Film Program Officer Job at Claims Conference in New York

This is a hybrid role with two days a week in the office in Manhattan.

Headquartered in New York with additional offices in Israel and Germany, the Claims Conference is a global, non-profit organization committed to providing a small measure of justice to Holocaust Survivors. Since our founding in 1951, the Claims Conference has secured more than $90 billion from the German government in indemnification for Survivors.

In 2023, the Claims Conference distributed approximately $625 million in direct compensation to over 260,000 survivors in 83 countries and allocated approximately $900 million in grants to over 300 social service agencies worldwide that provide vital services for Holocaust survivors, such as home care, food, and medicine. Our Research, Education, and Documentation (RED) funds contribute toward global efforts to educate the public and preserve the memory of the Holocaust through teacher training programs, exhibitions, and films such as Son of Saul, an Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Film. At the Claims Conference, we honor history while making history.

The Claims Conference is looking for a dynamic Film Program Officer to join our RED team. We are looking for a strategic, detail-oriented and proactive team player who can develop strong internal and external relationships/partnerships while providing support to our grantmaking process. The ideal candidate is passionate and knowledgeable about film production and distribution as they will oversee our film grant program while supporting additional ongoing film-related projects and initiatives.

Responsibilities:

• Overseeing a portfolio of grants, comprising of the review of funding proposals, programmatic and financial reports and collaboration in other projects and initiatives;
• Communicating with prospective applicants and handling timely correspondence to film-related inquiries;
• Reviewing and evaluating film grant applications and communicating with applicants regarding project proposals;
• Meeting with applicants and grantees;
• Preparing applications for presentation to the professional advisory committees, Allocations Committee and Board of Directors;
• Preparing decision letters including allocation, deferral, and rejection letters;
• Monitoring the implementation of grants including assuring that budget deviations and other budgetary and programmatic revisions comply with grant guidelines;
• Communicating with staff in Israel regarding Israeli film grants;
• Reviewing budgets, payment requests, reporting and process payments;
• Monitoring and reviewing programmatic progress, and critically analyzing reports including the successes and challenges;
• Monitoring programmatic progress including watching all funded films, sharing assessment of those films with staff and committees, and keeping track of the distribution of the films;
• Preparing film clips, writing correspondence and contributing to presentations to the Professional Advisory Committee, Allocations Committee and the Board of Directors;
• Reviewing and updating forms, templates and grant letters if necessary;
• Collaborating with RED team as necessary;
• Acting as a liaison with other departments, such as Communication and Legal, regarding film-related matters;
• Helping to develop strategies, priorities and guidelines to enhance Claims Conference funded programs and services;
• Preparing written reports, papers and presentations as needed, including on Film priorities and direction;
• Initiating and overseeing special projects such as the Claims Conference Film Contest and special screenings;
• Promoting and marketing the Claims Conference name in the film industry;
• Ongoing responsibility to stay current on developments and trends in the field.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors and/or master’s degree in Film preferred;
• At least 7 years of experience in narrative and/or documentary films including as a producer;
• Extensive knowledge of film industry and film production and distribution;
• Grant-making experience and/or developing/supervising programs;
• Basic understanding of intellectual property rights and entertainment contracts;
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite;
• Strong written and oral communication skills;
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills;
• Ability to negotiate and network;
• Familiarity with grants management platforms a plus;
• Experience with Holocaust education and/or Holocaust history preferred;
• Highly organized and detail-oriented;
• Strong attention to accuracy.

Claims Conference offers generous benefits, opportunities for professional growth, and competitive salaries based on geographic location. Our target salary range for Film Program Officer in the New York City market is $80,000-$85,000. This salary range represents Claims Conference’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of posting. The final salary for this role will be determined based on careful consideration of a variety of factors, such as the candidate’s exact location, experience in similar roles, and expertise related to the qualifications. This information is offered in support of our commitment to transparency.

The Claims Conference is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of any category protected by law, including (without limitation) race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.