Executive Director of the Mosaic Network and Fund

Position: Executive Director of the Mosaic Network and Fund

Location: NYFA’s offices are in midtown Manhattan and this is a hybrid position. NYFA currently is practicing a remote work environment where employees can work from home if they choose, subject to their immediate supervisor's approval. Employees may also choose to work in NYFA's office. NYFA's CEO and Board hold the right to revise the remote work model at any time.

Reports To: The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) is serving as fiscal sponsor of Mosaic and, as such, this position is an employee of NYFA, reporting to Chief Operating Officer Fred Humphrey.  As a NYFA employee, the Executive Director will receive the benefits and resources provided by NYFA while supporting Mosaic’s mission.

Compensation: $151,000 to $155,000/annually. This pay scale reflects the good faith minimum and maximum salary range for this role. The advertised pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage for any specific employee. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, special licensing or qualifications, and other factors.

Benefits: As a NYFA employee, the Executive Director is eligible for NYFA’s employee benefits package which includes subsidized health/dental/vision insurance, full coverage of life insurance and short-term disability, three weeks paid vacation plus holidays, and pre-tax transit & flexible spending account (FSA) options.

Time Commitment: This is a salaried full-time, exempt position, with hours both remote and in person and the ability to adjust work hours within a core work week.

Application Deadline: October 31,  2025

Approximate Start Date: January 2026

Who is The Mosaic Network and Fund?
The Mosaic Network and Fund (Mosaic) is an emergent nonprofit membership organization composed of more than 400 NYC-based African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, Native American (ALAANA), and immigrant arts and culture practitioners and arts funders. Mosaic seeks to practice (and move the field towards) restorative and regenerative philanthropy, where individuals and institutions that have accumulated capital through the extractive economy support the collective capacity of harmed communities to produce, give to, and invest directly in what Network members need. The Network and Fund aim to nurture trust-based relationships between Mosaic Network members, ensuring the thrivability of arts organizations of color producing art and culture by, with, and for communities of color and immigrant communities in New York City. We envision evolution towards a more equitable, pluralistic cultural ecosystem, inclusive of a transformed philanthropic landscape, that supports ALAANA and immigrant arts and cultural groups’ sustainability and thrivability—the ability to flourish, prosper, or develop vigorously. While our efforts are place-based, we recognize our connection to communities, diasporas, and regions beyond New York City and see our work as part of a broader collective movement for equity and justice.

Origin of the Mosaic Network and Fund
In 2017, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The New York Community Trust commissioned a research study by Yancey Consulting on the health of culturally specific arts organizations, which became known as the Yancey “Thrivability Report.” The report, published in 2018, made a bold call to address systemic inequities in arts funding and sought solutions to reverse the trend of disinvestment in organizations of color. It emphasized the need for philanthropic investments that would disrupt existing funding
patterns and create sustained sector-wide behavioral shifts. To read the full report click here.

Building on the findings of this report, the Mosaic Network and Fund was formally established in 2018 as a five-year funder and practitioner collaborative at The New York Community Trust. Initially funded by 27 philanthropic organizations, Mosaic’s goals were to direct more resources and provide access and opportunity for ALAANA and immigrant arts organizations, addressing the institutional barriers that perpetuate systemic and racial oppression in the NYC nonprofit arts and culture community. From its inception, Mosaic aimed to create a new era of cultural philanthropy, guided and co-designed by both funders and ALAANA and immigrant arts practitioners.

As Mosaic prepares to operate independently, we are currently fiscally sponsored by NYFA, which will continue to steward Mosaic throughout this transition. The Mosaic Network and Fund are committed to amplifying racial equity, addressing other forms of oppression, and shifting the narrative around ALAANA and immigrant arts groups and racial equity in the arts. Through its work, Mosaic advocates for more equitable policies and practices and seeks to increase philanthropic support for New York City-based ALAANA and immigrant arts groups.

Position Overview:
This is the job description for the first Executive Director of the Mosaic Network and Fund, an inaugural full-time (at least 40 hours per week) exempt position to guide the organization through its transitional phase, ensuring alignment with the vision and values crafted by its membership. This role involves stewarding Mosaic’s development, managing staff and consultants across key operational areas, and leading innovative, mission-driven programs that amplify the organization’s purpose. The Executive Director will also educate and advocate for Mosaic’s unique funding model, fostering strong relationships with and between funders and members. This role will not be based on an existing comprehensive fundraising plan, but there is some seed funding in place, along with safeguards, and the option to engage a fundraising consultant if needed. As an emergent organization, fiscally sponsored by NYFA, Mosaic and the Executive Director will have access to important professional development and capacity-building resources through NYFA. This role will work with the Mosaic Steering Committee (Mosaic’s governing body) and engage directly with NYFA staff, collaborating with them to negotiate and build core capacities for Mosaic, while also benefiting from NYFA’s established capacity-building programs.

We understand that experience and skill sets can vary, and we value diverse perspectives. If you meet some of the requirements and are enthusiastic about this role, we encourage you to apply. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive and bring their full selves to work.

Key Responsibilities:

STEWARDSHIP OF MOSAIC’S EVOLUTION
Mosaic is at a pivotal moment in its journey, transitioning from its founding phase to a new model. This role is key to guiding the organization through this period of change with intentionality and alignment with its core mission and values. Responsibilities in this area include:

• Supporting the Organization’s Next Steps: Steward Mosaic through its transitional phase, ensuring alignment with the vision and values crafted by its membership through collaborative learning exchanges and working groups.
  
