does not include direct people management.

Key Priorities and Responsibilities Grantmaking Develop a programmatic investment and policy framework for key areas that directly impact targeted populations.

Ensuring that SEMI grants are consistent with this framework.

Develop a theory of change, impacting system improvement efforts through policy recommendations, implementation, and connection to programs to maximize impact for the region (Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties). Identify and analyze initiatives and organizations that are aligned with BG strategies and priorities.

Manage end-to-end grant processes within the SEMI investment portfolio, from building a pipeline of investments to designing and implementing complex grants, including: Developing a deep understanding of the key players within their investment portfolio, applying rigorous analyses to proposed and existing programs of current and prospective grantees, conduct due diligence on existing and prospective grantees, and conduct site visits.

Making recommendations to the Executive Director - SEMI and National Executives when applicable and preparing the recommendation package for grant approval.

Maintain ongoing relationships with prospective and existing grantees, develop and adopt appropriate methods of assessing desired and actual impacts of prospective and existing grants, work with grantees to develop metrics and outcomes, and provide grantees strategic counsel.

Strategy and Partnerships Work closely with Executive Director - SEMI on long-range strategic and investment planning in the region and state.

Provide intellectual and thought leadership that demonstrates passion for BG’s mission and an understanding of how philanthropy can drive meaningful change.

Ensure strategic and policy consistency across content areas.

Collaborate with external partners/consultants to cultivate connectivity, shared commitment and enhanced outcomes for leading initiatives that support BG’s mission.

Develop and lead initiatives consistent with BG strategies and priorities and engage key partners and stakeholders in advancing initiatives.

Partner with other funding leaders, key business, public sector representatives, and elected officials on programmatic and systems priorities.

Partner with organizational, elected, and resident leaders in specific geographic areas on place-based initiatives.

Work with regional teams in Bellevue, WA and Los Angeles, CA to ensure consistency of regional policy strategy.

Identify opportunities for BG to collaborate and leverage cross-program knowledge, learnings, successful practices, and strengths.

Other Manage special region-wide projects and initiatives at the direction of the Executive Director - SEMI.

Represent Executive Director - SEMI and BG at local and state stakeholder meetings when needed.

Lead by example in a culture that places transparency, collaboration, true partnership, and reciprocal accountability at the forefront of authentic peer-to-peer relationships.

Competencies Experience with and Awareness of the Economic Mobility Ecosystem A broad understanding of the regional trends, organizations, and stakeholders seeking to impact and improve economic mobility.

A record of success developing strategic partnerships and consensuses with key external audiences.

The ability to diplomatically influence internally and externally; excellent writing and communication skills.

A strong network of high-level contacts and experience working with diverse constituencies.

Domain Expertise Deep understanding of ecosystems and content across one or more focus areas that directly relate to economic mobility, such as the built environment (housing/infrastructure), education (K12/Post-secondary), career/workforce development (career-tech), social and economic justice and civic engagement.

The ability to create, test and develop a robust theory of change and implementation plan for this work in SEMI with scalable programmatic and policy outcomes.

A working knowledge of state and local policies and experience related to their area(s) of expertise, including existing community initiatives and place-based or collective impact efforts.

Robust knowledge of the local context in areas with a significant percentage of children and families living at or below poverty (Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties). Commitment to and understanding of the issues of equity and the vision for this work.

Cross-Cutting Credibility and Expertise Intellectual curiosity and deep understanding of how to translate grantee investments into demonstrable results.

A data-driven and systems-oriented approach.

Ability to aid in the articulation of a vision and work collaboratively with BG staff and external partners to realize it.

Experience and credibility to oversee complex grantmaking and the agility to think creatively about issues in the field – and not be constrained by traditional or trendy approaches.

Judgment Brings a strong point of view (independent thinking) and eagerness to collaborate (inclusive thinking) in the definition and support of a strategy.

Listens to and learns from key stakeholders inside and outside of the organization.

Ability to make timely and clearly communicated decisions and take appropriate risks to achieve results.

Keen analytical skills and the ability to think critically, evaluate risk, make sound decisions, solve problems, and explain and justify recommendations to diverse audiences.

Manages ambiguity and devise solutions even when a clear path is not evident.

Additional Experience, Skills, or Education Leadership roles within the local or state government, corporate, nonprofit, policy, and/or educational landscape, particularly in systems that interact with low-income children and families.

7+ years’ experience working in high-level capacity relevant to BG mission and strategies.

Experience in the public or private sectors.

Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.

Arabic or Spanish fluency preferred.

Energetic, flexible, deeply committed, and has a good sense of humor.

Location & Hybrid Work The position is based in Detroit, Michigan.

Our organization practices intentional hybrid work.

All Ballmer Group Philanthropy employees are expected to work on-site Tuesdays and Thursdays during overlapping core hours of 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays remain flexible work-from-home or office workdays.

Compensation & Benefits This is a full-time position that will be performed on site in Michigan.

Salary commensurate with experience.

The Ballmer Group offers a competitive salary range with a generous benefits package.

Contact Koya Partners has been exclusively retained for this engagement.

Express interest in this role by or emailing the search team directly at . All inquiries and discussions are strictly confidential.

Koya Partners l Diversified Search Group is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities.

If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email . If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

Ballmer Group is an equal opportunity employer and is dedicated to building an inclusive workforce where diversity is valued.

Individuals seeking employment at Ballmer Group are considered without regards to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

About Koya Partners l Diversified Search Group Koya Partners, a Diversified Search Group company, is the nation’s premier search firm dedicated to mission-driven leadership.

Since its founding in 2004, Koya has had an exclusive focus on mission-driven clients and was founded on the belief that the right leader can transform an organization and have a deep and measurable impact on our world.

Koya works with nonprofits & NGOs, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.

Diversified Search Group is consistently recognized by Forbes on its top 10 list of “America’s Best Executive Recruiting Firms” and is an industry leader in recruiting transformational leaders for a changing world.

The firm is deliberately different in its approach, with best-in-class teams who have decades of experience in cultivating inclusive leaders, understanding the dimensions of diversity, and building equitable teams.

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