Grateful for the opportunity to do mission-driven work. Some challenges along the way.
Pros
Robin Hood is a terrific organization. If you are serious about creating social change in New York City, I can't think of another organization that compares. This is a great workplace for highly motivated self-starters and people who do not require a lot of hand holding. If you are looking for a formal org chart and neatly packaged roles, keep looking. If you are looking to be engaged in mission-driven work, have passion for helping to make NYC a better place for all residents and especially for the most vulnerable, hold yourself and others to high standards, and approach your work with a healthy combination of smarts and a humble attitude, then this could be a good workplace for you. RH constantly pushes the envelope - on smart grantmaking, measuring outcomes, creating new solutions/organizations where we identify gaps in services, and authentically engaging donors and raising a huge amount of money every year to support the work. Some days this constant push causes tension. Most days it creates amazing energy. Both are valuable.
Cons
There are some challenges. Robin Hood is now in its 27th year and the organization has grown significantly over the past decade. As with many organizations, the growth has been uncomfortable in some ways. RH has formalized systems and processes and brought on a President/COO to complement the skills of the Executive Director. These changes have been met with some resistance. There is some leadership tension. There are also some big egos to navigate throughout the organization. We hold ourselves to a high standard and from time to time it can be disappointing and de-motivating when petty interpersonal issues distract us from delivering on our mission. Having said that, office politics and challenging leadership dynamics are everywhere. I have had several other jobs, experienced other work cultures, and would rather be at RH on our worst day than at other organizations on their best days.