At the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, we first listen to the communities we serve, tap into our learnings and relationships, and bring everyone together to build and support programs that improve education, boost entrepreneurship, and help Kansas City thrive.

Senior Impact Officer Strategic Initiatives

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a private, nonpartisan foundation that provides access to opportunities that help people achieve financial stability, upward mobility, and economic prosperity – regardless of race, gender, or geography. The Foundation uses its grantmaking, research, programs, affiliates, and initiatives to support the start and growth of new businesses, a more prepared workforce, and stronger communities. Our work is grounded in the principles of racial equity, diversity, and inclusion and is consistent with the aspirations of our founder, Ewing Marion Kauffman.

Based in Kansas City, Missouri, the Kauffman Foundation is one of the largest foundations in the United States with an asset base of approximately $3 billion. While striving to have national impact and global reach, the Foundation is deeply committed to Kansas City, as evidenced by work on initiatives that reach into neighborhoods and enrich the community and quality of life in the region. For more information about the Foundation, please visit the website at www.kauffman.org.

Reporting directly to the Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives (SDSI), the Sr. Impact Officer – Strategic Initiatives serves as a connective hub across the Impact Team, strengthening communication, collaboration, shared team learning, and coordinated execution across the foundation’s three strategic pillars of grantmaking: College Access & Completion, Workforce & Career Development, and Entrepreneurship. The role translates strategic priorities into coordinated action, creates structures that support effective collaboration, and helps ensure that learning and insights are shared across pillars. The Strategic Initiatives Senior Impact Officer will be part of a team that thrives in an entrepreneurial team culture, characterized by innovation, proactivity, and a commitment to high impact, each of which is integral to successfully implementing the Foundation’s relaunched grantmaking strategy.

Working as part of the Strategic Initiatives vertical, the Senior Impact Officer partners closely with all Impact team associates to strengthen structure, accountability, and coherence across the team.

Specific Responsibilities Include:

Strategic Initiative Responsibilities

• Build strong communication and collaboration infrastructure across the three strategic pillars; facilitate shared learning, peer support, and knowledge transfer (especially during staff transitions).
• Serve as Impact Team liaison to the Uncommon Leader Awards work group
• Work closely with the SDSI to ensure coherence across all grant pathways and to effectively communicate alignment with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Strengthen team decision-making and alignment across all shared grantmaking processes; surfacing risks or decisions that need leadership attention.
• Support change management and continuous improvement by helping with consistent adoption of new tools/processes while identifying workflow gaps and opportunities.
• Provide strategic sensemaking on cross-cutting issues by pulling together internal and
• external perspectives and translating it into useful assessments of implications and recommendations for leadership.
• Develop productive relationships with internal teams and external partners, reviewers, consultants, and community stakeholders as needed to advance strategic initiatives.

Grantmaking Responsibilities

• Serve as a representative of the Foundation, advancing EMKF’s strategic priorities and grantmaking philosophy, goals, and opportunities.
• Support the implementation of the Collective Impact grant pathway.
• In collaboration with Impact team members, source and evaluate potential grantees and proposals based on strategic fit and organizational capacity.
• Provide clear, concise, and insightful written analysis and recommendations for funding.
• Manage and oversee assigned grant portfolio, staying attuned to challenges in the field, grantees' needs, learnings, and opportunities for further impact.
• Stay abreast of topic areas associated with respective grantmaking portfolio, including trends, barriers, and areas for exploration. May be asked to provide leadership on a specific subject, while developing expertise on a broad range of issues.
• Work collaboratively with internal support teams, e.g., grants administration, research, learning and evaluation, legal, or strategic communications, in all stages of a grant request from intake to commitment letter.
• Prepare requested data and updates for board reports.
• Upon grant closure, provide clear and insightful written analysis of strategic and operational learnings to inform future grantmaking.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Education: Bachelor’s degree in education, business, liberal arts, or a related area of study preferred or equivalent years of experience.

Work Experience: At least five years’ work experience in roles that emphasize coordinating projects, building team systems and processes, effective communication, and a structured, framework-driven approach to the work.

Travel: This position may require occasional business travel.

QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates for this position must be highly motivated, capable of self-directed work, detail-oriented, and able to work collaboratively across teams and departments. Candidates must exhibit a keen sense of responsibility and enjoy working with multiple demands, shifting priorities, and constant change.

• Has a passion for advancing equitable and transformative solutions for communities served by the Foundation.
• Prioritizes and multi-tasks effectively using excellent organizational skills with keen attention to detail in addition to managing short-term urgent tasks while maintaining progress on long-term goals.
• Demonstrates success in process management and administration of organizational budget, financial, and grant management functions.
• Knows and uses project management tools, technology, and methodologies, e.g., gathering requirements, conducting business analyses, and providing documentation.
• Has the ability to function well in a high-paced and at times stressful environment.
• Posesses an adequate understanding of organizational and leadership dynamics to identify grantee capacity for success and potential risks.
• Analyzes and understands financial information, e.g., budgets, forecasts, cash flow statements, and income statements.
• Has excellent communication skills, including well-developed interpersonal, written, and listening skills.
• Has strong judgment, humility, and can build trust and navigate difficult conversations thoughtfully.
• Is committed to ongoing reflection, learning, and growing.
• Possesses a passion for “doing what is right,” with unquestioned integrity, positive ethics and values reflective of the Kauffman Foundation.
• Is committed to the Foundation’s credo, standards, and values in alignment with our racial equity, diversity and inclusion statement, by prioritizing racial equity, diversity, and inclusion in culture and strategic work.
• Possesses computer literacy skills, including proficiency with Microsoft tools, project management software, Slack, and social media.

All of the statements in this position description are intended to describe the general nature of the work being performed and are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required. This document describes the position currently available. The organization reserves the right to modify job duties or job descriptions at any time.

NON-DISCRIMINATION

The EMKF provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other protected category under applicable law.

TO APPLY

Interested applicants can apply for this position by submitting a cover letter and resume. Job posting will be removed at 12:00 pm CT on November 20, 2026.

 

Please note that this role is Kansas City, MO based and associates must reside in the Kansas City metropolitan area.