Executive Director, Jones Family Foundation

The Jones Family Foundation, based in Red Wing, Minnesota, seeks an experienced leader to serve as its first Executive Director. The Executive Director (ED) will provide leadership and direction for the general management of the Jones Family Foundation (JFF), and will be the primary interface among the founders, Board Chair, and other directors of JFF. In this new role, the Executive Director will be responsible for the development, coordination, and implementation of the Foundation’s strategic planning processes, grantmaking activities, and financial management, to ensure that the Foundation’s mission and business goals are achieved.

The Jones Family Foundation is a supporting organization of the Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation (SPMF). The Executive Director is an employee of SPMF, reporting to the JFF Board of Directors, under the leadership of its Board Chair. The Executive Director works closely with the Chairs of the Executive and Finance committees, supervises the Chief Operating Officer and leads the relationship with SPMF and its team.

About the Foundation

The Jones Family Foundation (JFF) was founded in 1988 as a Donor Advised Fund of Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation (SPMF). The founders have since recruited nine additional members of the board of directors who with them set the Foundation’s policies, priorities, and direction. Since its founding, an evolution from Donor Advised Fund to Supporting Organization also has been accomplished. Today the Jones Family Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) entity embedded in SPMF. SPMF provides JFF with investment management and financial services, as well as human resources management including payroll and benefits. One of SPMF’s senior executives is an active member of the JFF Board of Directors.

JFF’s founders are Scott and Anne Jones.

• Scott is a third generation Red Wing resident, whose career in commercial banking spanned thirty-five years, during which he held various positions, including serving as CEO of Signal Financial Services, a $1.2 billion bank holding company. During his tenure, he also served from 1988- 1999 as president of the American Bankers Association. He served on the Federal Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve System in Washington, D.C. from 1999-2001. Since retiring from banking in 2002, Scott has focused his energies on philanthropy; he served as chair of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation in 2009 and 2010.
• Anne is also a third generation Red Wing resident. Her career spanned thirty years as CEO of Jones Consulting Group, Inc., an organizational and strategic planning consulting firm providing services for Fortune 500 companies since 1979. Prior to 1979, Anne worked in product development with IBM. She has served on numerous for-profit and non-profit boards. For example, Anne served as a board member of Signal Bank Red Wing from 1992—2001. Her non-profit work includes the role of chair for Fairview Red Wing Health Services, the United Way board, and ProAct, a service for disabled children and adults.

The Jones Family Foundation has approximately $12.8 million (as of 11/30/24) in invested assets and plans to make grants of approximately $1.1 million in 2025. The Foundation’s intent is to operate in perpetuity to provide a flow of philanthropic capital that benefits the Red Wing community and region. Assets will significantly grow over time as a result of the Jones’ estate planning.

Today, nonprofit organizations that operate within a 30-mile radius of Red Wing, Minnesota are eligible for support, as are units of government, including school districts. The Foundation seeks to advance efforts or address critical needs in the areas of education, economic vitality, and arts and culture. The Foundation allocates 75 percent of its dollars predominantly to these three focus areas and reserves 25 percent for initiatives and innovative ideas.

The Foundation has a two-fold approach to grantmaking, responsive and proactive. There are three grant cycles annually.

• Via the Foundation’s website, organizations may submit letters of inquiry, which if approved, are followed by full applications for activities such as program expansion, special projects, start-up support, and other initiatives. The Foundation does not provide grants to individuals, or support for endowments. The Foundation utilizes the Common Grant Application form. Examples of recently funded proposals include:

• Hispanic Outreach of Goodhue County (Education): The Jones Family Foundation has supported a variety of initiatives of Hispanic Outreach over the years which serve Hispanic youth and families in the community and throughout Goodhue County such as the Youth and Families Program which assists families in navigating the educational system and provides support to improve student academic achievement.
• Red Wing Arts (Arts & Culture): The Jones Family Foundation has provided organizational and programmatic funding to Red Wing Arts to support a number of initiatives and programs such as the Concerts in the Park, Fall Festival of the Arts, and Honoring Dakota initiative.
• Red Wing Downtown Main Street (Economic Vitality): Red Wing Downtown Main Street serves as an important partner in the Jones Family Foundation’s economic vitality efforts. The Foundation has provided support for the organization’s initiatives to recruit new businesses and support existing businesses to create a vibrant downtown.
• Through their own involvement in community activities in Red Wing, the directors also initiate the development of larger projects and collaborations that advance the Foundation’s mission. Directors have ongoing conversations about ways the Foundation can have a “bigger, bolder” impact and they encourage each other to discuss early ideas that could benefit the local community. Directors also are engaged in the community sufficiently that they see and experience opportunities or are contacted by local connections who have innovative ideas. Examples of the Foundation’s initiative projects include:

