Chief Impact Officer

Reports to:

Executive Director
Position Type:
Exempt, Full-Time, On-site or Hybrid (not remote)

The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) is a 501(c)3 social impact organization that builds, sustains, and fights for arts and culture through grantmaking, partnerships, and advocacy in New England, the nation, and beyond.

As an organization, NEFA believes the freedoms to create, access, express, and share arts and culture are human rights and essential to a just society and thriving communities. As an employer, we are dedicated to dismantling the systemic inequities, barriers, and actions that have excluded individuals and communities from professional opportunities.

NEFA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is invested in creating an equitable and inclusive working environment and organizational culture. We are committed to hiring individuals who share and support our values, and who reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. NEFA does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or any other classes or characteristics protected by law.

The Chief Impact Officer (CIO) is a dynamic, analytical, and collaborative leader responsible for driving the strategic design, implementation, and evaluation of NEFA’s portfolio of programs, and developing a compelling and comprehensive storytelling strategy about the impact of NEFA’s work.

As a member of NEFA’s Executive Team, the CIO reports to the Executive Director (ED) and partners with the Chief Operating Officer (COO). As a team, they are collectively responsible for developing, stewarding, and deploying the resources that power the organization’s work and service to the field. The executive team is charged with designing and implementing policies and plans that enhance NEFA’s ability to weather change, navigate short and long-term risk, and contribute to building the sustainability of the arts and culture sector in shifting financial, social, and political landscapes.

The ideal candidate is a systems thinker and equity-focused leader who will bring a deep understanding of arts programming, grantmaking, research methods, data-driven decision-making, collaborative design, and communications strategy. As the organization’s primary architect for evaluation and assessment, the Chief Impact Officer will play a critical role ensuring NEFA’s programs are aligned with the strategic plan, A Mission Forged in Collaboration, that they remain relevant in the current arts and culture landscape, are intentionally informed by constituents needs, and deliver impactful outcomes.

The Chief Impact Officer supervises staff and work across programs, including grantmaking and services, advocacy and communications; identifying themes and trends, creating opportunities for connection, and fostering and enhancing collaboration across teams and the organization. Externally, the Chief Impact Officer will identify and leverage public opportunities to enhance the visibility of NEFA’s impact and promote its leadership in the field. They will be committed to building and strengthening external relationships with constituents, peers, and networks to further inform, connect and expand NEFA’s work.

This is a new position that will evolve over time.

• Serve as a core member of NEFA’s Executive Team and Leadership Committee, working as an inclusive and collaborative leader, informing and contributing to decisions regarding strategy, capacity, and culture, setting organizational priorities and benchmarks, and assessing and evaluating outcomes.
• Work in close collaboration with the ED, COO, staff and board members on continued implementation of NEFA’s strategic plan, refining the organization’s evaluation strategy and tools, and supporting teams with ongoing planning and assessment processes.
• Support the ED, COO, and Director of Finance during the annual budgeting process, providing high-level insight into annual program and communications planning, financial…