Program Associate(JBMF)

The James B. McClatchy Foundation - Sacramento, CA; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Excellent benefits

Job summary

The James B. McClatchy Foundation (JBMF) seeks a proactive Program Associate to support grantmaking, programs, and community engagement across its First Amendment and education initiatives in California’s Central Valley.

Ideal candidates bring program development experience, strong writing and communication skills, and a collaborative spirit to work with staff, grantees, and volunteers while maintaining rigorous outcomes and data-driven storytelling.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college.
• Experience supporting a program team and coordinating with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong writing and verbal communication skills.
• Comfort with data interpretation and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Support grantmaking, programs, initiatives, and community engagement activities.
• Collaborate with staff, grantee-partners, and volunteers to maximize impact.
• Assist in program administration, reporting, and CRM/digital systems.
• Organize site visits and learning convenings with grantees and stakeholders.

Skills

Project management

Writing

Verbal communication

Multicultural collaboration

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

MS Office

Mac/Apple products

Google Suite

CRM systems

CMS

Job description

Founded by Susan and the late James B. McClatchy in 1994, the James B. McClatchy Foundation (JBMF) has a noble mission:

We stand with the people of the Central Valley by investing in education and

active civic participation in our democracy.

Toward this end, the Foundation (JBMF) is organized to advance English Learner students, promote First Amendment speech and expression, and the protection of a free press, and to improve life in one of the country’s most diverse, culturally rich, and economically viable regions, California’s Central Valley.

Despite these assets, the Central Valley faces many critical challenges requiring significant resources. The pressing nature of these challenges is compelling: they should be addressed sooner rather than later. In response to this reality, the Board of Directors has decided to increase its annual grantmaking, with plans to invest all JBMF’s assets in the next decade or so. This decision reflects a commitment to English Learners in our communities and to the First Amendment. As such, the Foundation is entering an exciting time in its life-cycle and is looking for dedicated and qualified people with integrity to honor this vision and join the Foundation on this journey.

Program Associate - Job Description

The Program Associate will provide support for the grantmaking, programs, initiatives, and community engagement activities of the Foundation. In short, this is a critical position to the successful execution of the Foundation’s impact, and will have a particular emphasis on supporting the First Amendment program area.=

The Foundation is seeking a dynamic team player and resourceful implementer who can work collaboratively with staff, grantee-partners, key community stakeholders, and volunteers to maximize the Foundation’s impact.

The ideal candidate will have similar experiences working in program development and planning, community engagement with diverse stakeholders, is familiar with working collaboratively on a project in a support role and has successfully done this at either a foundation, a community-based or like organization. The candidate will:

• uphold the utmost of professionalism
• respect community ownership, organizational, and interpersonal transactions, decisions, and communications

Through its work, JBMF lifts community voices by honoring diversity, equity, and inclusion, improves education access, and ensures all people, especially children, have pathways to a fulfilling life in California’s Central Valley - these institutional qualities are core to the Foundation’s values . This position will represent the Foundation and will reflect the diverse backgrounds and talents of the people and communities JBMF serves. A successful candidate will demonstrate a passion for JBMF work; a spirit of accountability and collaboration; and, a commitment to co‑creating powerful stories of the impact of this work that are grounded in rigor and data.

JBMF is an equal opportunity employer and fosters a workplace without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, national origin, genetic information, or any other characteristic.

Competitive pay and excellent benefits provided to qualified candidates who meet the minimum requirements. No phone calls and no recruiters please.

Program Areas, Grantmaking, and Initiatives

• Support the program team (program officers) in executing their grant programs and initiatives, with an emphasis on programmatic support for the First Amendment program area. This includes the following primary three activities under the supervision of program and executive staff:
  • Program Administration
    • Communicate with applicants about grant opportunities
    • Support the development of Request for Proposals (RFP)
    • Support grant application cycles, which includes receiving and organizing grant applications, vetting for completion, following up with applicants, managing intake.
    • Support the grant review process, which includes assigning grants to reviewers, organizing the grant review process, creating reports
    • Complete the grant cycle by executing grant agreements, grantee progress and financial reporting
    • Act as the primary administrator and power-user for grant program and allied systems (grants management, project management, financial management, as well as communications systems)
    • Monitor grant tracking, reporting, timely payout, and accurate input of information in myriad grantee systems
    • Fluencyin online grants management systems or similar, or previous experience expressing proficiencyin managing data, creating and running reports, and engaging with users in an online environment.
  • Community Engagement
    • Organize applicant and grantee site visits
    • Organize learning convenings with grantees and other stakeholders
    • Work collaboratively with grantee partners in execution of partnered community events
    • Provide assistance to the JBMF team in Foundation-wide events, including Board meetings
  • Research and Evaluation
    • Assist in the collection and review of grantee partner reports and the preparation of summaries of progress and outcomes that can be shared with external audiences and the Board
    • Be comfortable with understanding numbers and interpreting basic data
    • Assist in researching subject matter information related to the grant programs, as needed, which may include philanthropic program scans, demographic data
    • Help identify resources and tools that could be helpful to the Foundation in pursuing its goals and gratmaking programs
    • Comfortable working in and managing online Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms (such as MailChimp, Surveymonkey) and digital-based project management and workflow systems (Asana, Slack etc)

Desired Qualifications

• Experience supporting a program team
• Strong project management experience, with excellent writing and verbal communications skills
• Demonstrated ability to act as a critical resource to others by providing guidance, sharing information, and possessing high standards in program rigor and quality
• Proven track record of success in understanding community impact and communicating it to external audiences
• Comprehension of and facility with data and numbers
• Thoughtful understanding of diverse community communications needs and access
• Understands value of diversity and equity with proven capacity to respectfully work in a multicultural and inclusive workforce and environment
• Possesses a continual, fearless, and team-oriented growth mindset
• Works productively in a fast‑paced environment with multiple tasks and projects, with great attention to detail and completion deadlines
• Values collaboration and partnership but also is self‑directed and can work without supervision
• Shares information, provides and receives feedback and guidance to and from others respectfully and skillfully
• Has excellent and clear writing and editing experience for diverse audiences in a variety of platforms - from traditional newswriting for press releases to radio/video to current digital online formats
• Able to adapt quickly in changing digital environments and be an early adopter to emerging systems

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from accredited university or college
• Familiarity with technology and online platforms
• Fluent in using a computer and a variety of applications (MS Office suite, Mac/Apple products, Googlesuite)
• Familiarity with cloud-based Content Management Systems(CMS), Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
• Capability to travel within California’s Central Valley, including occasional overnight site visits, state, and national conferences, and evening meetings
• Possess a valid California Driver’s License.
• A minimum of 3-5 years’ work and program experience in an equivalent position for a foundation or similar setting and familiarity with the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors is required
• Ability to stand, bend, and lift 25lbs