• Red Wing College Promise: The Jones Family Foundation has partnered with Minnesota State College Southeast to offer an opportunity for Red Wing high school students to attend Minnesota State College Southeast by covering the cost of tuition and fees and providing a stipend for books, supplies, tools, and other financial aid. Students who are graduating from a Red Wing public high school, reside in Red Wing, and have a GPA of 2.0 or higher, are eligible.
• Every Hand Joined: The JFF initiated Every Hand Joined in 2012, using a collective impact model that brings together local businesses, nonprofits, city and county government, schools, foundations, and community members to help youth succeed, cradle to career. In 2021, the JFF transitioned the leadership of Every Hand Joined to a respected nonprofit, Rise Up Red Wing. Rise Up is a member of the StriveTogether network, a national movement of nearly seventy partnerships across thirty states and Washington, D.C., working to ensure every child has every opportunity to succeed in school and in life.
• Downtown Philanthropic Collaborative: The Jones Family Foundation facilitates this collaborative of four local philanthropic organizations who together are working with community economic development partners to strengthen economic vitality efforts in downtown Red Wing.

About the opportunity

The Foundation’s founders have reached a natural age when they are foregrounding an important succession planning process that will ensure the Foundation’s long-term vibrancy and effectiveness. A key part of this planning is to identify, recruit, and onboard the Foundation’s first executive director, and to support and facilitate this individual’s orientation to, and the work with the board of directors and the greater Red Wing community. It is expected that the successful candidate will work alongside the founders in the early years of transition, as the founders begin to evolve from their longstanding leadership roles.

The Board of Directors of the Foundation has appointed a Search Committee that is actively participating in the search process for this new position, and will be engaged in the recruitment, interviewing, and selection of the finalist. The Search Committee expects to present the final candidate for Board approval by the end of June 2025.

About the responsibilities

The position’s job duties are summarized below:

• Vision/Strategic Planning: Consistent with the mission of the JFF, and in collaboration with the Board of Directors, develops and implements the organization’s strategic plan and long-term goals.
• Financial Management and Budgeting: Along with the Finance Committee, manages the finances of the Foundation, works with the JFF Board Treasurer and SPMF CFO and CIO to provide annual budgets, monthly/quarterly cash flow reports, operating statements, and balance sheets; and reports on the financial health of the organization to the JFF Finance Committee and Board.
• Coordinates among SPMF and JFF staff for distribution of funds to grantees, and ensures that grantee recordkeeping and payment is timely, accurate, and confidential. Investment management is led by SPMF.
• Grantmaking: Works jointly with the Board of Directors and COO to be curious, knowledgeable, and informed about current and emerging issues in the greater Red Wing community. Monitors trends and best practices in the nonprofit sector, philanthropy, and the Foundation’s funding interest areas. Identifies opportunities to work with other funders and/or government entities on areas of mutual interests and concern.
• Personnel management: Provides leadership to the JFF staff to build and sustain a cooperative, professional, and rewarding working relationship among staff, contractors, and foundation advisors. Collaborates with SPMF’s Vice President of People and Culture and SPMF’s human resources staff on hiring, performance management, benefits, and professional development opportunities for staff.
• Communications and public relations: Develops and executes public relations and communications functions, including the annual report and website, supported by the foundation staff and outside communications and web site consultants.
• Events and Convenings: Oversees the successful delivery of Foundation events, meetings, and convenings. In coordination with the Board Chair, determines annual events and Foundation sponsorship of events or meetings hosted by other non-profit entities.
• Community Relations: Serves as the primary voice and representative of the JFF in the community. Maintains knowledge about and invests time in involvement in the regional and national philanthropic and non-profit community, particularly in the key funding areas of the Foundation.

The Board of Directors seeks a candidate who is aligned with JFF’s mission and values and who has both strong strategic and operational leadership abilities. The Executive Director should have the ability to work closely with the founders and Board of Directors, as well as the experience, public presence, and empathy to lead a philanthropic organization.

The successful candidate will have had at least 8–10 years’ of demonstrated leadership experience. Such experience will ideally include not only staff roles with increasing responsibility, but also in at least one role as board member. Direct nonprofit experience is ideal, as is knowledge of philanthropic practices, processes, and policies.

The Foundation seeks candidates who have experience in:

• Facilitating and participating in visioning, strategic planning, and organizational processes that enable the Foundation to increase the impact and effectiveness of its grantmaking, while demonstrating leadership in its target areas.
• Energizing and inspiring colleagues, and in leading with integrity, purpose, and a concern for colleagues’ well-being.
• Writing for, speaking to, and presenting before boards of directors, external constituents, and media representatives.
• Working in and with diverse communities.
• Collaborative leadership that results in identifying promising new ideas and facilitating the implementation of initiatives.

