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Program Associate, Environment & Science

Employer
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Location
Blossom Valley, California, US
Salary
Competitive
Closing date
Nov 12, 2024
View more categoriesView less categories
Sector
Academic / Research
Field
Conservation science
Discipline
Climate Change
Salary Type
Salary
Employment Type
Full time
ABOUT THE DAVID AND LUCILE PACKARDFOUNDATIONThe David & Lucile Packard Foundation was founded in 1964 byDavid and Lucile Packard. Wework with people and communities to create enduring solutions for justsocieties and a healthy, resilient natural world. We have worked with thousandsof organizations and leaders in the U.S. and worldwide to advance progress inthe critical areas of science, ocean and land conservation, climate change,women's reproductive health and rights, and the well-being of children,families, and communities.

OUR VISION: A just and equitable world where both people andnature flourish.
Our new vision embraces a future where both people and nature flourish in amore just and equitable world. We explicitly acknowledge that the fate ofpeople and the natural environment are inextricably linked. Solutions to thecomplex challenges we face must account for this interconnectedness.

OUR MISSION: We work with people and communities to createenduring solutions for just societies and a healthy, resilient natural world.
Our new mission takes on the critical work of addressing root causes of thechallenges we face and mobilizing people for collective action. In addition tobuilding on approaches that have guided our philanthropy for decades - workingin partnership, committing to issues over the long-term, and grounding our workin science, knowledge, and data - we focus on understanding the systems thateither accelerate or impede progress. It is only through just and equitablesystems that we can find and sustain solutions to some of the biggestchallenges we face today.

OUR VALUES: Equity, Integrity, Belief in Individual Leadership,Thinking Big, Respect, and Effectiveness.
In addition to clarifying our long-held values, we added equity. We willchampion equity by treating people with dignity, honoring a range of ideas andperspectives from those closest to the issues, creating inclusive processes,and funding people who have been historically excluded to spur progress forall.For more information, including our definitions of key concepts,please visit our website.

DEPARTMENTOVERVIEW
This role will be a key member of the Grants andData Operations team (GDO). GDO leads the Foundation's grantmaking operationsand data practices to further our Foundation's goals.GDO is responsible for continuous assessmentand improvement of our grantmaking practices to enable staff and our granteepartners to do their important work. As a center of excellence for thesepractices, GDO team members work across the Foundation in close partnershipwith all departments and functions to understand current and future needs todeliver exceptional grantee experience, insightful data, and information, andproactively adapt to meet those needs.

POSITION SUMMARY
This role will be a key member of the Grantsand Data Operations team (GDO). GDO leads the Foundation's grantmakingoperations and data practices to further our Foundation's goals.GDO is responsible for continuous assessmentand improvement of our grantmaking practices to enable staff and our granteepartners to do their important work. As a center of excellence for thesepractices, GDO team members work across the Foundation in close partnershipwith all departments and functions to understand current and future needs todeliver exceptional grantee experience, insightful data, and information, andproactively adapt to meet those needs.

This rolewill be responsible for leading, developing, and implementing the operationsfor select grantmaking portfolios within the Environment and Science Goal, whichis made up of the Ocean Initiative, Global Climate Initiative, and Climate Innovation Initiative. The Environmentand Science team is focusedon protecting and restoring our natural world. To do this, we champion boldclimate solutions, an ocean that sustains us, and scientific innovation anddiscovery to secure the health and future of people and planet. Across ourglobe, the fate of both people and our natural world are inextricably linked,and all solutions must account for both.

This rolewill partner closely with multiple local and international Environment andScience (E&S) teammates including program officers, directors, regionaladvisors and other staff across the Foundation to ensure effectiveimplementation of our portfolios and a positive experience for our grantees.The successful candidate will be adept at building trust and growing respectfulworking relationships, has an eye for details and systems/process improvement,and committed to the Foundation's mission, vision, and values.

In addition,the Program Associate (PA) is the primary contact for our grantees when itcomes to ensuring the grantmaking cycle and process is understood, effective,and streamlined. Through partnership with the grantees, an understanding oftheir needs, and strong knowledge of our internal processes, the ProgramAssociate works with many internal and external partners to contribute toInitiative and Foundation goals.

This positionreports to the Program Budget Manager and joins a team of passionateindividuals committed to developing effective operational processes forgrantmaking and strong, trust-based relationships,designed to support the work of our initiatives and grantees.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Grantmaking & Initiative Operations (~60%)Process and execute all grants within an assigned portfolio including creation of grant files, initial due diligence, set up and tracking of payments and reports on various timelines and ensure accurate and timely set-up, review, and submission of files and information within the grantmaking system through each step of the grant lifecycle, leveraging developed expertise in research, legal compliance, grantmaking systems, and financial grantmaking requirements
Work with Program Officers and Associate Program Officers on the development of grantmaking plans as needed; support and/or lead the implementation of plans leveraging knowledge of prior work with grantees, identification of opportunities for collaborations across the Foundation, and with an in-depth understanding of budgets, timelines, and grantmaking requirements
Proactively identify, develop, and lead implementation of operational processes and tools for Initiative collaboration and planning, with an eye towards equity, effectiveness, and easing grantee burden to better serve the Foundation's grantees, partners, and goals
Serve as a Fluxx Grants Management System expert on the Initiative team, with working knowledge of the back-end database structure, fields, and user-interface, along with grant file requirements and associated rationale for those requirements; develop Fluxx dashboards to enable effective creation and team tracking of grants
Track the day-to-day management of grant budgets; develop team processes and utilize existing tools to reconcile for accuracy and track actual/projected payout on an ongoing basis in partnership with the Grants Officer and Goal/Initiative colleagues
Be aware of current research and policy changes within the relevant issues areas and geography; in partnership with Grants Management, support Program Officers and Associate Program Officers with development or refinement of processes as needed
As needed, support the quarterly Board docket preparation process for the Initiative team, including developing and tracking timelines for content creation, crafting content and editing materials, and coordinating the feedback process and on-time material submission to the docket site
Draft other written materials as needed, such as correspondence with grantees and briefing documents for site visits
Support and occasionally lead training and adoption for initiative teams as it relates to internal systems, processes, and policies; onboard new staff to grantmaking practices

