Program Assistant

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation; Los Altos (CA); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Retirement plan with 15% employerconp

Life and disability insurance

Paid time off and sick leave

Adoption and fertility benefits

Tuition assistance

Commuter benefits

Job summary

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation in Los Altos, CA is hiring a Limited Term Flexible Program Assistant to support initiative teams with general administrative and grantmaking duties. This entry-level role offers nonprofit exposure and opportunities to learn grant lifecycle processes.

You will report to the Business Solutions Officer and collaborate across teams, handling files, correspondence, deadlines, and meetings. The role uses a hybrid schedule with in-office days.

Qualifications

• Associate degree or equivalent experience is required for this role.
• 1–2 years of administrative support experience.
• Nonprofit sector experience desirable but not required.

Responsibilities

• Support grantmaking teams through the grant lifecycle and manage grant files.
• Prepare and proofread general correspondence, memos, and summaries.
• Track grantee report deadlines and review reports.
• Organize meetings and take notes.
• Support events and Foundation-hosted meetings as needed.
• Process invoices and expense reports.
• Interact with grantees during proposal and reporting processes.
• Pursue professional development opportunities and participate in Foundation-wide trainings.

Skills

Communication skills

Inclusive mindset

Attention to detail

Microsoft Office

Fluxx

Monday.com

Databases

Adaptability

Team collaboration

Time management

Organization

Confidentiality

Cultural competence

Education

Associate degree or equivalent experience

Tools

N/A

Job description

ABOUT THE DAVID AND LUCILE PACKARD FOUNDATION

Founded in 1964 by David and Lucile Packard, the Packard Foundation is a family philanthropy dedicated to supporting leaders and organizations around the world working to invest in children and families, protect and restore the natural world, and create just and inclusive societies.

For more than six decades, the Foundation has advanced scientific innovation, championed reproductive health and rights, conserved and restored our natural world, and invested in the well-being of children and families. To achieve lasting change, we also strive to address root causes of longstanding problems, including building a thriving, resilient U.S. democracy; advancing racial justice in the United States and gender equity globally; and supporting a strong civil society around the globe.

Inclusive collaboration is the heart of our approach. We believe that actively listening to and learning from people with a wide range of views is the best way to create solutions that match the scale and urgency of the challenges we face. We are dedicated to supporting community-based solutions shaped by the knowledge and experience of the people whose lives are most affected and informed by data. We recognize that meaningful solutions require patience, urgency, and supporting the conditions for transformational change. We are committed to addressing complex issues over the long term while making tangible progress today.

OUR VISION:

A just and equitable world where both people and nature flourish.

OUR MISSION:

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

OUR VALUES:

Equity, Integrity, Belief in Individual Leadership, Thinking Big, Respect, and Effectiveness.

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

This role will be a key member of the Grants, Data and Operations team (GDO). GDO leads the Foundations 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

We are looking for a Limited Term Flexible Program Assistant to support initiative teams across the Foundation by providing general administrative and grantmaking support. This is an ideal opportunity if you are early in your career and want to gain nonprofit experience, or if you’re looking to transition into the sector from another field. We are looking for candidates who are flexible, detail-oriented, have excellent time management capabilities, and demonstrate the ability to work effectively with others. You should enjoy a variety of work and have the desire to contribute to the Foundation and its grantees. This is a limited term position, with a maximum duration of two years, and will help build your resume for a role in the nonprofit space. You will report to the Business Solutions Officer.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support grantmaking teams throughout the grant lifecycle, including creating grant files and conducting initial due diligence; setting up and tracking payments and reports according to grant timelines; ensure accurate and timely set-up, reviewing, and submission of grantee documents and information in the grantmaking system
• Compose and/or proofread general correspondence, memos, summaries of grantee proposal documents, and other documents as needed
• Assist with tracking grantee report deadlines and reviewing reports as needed
• Organize, schedule, and take notes at meetings
• Support other administrative projects across the Foundation, including special events and Foundation-hosted meetings as needed
• Process invoices and expense reports as needed
• Interact with grantees as needed during the proposal and reporting processes
• Pursue ongoing professional development opportunities and participate in Foundation-wide training sessions

QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• An associate degree or equivalent experience/training is required for this role.

Experience

• The ideal candidates will have at least 1-2 years of experience working in an administrative support position.
• Knowledge of and/or experience in the nonprofit sector as an employee, volunteer, or recipient is desirable, but not required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Work in an inclusive manner with integrity, sensitivity, and respect for others
• Demonstrated attention to detail
• Ability to effectively utilize technology, with proficient computer skills, including working knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite, or similar tools
• A willingness to learn and become proficient with Foundation systems, including Fluxx, Monday.com; experience with databases is helpful
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and adapt to a variety of tasks
• Ability to work effectively and collaborate as a team member across multiple teams
• Ability to meet deadlines and manage competing deadlines
• Highly organized and efficient
• Ability to exercise judgment in responding to phone calls and email, and in handling sensitive and/or confidential information
• Devoted to growing own cultural competence and willing to participate actively in the Foundation’s efforts to integrate justice and equity in all facets of our work

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The position is full-time. The salary range for this position is $75,000 - $83,000 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. Offers are based on the candidate's years of experience and our practice of upholding salary equity within the foundation.

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.

HYBRID WORK POLICY

The Packard Foundation’s current Hybrid Work Policy is that staff are expected to be in the office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays each week.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Foundation is an equal employment opportunity employer, which means we recruit, hire, assign, train, promote, compensate, provide benefits, discipline, and discharge (and all the other terms and conditions of employment) based on merit, qualifications, job requirements, and other legitimate business factors.