Program Associate, US Racial Justice

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation - Los Altos, CA; Los Altos (CA); On-site; USD 78,000 - 101,000; Full time

Job summary

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation in Los Altos, CA is seeking a Program Associate to lead operations for the Justice and Equity Fund portfolio, launched to combat anti-Black racism in the U.S. You will streamline grantmaking processes, coordinate with grantees and internal partners, and ensure a positive grantee experience.

The role requires strong attention to detail, trust-building, and alignment with the Foundation's mission, vision, and values, with compensation in the $78k–$101k range.

Qualifications

• Experience in grantmaking operations and portfolio management.
• Strong attention to detail and systems thinking.
• Ability to build trusted relationships with grantees and colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop, and implement operations for the grantmaking portfolio within the Justice and Equity Fund (J&E).
• Collaborate with the Director of Justice and Equity and other staff to ensure effective implementation.
• Build and maintain trust-based working relationships with internal and external partners.
• Ensure a positive grantee experience and streamline grantmaking processes.

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

The Program Associate (PA) is the lead 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 grantmaking portfolio within the Justice and Equity Fund (J&E). Established in 2020, the J&E Fund was launched by the Foundation’s Board with a focus on combatting anti-Black racism in the United States. This portfolio will support the Foundation’s new Racial Justice in the U.S. initiative, which is currently under development. This role will partner closely with the Director of Justice and Equity and other staff across the Foundation to ensure effective implementation of our portfolio 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 is passionate about the Foundation’s mission, vision, and values.

COMPENSATION

$78,000-$101,000