Grantee Partnership (~20%)
Build strong partnerships with grantees by deeply understanding their work, their unique needs and processes, and their local jurisdiction requirements to collaboratively identify the most effective, relevant pathways to funding while ensuring a positive grantee experience
Serve as a key point of contact for grantees for needs related to initiating and moving the grant through its full lifecycle, creatively problem solving as complex grantmaking issues arise, and negotiating in multiple directions to meet internal and external requirements
Invest in learning and understanding Initiative strategies and key partners to draft grant summaries, inform work with grantees, and support strategy development, measurement, and refinement
Support grantees as they navigate Foundation systems and requirements, providing training and documentation, as well as troubleshooting support, as needed
Periodically, provide on-site logistical and administrative support for domestic and/or international grantee meetings and convenings and, as needed support, and occasionally lead, meeting facilitation

Organizational Collaboration & Process Improvement(~20%)
Collaborate across the Foundation's GDO team to create greater operational cooperation, transparency, and accountability for the Foundation, including supporting our ability to gather insightful data to guide our work
Provide ongoing feedback/ideas and contribute to Foundation-wide process improvements to grantmaking operations; act as representative for specific needs of the Initiative and associated geographies within these conversations
With other PAs, Program Operations Managers, and Initiative teams, identify, manage, iterate, and/or implement internal processes required to ensure alignment and coordinated implementation for workstreams and partners/grantees spanning multiple teams
Participate in, and/or lead guest speaker events, cross-Foundation working groups, and program forums to enable learning and systems/process improvement across the Foundation
Pursue ongoing professional development opportunitiesand participate in Foundation-wide training sessions

QUALIFICATIONS
Education

An Associate's degree or equivalent experience/training is required for this role.

Experience
Three to five years of related cross-functional operations, partnering, and/or project management experience is required for this role
Experience in the nonprofit sector, experience in grantmaking processes and familiarity with best practices, either through a foundation or grantee perspective, is desirable but not required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Strong operations and project coordination/management skills and experience, including the ability to develop, lead, and implement projects, processes, and systems, both independently and with colleagues
Ability to manage and collaborate across multiple stakeholders, both internal and external, to understand needs, negotiate priorities, and develop alignment
Ability to establish and maintain positive and productive working relationships within and outside of the Foundation
Excellent attention to detail and the ability to complete work with a high degree of accuracy and dependability
A track record of being able to meet tight, sometimes simultaneous, deadlines with a keen ability to prioritize, adapt to changing needs, and partner with others to meet common goals
Strong written and verbal communication skills
A desire to grow your own cultural competence and dedication to actively participating in the Foundation's work to integrate justice and equity into all facets of our work
Proficiency in Microsoft Office products (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) or similar tools and a willingness to learn and become proficient with Foundation systems including Fluxx and Microsoft SharePoint
Ability to work with individuals and teams across functions, organizations, and countries, including coordinating across different time zones and being available for periodic early morning or evening calls
Ability to be consistent and dependable for full-time work and be available to work overtime as needed

COMPENSATIONAND BENEFITS The position is full-time. The salary range for this position based inCalifornia is $85,000-$112,000 annually. This salary range is anestimate, and the actual salary may vary based on various factors, includingwithout limitation individual education, experience, tenure, certification,skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with marketdata.

The David and Lucile PackardFoundation offers excellent benefits for eligible employees. Current benefits includemedical (HMO and HDHPs), dental and vision coverage; 15% employer contributionto employee retirement plan; life insurance, disability insurance, vacation,and sick leave; an adoption benefit; fertility benefit; a financial wellnessprogram; health advocacy services, paid time off to volunteer for nonprofitorganizations; matching grants for employee contributions to tax exemptorganizations; commute assistance; and tuition assistance.

HYBRID WORK POLICY The Packard Foundation's current Hybrid Work Policy is that staff are expectedto be in the office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays each week.

EEOSTATEMENTTheFoundation is an equal employment opportunity employer, which means we recruit,hire, assign, train, promote, compensate, provide benefits, discipline, anddischarge (and all the other terms and conditions of employment) based onmerit, qualifications, job requirements, and other legitimate businessfactors.

Wedo not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race (including traitshistorically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair textureand protective hairstyles), color, religion (including religious dress andgrooming practices), creed, sex, gender (including pregnancy, child birth,breast feeding, and/or related medical conditions), marital or registereddomestic partner status, age (over 40), national origin, ancestry, physical ormental disability, medical condition (as defined by California law), militaryor veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression,genetic information, taking or requesting statutorily protected leave, or onany other category protected by applicable law. We also do not discriminatebased on whether a person is associated with someone else who is in any of theprotected categories or is perceived to be in any of the protected categories.

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