Job Overview:
Are you tired of division and injustice and hopeful that we can create a better world? Are you interested in a career in community organizing, advocacy, philanthropy, and/or social innovation? Are you ready to partner with and support multiple mission-driven organizations in Chicago and beyond? If yes, join the Wayfarer Foundation for a paid 9-month academic school year fellowship.
ABOUT WAYFARER FOUNDATION
Wayfarer Foundation partners with nonprofits to co-create a unified world where all people work together for peace, justice, and prosperity. Wayfarer launched in 2021 as a Bahá’í-inspired organization. Steve Sarowitz, a Bahá’í philanthropist, Founder and Chairman of Paylocity (Nasdaq: PCTY), Director of Payescape, and partner in Wayfarer Studios, started Wayfarer as the philanthropic engine for his spiritual giving. In 2023, Wayfarer awarded over $19 million in grants, and 78% of our partner organizations are BIPOC-led. For more information about us, check out .
FELLOWSHIP DETAILS
We seek an Operations Fellow to collaborate with the Director of Impact and Operations to support the success of our growth and impact initiatives, ThriveHub, and the Study of Impact. By working towards the success and sustainability of these two initiatives, the ideal candidate will help foster an environment conducive to personal and professional development for our staff and grantee partners.
ThriveHub is dedicated to equipping staff and grantee partners with the professional knowledge and skills to positively impact their work, organizations, and communities. This includes, but is not limited to, consultations, training, workshops, seminars, webinars, etc.
The Study of Impact is dedicated to gathering data from relevant research that measures and elevates WF’s grantmaking impact. The Foundation ensures accountability, transparency, and efficacy in achieving its goals and outcomes by conducting surveys and interviews and utilizing other research methods. Our outcomes are shared to positively influence our diverse partners, the nonprofit community, and the philanthropic sector.
- Reports to: Director of Impact and Operations
- Position Details:
- Assist in developing strategic plans for ThriveHub and Study of Impact initiatives, including setting clear objectives, goals, and metrics for success, regularly assessing progress, and adjusting strategies to achieve desired outcomes.
- Assist with the Study of Impact to systematically identify and understand the areas of needs and growth of WF staff and grantee partners through research and data collection.
- Contribute to research design, sampling plans, interviews, surveys, questionnaires, moderator guides, and analytical plans.
- Analyze and communicate data findings with the Director of Impact and Operations and other necessary entities to determine research-based recommendations on strategy and programming.
- Ensure the development, implementation, and evaluation of high-quality training and initiatives offered through ThriveHub, focusing on personal, professional, and spiritual growth among WF staff and its grantee partners.
- Collaborating with consultants and facilitators on curriculum outlines, course materials, and learning resources for ThriveHub will help implement a comprehensive range of learnings.
- Contribute to creating strategies to attract, enroll, and retain participants in programs offered.
- Establish mechanisms that measure and articulate the effectiveness and impact of programs and services. This may include collecting quantitative data such as participant demographics, program attendance, and survey responses and qualitative data such as participant testimonials and case studies.
- Identify emerging trends, opportunities, and challenges in learning and development and propose innovative solutions.
- Help ensure compliance with relevant regulations, organizational policies, participant safety, data privacy, and other areas.
- Implement quality assurance measures and address any issues promptly.
- Communicate regularly and effectively with participants, WF staff, partners, and other stakeholders to provide updates, solicit feedback, and foster community and engagement. This includes via email, newsletters, social media, and in-person/virtual meetings.
- Other tasks and/or projects as assigned.
FELLOWSHIP REQUIREMENTS
- Be a current college student.
- Commitment to and passion for Wayfarer’s mission: “We partner with nonprofits to co-create a unified world.”
- Interest in community organizing, advocacy, philanthropy, and/or social innovation as a career.
- Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as a lens for all your work.
- Openness to exploring the spiritual dimensions of mission-driven work, especially Baháʼí-inspired practices.
- Excellent and creative verbal and written communication skills in English, including copywriting and editing skills.
- Willingness to be vulnerable, emotionally intelligent, and service-oriented.
- Action-oriented, results-driven, and grounded mode of operating.
- Flexibility and adaptability, as we strive to provide clear roles while
navigating the process of being a new and quickly growing nonprofit.
- Proficiency in and/or willingness to quickly learn WF tech platforms: Google apps, major social media platforms, Foundant (grant management system), Slack, Canva, Airtable (project management system), etc.
- Do I have to be a Baháʼí to apply?
- While we are guided by the spiritual principles of the Baháʼí faith, we respect and celebrate all religious devotions and differences and provide equal employment opportunities for all. We only ask you to come to the role with an open heart, mind, and interest in learning more about Baháʼí beliefs and the role diverse spiritual traditions can play in creating social change.
WORKING AT WAYFARER
- Logistics:
- Compensation and Hours:
- Undergraduate/graduate students - $20/hour, 20 hours/week
- Doctoral students - $25/hour, 28 hours/week
- Term: 9 months/mid-August 2024 to end of May 2025
- Culture - You can expect:
- The mindfulness of a house of worship: We engage in spiritual practices as a team, explore how spirituality can drive social change, and strive to treat one another with compassion and kindness.
- The energy of a startup: As a new organization, we are in an organic learning mode and value risk, innovation, and experimentation.
- The passion for justice of a grassroots non-profit: We celebrate the gifts of diverse individuals, communities, and institutions. We also stand up
for justice for those excluded because we know that together, without -isms, we can find solutions to our most pressing problems.
- Where will I work?
- We are a hybrid organization; we work 2-3 days at home and 2-3 days in our office in 350 Linden, Wilmette, IL (easily accessible by the CTA purple line).
- Wednesdays are required in-person days.
- You will also be expected to travel ~25% of the time.
TO APPLY
Please submit:
- A brief cover letter. Please do not repeat what is written on your resume in your cover letter. Instead, tell us things your resume can’t tell us: what you are passionate about, your gifts, why you want to work with us, etc. In this letter, please also make sure to 1) affirm your openness to working in a spiritual environment informed by the Baháʼí faith and 2) discuss any experience you have in racial justice and/or working in BIPOC communities.
- A 1-2 page resume with two references listed.
Wayfarer Foundation is an equal opportunity employer, and we strongly encourage BIPOC, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+, Baháʼí, and other underrepresented applicants. We value diverse candidates; your gifts and experience matter more than titles or numbers.
Job Types: Part-time, Temporary, Internship
Pay: $20.00 - $25.00 per hour
Expected hours: 20 – 28 per week
Schedule:
Application Question(s):
- Are you a college student?
Ability to Commute:
Ability to Relocate:
- Wilmette, IL: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person