In addition, the Foundation has developed a list of key personal attributes the ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Active listening and learning, while being responsive, collaborative, and relational in their approach to the work.
• Experience with and interest in the unique ways work happens in small towns and communities.
• Willingness to roll up one’s sleeves and do what is necessary to work with a small staff on a collaborative basis.
• Agility in adapting to rapidly changing circumstances.
• Continuous learning, humility in admitting errors.
• Eagerness to pursue engagement with grantees, stay close to their leadership, and keep current on what may be changing in their spheres of influence, particularly in the Foundation’s key giving areas.
• Grace and respect; patience; a sense of humor is a bonus.

Compensation and benefits

The starting salary for this position is $125,000 annually.

The Foundation offers a comprehensive benefits package detailed here: https://de4vzavwp1bb7.cloudfront.net/general/Who-We-Are/Files/Summary-of-Benefits.pdf

A relocation package is available as a part of the total compensation package. The Executive Director is expected to live within a 30-mile radius of Red Wing, Minnesota, the Foundation’s grantmaking region, with the expectation of predominantly in-office work as well as active participation in the community’s life.

The application process
Interested candidates may contact Sarah Lutman, Principal, 8 Bridges Workshop by email to discuss the position (JonesFamilyFoundation@8bridgesworkshop.com). Inquiries will be handled in confidence. A simple email of inquiry will receive a reply that includes times available to schedule a 15-minute call or Zoom meeting as a preliminary step, if desired. Preliminary calls are not required, should a candidate wish to proceed with an application immediately.

• Once formally applying for the position, candidates should submit their materials through the employment portal at SPMF Paylocity. The portal’s application requirements include a cover letter and current resume. As noted above, candidates may submit materials when ready, with or without a preliminary call.
• The selection process will include preliminary review by 8 Bridges and the SPMF Vice President of People and Culture, followed by the Search Committee, and will include telephone or Zoom interviews; reference checking; and semi-finalist and finalist in-person interviews. The process will also include submission of writing and work samples, and a psychological assessment.
• Please submit your application no later than 5:00 PM Central Time on March 6, 2025.
• For more information about the Jones Family Foundation, please visit the website at https://www.jonesfamilyfoundation.org/

The Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation, and its supporting organization, the Jones Family Foundation, are Equal Opportunity Employers, committed to hiring individuals who contribute to the cultural diversity of their workplace.

About the Red Wing community

Red Wing, a historic river town in southeastern Minnesota along the Mississippi River, is celebrated for its rich history, distinctive charm, and vibrant arts and cultural offerings. The downtown area is the city’s cultural and commercial hub, with many buildings dating back to the early 19th century. The downtown district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Red Wing and Goodhue County offer abundant recreational opportunities, including 35 parks in the Red Wing city limits, extensive trail systems for biking and hiking, conservation areas, beautiful natural features along the Mississippi River, close access to state parks, and activities such as rock climbing, boating, and golfing.

Red Wing is home to a robust group of local businesses and a group of community leaders, also recruiting new entrants. For example:

• Red Wing Shoes was founded in 1905 and today is an international manufacturing company with more than 500 retail stores across the globe.
• 3M operates a manufacturing plant in Red Wing for its Fall Protection Unit
• Mayo Clinic Health System in Red Wing is part of Mayo Clinic Health System located in Rochester, 50 miles from Red Wing
• Red Wing is home to MN Ignite, which since 2013 has provided a business incubator for early-stage information and technology businesses. The organization was recognized as the first and smallest rural community in the United States to receive Smart City designation nominated as a US Ignite Community due to the successful implementation of our city’s gigabit broadband. Fiber Optic Broadband is enabled throughout our region.

The population of Red Wing has remained relatively steady in recent years at about 17,000 residents. Red Wing is growing steadily older. Twenty percent of residents are over 65 years of age compared to 16 percent in Minnesota. Red Wing is more racially diverse than 10 years ago but less diverse than Minnesota overall. In 2022, Red Wing was about 80 percent White, with American Indian, Black, Hispanic, and Asian residents, as well as two-or-more races, comprising 20 percent. The percentage of residents who identify as Hispanic/Latino has grown significantly since 2011 and is now nearly 7 percent.

About 2,400 students are enrolled in the Red Wing Public School District. Forty percent of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches and 19 percent receive special education service. Unemployment is low (2.7 percent), nonetheless 16 percent of residents live in poverty.

The City of Red Wing publishes a report card annually, associated with its 2040 plan. Detailed demographic, economic, and other data are available here: https://www.redwingreportcard.org/

For additional information about Red Wing, these websites will be useful:

• 2040 Community Plan and Red Wing Economy Report Card
• Red Wing Port Authority
• Red Wing Arts
• Red Wing Downtown Mainstreet
• https://redwing.org/
• https://datausa.io/profile/geo/red-wing-mn

Thank you for your interest!