Program Associate, Environment & Science

About The David and Lucile Packard Foundation

The David & Lucile Packard Foundation was founded in 1964 by David and Lucile Packard. We work with people and communities to create enduring solutions for just societies and a healthy, resilient natural world. We have worked with thousands of organizations and leaders in the U.S. and worldwide to advance progress in the 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 and nature flourish.

Our new vision embraces a future where both people and nature flourish in a more just and equitable world. We explicitly acknowledge that the fate of people and the natural environment are inextricably linked. Solutions to the complex challenges we face must account for this interconnectedness.

OUR MISSION: We work with people and communities to create enduring solutions for just societies and a healthy, resilient natural world.

Our new mission takes on the critical work of addressing root causes of the challenges we face and mobilizing people for collective action. In addition to building on approaches that have guided our philanthropy for decades — working in partnership, committing to issues over the long-term, and grounding our work in science, knowledge, and data – we focus on understanding the systems that either accelerate or impede progress. It is only through just and equitable systems that we can find and sustain solutions to some of the biggest challenges 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 will champion equity by treating people with dignity, honoring a range of ideas and perspectives from those closest to the issues, creating inclusive processes, and funding people who have been historically excluded to spur progress for all.  For more information, including our definitions of key concepts, please visit our website.

Department Overview

This role will be a key member of the Grants and Data Operations team (GDO). GDO leads the Foundation’s grantmaking operations and data practices to further our Foundation’s goals.  GDO is responsible for continuous assessment and improvement of our grantmaking practices to enable staff and our grantee partners to do their important work. As a center of excellence for these practices, GDO team members work across the Foundation in close partnership with all departments and functions to understand current and future needs to deliver exceptional grantee experience, insightful data, and information, and proactively adapt to meet those needs.

Position Summary

This role will be a key member of the Grants and Data Operations team (GDO). GDO leads the Foundation’s grantmaking operations and data practices to further our Foundation’s goals.  GDO is responsible for continuous assessment and improvement of our grantmaking practices to enable staff and our grantee partners to do their important work. As a center of excellence for these practices, GDO team members work across the Foundation in close partnership with all departments and functions to understand current and future needs to deliver exceptional grantee experience, insightful data, and information, and proactively adapt to meet those needs.

This role will be responsible for leading, developing, and implementing the operations for select grantmaking portfolios within the Environment and Science Goal, which is made up of the Ocean Initiative, Global Climate Initiative, and Climate Innovation Initiative. The Environment and Science team is focused on protecting and restoring our natural world. To do this, we champion bold climate solutions, an ocean that sustains us, and scientific innovation and discovery to secure the health and future of people and planet. Across our globe, the fate of both people and our natural world are inextricably linked, and all solutions must account for both.

This role will partner closely with multiple local and international Environment and Science (E&S) teammates including program officers, directors, regional advisors and other staff across the Foundation to ensure effective implementation of our portfolios and a positive experience for our grantees. The successful candidate will be adept at building trust and growing respectful working 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 it comes to ensuring the grantmaking cycle and process is understood, effective, and streamlined. Through partnership with the grantees, an understanding of their needs, and strong knowledge of our internal processes, the Program Associate works with many internal and external partners to contribute to Initiative and Foundation goals. 

This position reports to the Program Budget Manager and joins a team of passionate individuals committed to developing effective operational processes for grantmaking and strong, trust-based relationships, designed to support the work of our initiatives and grantees.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

This role is responsible and accountable for:

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 opportunities and participate in Foundation-wide training sessions  

Qualifications

Education

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

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• 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. 

Experience

• 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

Compensation and Benefits

The position is full-time. The salary range for this position based in California is $85,000-$112,000 annually. This salary range is an estimate, and the actual salary may vary based on various factors, including without limitation individual education, experience, tenure, certification, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation offers excellent benefits for eligible employees. Current benefits include medical (HMO and HDHPs), dental and vision coverage; 15% employer contribution to employee retirement plan; life insurance, disability insurance, vacation, and sick leave; an adoption benefit; fertility benefit; a financial wellness program; health advocacy services, paid time off to volunteer for nonprofit organizations; matching grants for employee contributions to tax exempt organizations; commute assistance; and tuition assistance.