• Management: Lead the hiring, ongoing supervision, and support of staff and consultants across the major areas of Programs, Grants, Grantmaking.
• Management/Fundraising, Communications, and Administration. Managing these roles is a significant time commitment and a major responsibility in ensuring the stewardship and long-term health of Mosaic as an emergent organization, with a focus on guiding these areas strategically rather than on direct execution.
• Innovative and Mission-Aligned Program Leadership: Manage and reimagine existing programs, focusing on amplifying Mosaic’s mission and values. Emphasis is placed on innovation that serves the organization’s purpose, not for its own sake.
• Education and Advocacy with Funders: Lead efforts to educate funders about Mosaic’s unique mission and funding model. Advocate for breaking traditional funding molds in alignment with membership guidelines. 
• Guide Mosaic’s programming in collaboration with contracted facilitator-consultants, including funder education workshops and continuing education and networking opportunities for Mosaic members, such as business plan development for emerging leaders, grant writing, budgeting, funder meet and greets, and more.
• Collaborate with NYFA staff to identify and recruit trainers and consultants for programming events and initiatives. 
• Recognize and champion the value of diverse experiences and perspectives, prioritizing collaborative leadership practices throughout Mosaic’s development. Cultivate a workplace culture that celebrates individuality, fosters psychological safety, and supports staff and contractors from all backgrounds in thriving.
• Executive Leadership with Strategic Focus: Recognize the transitional nature of this role, positioning Mosaic for long-term stability and success as the organization transitions to its next iteration.

DONOR ENGAGEMENT

• Oversee the development and implementation of comprehensive fundraising strategies, including annual campaigns, major gifts, and grants.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with individual donors, foundations, and corporate partners.
• Oversee donor stewardship activities, ensuring timely recognition and reporting.
• Develop partnerships that align, strengthen, and complement the Network’s vision and mission.
• Recruit new members to the Network who align with Mosaic’s core mission and values.
• Hold an in-depth understanding of the Network’s vision, mission, and programs.
• Plan and coordinate with the Network Steering Committee to schedule convenings.

GRANTMAKING

• Oversee Mosaic’s grantmaking, including the planning, execution, and evaluation of annual philanthropic initiatives, ensuring alignment with the mission, while effectively managing the Fund’s budget.
• Mosaic’s current grantmaking budget was raised through a funder collaborative and serves as a base for the inaugural Executive Director to leverage. However, it is expected that the Executive Director will help to establish an ongoing fundraising plan.
• Mosaic has secured a modest funding base, and the Executive Director will be responsible for developing a fundraising strategy to sustain the work beyond this period.

STEERING COMMITTEE RELATIONS

• Collaborate with the Network Steering Committee to align fundraising efforts with organizational goals.
• In partnership with NYFA, the current fiscal sponsor, approve regular reports on fundraising performance for review by the Network Steering Committee.
• Document Mosaic’s continued development and process and after 3-6 months provide recommendations to assist the Network on realistic short and long term goals; unseen administrative needs; and fundraising challenges and opportunities.

COMMUNICATIONS

• Lead both internal and external communications between and to funders and within the network itself, liaising with contractors to create and distribute press releases, social media, email marketing, and other channels to educate the public, members, and funders alike on Mosaic activities as an emergent organization that has had public visibility in the past and now is revitalized.
• Engage stakeholders in communicating Mosaic’s historical and current impact through anecdotes and concrete stories of those directly affected by its work.
• In collaboration with the Network Steering Committee, consultants, and NYFA, supervise the design and implementation of a robust communications strategy to engage the funder collective and update funders on Mosaic’s progress, impact, and the wider community. Nearly 30 funders have already contributed significant amounts to the development of Mosaic and to previous grantmaking cycles and programming. The focus will be on securing renewals of these grants and developing new prospects.
• Remain current on developments impacting service organizations based in ALAANA and immigrant communities to avoid duplication of services and ensure relevant organizations are informed and participating.

Skills and Qualifications:

We understand that candidates come from diverse professional and personal backgrounds, and we value a wide range of experiences. The most important criterion is a passion for Mosaic’s work and mission. Below, however, are some areas of knowledge, skills, or lived experience that we believe may be helpful in this role. None of these are intended to be exclusionary, and if you are passionate about Mosaic and its mission, we strongly encourage you to apply.

• Strong leadership and management skills, with an analytical and solutions-oriented approach towards problem solving with a commitment to mentoring and empowering team members.
• Familiarity in the necessary areas of management within an emergent nonprofit organization, including administration and operations, program development and execution, grant writing and management, marketing and communications, and development and fundraising.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with experience and knowledge in community and consensus building, restorative justice, emergent strategy, navigating differences, conflict mediation and resolution, and promoting and modeling empathy, or a willingness to grow in these areas with support.
• Applicants should have a clear understanding of well-documented racial disparities and historic undercapitalization in the arts ecosystem, and the analytical skills to work towards solutions.
• In depth experience in fundraising and donor relations, community organizing, and/or annual giving programs, with a track record of successful solicitation.
• Strong communication skills, public speaking, writing, editing.
• A strong sense of radical narrative strategy, with a commitment to building a culture of self-direction, mutual accountability, liberation, respect, and joy.
• A bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent lived/professional
  experience is preferred but not required.
• Consistent with Mosaic’s values, the ideal leader will be committed to mentoring and developing future hires, while leveraging their networks to bring in additional knowledge and connections.

NYFA is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a commitment to supporting a more equitable arts sector. Employees from all backgrounds are critical to NYFA's mission to serve all artists. Individuals of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

We recognize that there is no one "perfect" candidate and are eager to hear from a diverse range of voices who bring the skills and qualifications required for this position.