Program Associate, Environment & Science

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation - Los Altos, CA; Los Altos (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 86,000; Full time

Job summary

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation in Los Altos, CA seeks a Program Associate to lead, develop, and implement the operations for the Forests for People and Climate Initiative. You will work with multiple program officers and regional advisors to ensure climate strategies are effectively executed with grantees.

The role reports to the Program Operations Manager and supports the grantmaking process, focusing on efficiency, partnership, and equity in environmental philanthropy.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop, and implement operations for the Forests for People and Climate Initiative (FPCI).
• Collaborate with Environment and Science Program Officers and regional advisors to ensure effective climate strategy implementation.
• Support grantees through the grantmaking cycle with internal processes and strong relationship-building.

Job description

ABOUT THE DAVID AND LUCILE PACKARD FOUNDATION

We work with people and communities to create enduring solutions for just societies and a healthy, resilient natural world. Over our nearly 60-year history, 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. At a time of multiple, intertwined crises globally and here in the U.S., the Packard Foundation began in 2021 a long-planned review of our grantmaking strategies. The first step of our process was to rearticulate our vision and mission, reexamine our organizational values, and create a strategic framework that builds on and honors the Packard Foundation’s past while advancing justice and equity in all that we do.

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.

ABOUT THE POSITION

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Program Associate (PA) is the main point of 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 role will be responsible for leading, developing, and implementing the operations for our Forests for People and Climate Initiative (FPCI). They will partner closely with multiple local and international Environment and Science Program Officers (POs) and regional advisors, to ensure effective implementation of our climate strategies, with our work always centered around grantees. Environment and Science (E&S) supports work to achieve the Foundation’s three goals, with a particular focus on the goal of 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. Within E&S, FPCI contributes to a collaborative program of donors, non-governmental organizations, and civil society organizations, that brings to bear the ambition, focus, knowledge, and partnerships required to halt and reverse tropical deforestation while delivering sustainable development and promoting an inclusive rural transformation. An interest in or passion for the environment and some knowledge of Indonesian Bahasa is preferred, but not required.

This position reports to the Program Operations Manager and joins a team of passionate individuals committed to developing effective processes and strong, trust-based relationships, designed to support the needs of our grantees.

COMPENSATION

The salary range for this position starts at $78,000 per year.