Job Description

Program Associate

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, based in Menlo Park, California, seeks two Program Associates to support the Environment Program.

About the Foundation

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation is a nonpartisan, private charitable foundation that advances ideas and supports institutions to promote a better world. For more than 50 years, it has supported efforts to advance education for all, preserve the environment, support vibrant performing arts, strengthen Bay Area communities, make the philanthropy sector more effective, and foster gender equity and responsive governance around the world. In addition, we also make grants for special projects and to address other timely problems. Our newest program focuses on strengthening U.S. democracy, and in 2020, the foundation announced a new grantmaking commitment focused on racial justice. The Hewlett Foundation’s assets are more than $13 billion with annual grant awards totaling nearly $600 million. More information about the Hewlett Foundation is available at: www.hewlett.org.

About the Environment Program

The Environment Program focuses on climate change and clean energy, as well as Western conservation. We are committed to clearly identifying our goals and measuring progress toward them. Our team is made up of 10 program staff, plus additional staff from the communications, grants management, and legal departments. Additional information about the program is available here.

About the Position

The Program Associates (PAs) will support the climate initiative of the Environment Program. Reporting to a Program Officer, this individual manages the administrative aspects of the grantmaking process and communicates with grantees regarding proposals, budgets, and grant reports. The Program Associates may also research issues, programs, and organizations to assess their potential fit with Hewlett Foundation funding strategies. These individuals will also support strategy development and implementation.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The Program Associate’s duties will include, but not be limited to:

Grants Administration and Contracts

• Manages a high volume of grants through the full grant lifecycle, from the proposal application process, to grant reporting and closing of grants.
• Implements processes to plan, coordinate, and track communications, timelines, and documents related to grants.
• Acts as liaison to other departments at the Foundation, such as the Grantmaking, Learning, and Operations (GLO) team and General Counsel for grant processing tasks.
• Organizes, composes, and manages program mailings and communications with current and potential grantees.
• Manages, tracks, and forecasts Program Officers’ annual grants budget using spreadsheets and other tracking tools.
• Prepares consulting agreements and serves as point of contact for consultants, including processing of invoices.
• Supports the Program Officer in planning and hosting funder and grantee meetings and maintaining funder relationships.
• Works with the Program Officer to effectively prioritize workload, triaging deliverables to meet deadlines.

Programmatic and Strategic Support

• Supports Program Officer on a wide range of program activities and special projects.
• Provides some administrative and scheduling support for complex meetings.
• Compiles documents, manages project deliverables and deadlines, and participates in ongoing meetings for strategy development process.
• Regularly participates in meetings with Program Officer to provide strategic support and thought partnership, including record keeping and follow-up with both internal and external participants.
• Researches and prepares background information for meetings and presentations, and compiles reference materials, as needed.
• Travels to and participates in US and international climate events, conferences, convenings, and grantee visits.
• Participates in teamwide projects, such as efforts on diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.
• Takes on additional responsibilities, as needed, during team transitions and onboarding.
• Coordinates closely with the other Program Associates to manage program-wide responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or associate’s degree (or equivalent work experience) desired. 3-5 years’ experience providing complex administrative support preferred.
• Strong commitment to the environment and combatting climate change, prior experience in climate policy a plus, but not required.
• Excellent administrative and project management skills and experience, both independently and with colleagues.
• Experience in budget management using spreadsheets.
• Strong organizational skills, including attention to detail and the ability to multitask.
• Ability to meet tight, sometimes simultaneous, deadlines with a keen ability to prioritize and partner with others to meet common goals.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Advanced experience in MS Office: Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Adobe; experience with Salesforce a plus.
• Willingness to learn new software tools and use them for program support.
• Proficiency with problem solving, analysis, and applying appropriate level of judgment.
• Experience with grants processing and grants database preferred, but not required.
• A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Positive attitude, sense of humor, and a commitment to being part of, and building, a positive work environment.

Physical Demands/Work Environment

The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to sit for extended periods of time and to travel via various modes of transportation for extended periods of time. The Program Associate role will be based in Menlo Park, California. The foundation has adopted a hybrid work environment with the expectation of three days in the office per week. Employees can work remotely for four full weeks per year.

The foundation requires all staff, vendors, and visitors accessing our office to be fully vaccinated (including boosters when eligible) against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Compensation and Benefits

The Hewlett Foundation is committed to providing compensation that is competitive within the philanthropic sector. We offer a generous total compensation package that emphasizes both base salary and comprehensive benefits. The salary range for this role is between $80,000 and $105,000. Offers are based on the candidate's years of experience and our practice of maintaining salary equity within the foundation.

To Apply

Please apply online and submit a resume and cover letter explaining how your skills fit this position.

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation embraces the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion, both internally in our hiring process and organizational culture, and externally, in our grantmaking and related practices. We are an equal opportunity employer, and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, cultures, and experiences.

*Please mention you saw this ad on PhilanthropyJobs.*

Apply Now