Director of Fellowships 

Location:  New York City, New York

Application Deadline: OPEN UNTIL HIRED

(Early applications are highly encouraged, as we may hire sooner)


The OpEd Project is seeking a visionary, can-do, experienced team leader with a track record of success. The ideal candidate will have an aptitude for client management and a demonstrated ability to oversee and grow a significant portfolio of programs valued at $1.2 million. This is an extraordinary opportunity for the right person, offering the potential to make enormous historical impact and to change peoples’ lives. 


About The OpEd Project

The OpEd Project is a social venture and leadership organization, founded to change who writes history. We are a community of journalists, thought leaders and change agents who actively share knowledge, resources and connections across color, creed, class, sexuality, gender, ability and beyond. Through our nationally recognized curriculum, our team of journalist mentors, and through a portfolio of programs in partnership with leading institutions across the nation and the globe, we accelerate the ideas and impact of underrepresented voices, including women of all backgrounds. We have been covered by most major media. We have stunning results.

We believe:

  • The story we tell becomes the world we live in.
  • The world becomes more intelligent when it is more inclusive.
  • The best ideas, regardless of where they come from, should have a chance to be heard and to change the world.

Over the past few years, we have experienced significant growth.  As we grow, we are seeking to build our core leadership team, in anticipation of a bold new chapter. We will continue to expand our core Write to Change the World workshops in cities across the nation (and the globe), and we are also seeking to organize and coordinate our flagship Public Voices Fellowship initiative into a powerful new force to change cultural narrative on a large scale, with permanent and undeniable impact.

The OpEd Project Director of Fellowships

The Director of Fellowships will work at the intersection of social justice, academia, the foundation community, and journalism. S/he will interact with leaders at the highest levels in these arenas and will play a key role in bringing them together to solve some of the biggest problems facing society. The Director will help lead the organization’s efforts to change who writes history, and contribute to a better future. S/he will have the opportunity to work with some of the country’s most inspiring thought leaders.

Reporting directly to the CEO, the Director of Fellowships will oversee and grow a portfolio of 10 to 15 Public Voice Fellowships, which are year-long programs comprising 200 to 300 Fellows per year valued at $1.2 million. The Director will directly manage approximately three of the most intensive Fellowships, and will develop and oversee a small and mighty team of Program Managers to manage the rest. S/he will design and/or improve existing systems to ensure full and meaningful processes, reporting, and learning, with a focus on driving successful outcomes. Timely, consistent, and meaningful communication with Fellowship sponsors is crucial to sustaining these cornerstone relationships.

Ideal Candidate Qualifications

  • Deep alignment with The OpEd Project mission and vision
  • 8-10 years of relevant work experience in a mission-driven leadership role, with a minimum of three years in a team management role (building successful teams)
  • Demonstrated ability to oversee a significant portfolio that involves managing many moving parts, people, and processes, and driving them toward successful outcomes through your direct leadership
  • Experience working with a variety of stakeholders across an organization, and successfully managing team members across a wide range of professional and organizational experience (“managing up and down”)
  • Proven ability to manage high-profile relationships tied to revenue
  • A keen eye for spotting and implementing opportunities for improvement
  • Proficient in technology as a management reporting tool; experience working with Salesforce is strongly preferred
  • Social media savvy, with an ability to connect and communicate about the value and impact of the Fellowship Programs online in a powerful, authentic, and ongoing way (Facebook & Twitter will be key)
  • Experience in (or desire to work in) a lean, fast, inventive, entrepreneurial environment that follows the apprenticeship model in which you learn by doing, often with no training manual
  • Superb communication skills (written, verbal, and more) – the person in this role will be a compelling storyteller of social impact
  • Familiarity with OpEd Project programs and curriculum, ideally having participated in one of the organization’s core programs
  • A commitment to run programs from the bottom up, taking ownership of all aspects of the program and willing to do all kinds of tasks
  • Warm, authentic, and deeply collaborative communication style
  • Given that many of our partnerships are with universities, inside knowledge of or experience working in academic leadership is a plus

The OpEd Project is committed to creating an equitable workplace grounded in feminist and anti-racist principles. We encourage applications from people of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQ and gender non-conforming folks. This position is based in New York City.

Compensation Package

The OpEd Project offers competitive salaries, at or above the mean and median level, benchmarked against similarly sized social ventures and nonprofit organizations. We provide generous benefits including three weeks’ vacation, flexible work structure, subsidized health insurance, professional development opportunities, a retirement savings plan, and more. Inclusion is an organizational value, and we are seeking a diverse pool of qualified applicants.  We encourage applications from people of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQ and gender non-conforming folks.

The continuity and growth of the Public Voices Fellowships program in particular is crucial to the vision and sustainability of the organization. The initial, primary focus of the new Director will be to steward and retain the existing portfolio of these Fellowships. As such, the compensation package is partially tied to retention of these important relationships. Total initial compensation may exceed $100,000, reflecting a base salary in the $85,000 to $90,000 range with a bonus of up to 20% of the base salary, depending on achievement of retention deliverables. In future years, the Director may also become involved in cultivating and establishing new Fellowships, with compensation bonuses developed accordingly.

To apply

Qualified candidates are encouraged to send a cover and resume.

In your cover letter, please tell us why you are passionate about this work and how your leadership will advance this marquee fellowship portfolio to its next chapter. We also invite you to tell us about your proven track record or background that makes clear why you would be not only capable, but the best leader for this role. Hired candidates will be invited to participate in a day-long OpEd Project seminar in New York City.

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