Program Manager, Grants & Community Impact

Patterson Companies, Inc.; Saint Paul (MN); On-site; USD 77,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full Medical, Dental, Vision benefits

401(k) Match

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Volunteer Time Off (VTO)

Educational Assistance Program

Job summary

Patterson Companies, Inc. is seeking a Program Manager, Grants & Community Impact to strengthen grantmaking excellence and operational continuity while building meaningful relationships with nonprofit partners, donors, employees, vendors, and customers.

The role manages the full grant and scholarship lifecycle, due diligence, reporting, and grants-system administration. This position supports corporate giving, community relations, fundraising, and stewardship activities, partnering with

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in nonprofit management, public administration, business, finance, or related field.
• 4+ years in grantmaking, foundation operations, nonprofit administration, or program management.
• Experience managing grants lifecycle, due diligence, payments, compliance, and reporting.
• Experience coordinating corporate giving, community partnerships, sponsorships, fundraising, or employee engagement.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and written communication skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and travel up to 25% of the year.

Responsibilities

• Lead grantmaking and scholarship management throughout the lifecycle, including due diligence, reporting, and closeout.
• Serve as primary contact for applicants and grantees, communicating guidelines and providing responsive support.
• Administer scholarship programs with external partners, including disbursement and evaluation.
• Prepare objective, decision-ready materials for grant committees and Board meetings.
• Support portfolio reviews and pursue new grantmaking opportunities per leadership direction.
• Ensure compliance, controls, and consistent documentation across the grant lifecycle.

Skills

Strong organizational skills

Analytical skills

Project management

Written communication

Relationship-building

Decision-making

Customer-centric mindset

Education

Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, public administration, business, finance, social sciences, or related field

Tools

GrantsConnect

YourCause

Microsoft 365

Databases

Reporting tools

Job description

Patterson isn't just a place to work, it's a partner that cares about your success. One of the distinguishing marks of our company is the talented people who embrace the people-first, always advancing, and results-driven culture. Professional growth abounds in this motivating environment. We value the diverse talents and experiences our employees bring to Patterson and believe that they build a stronger and successful organization. The Program Manager, Grants & Community Impact strengthens grantmaking excellence and operational continuity while helping Patterson build meaningful relationships with nonprofit, donor, employee, vendor, and customer stakeholders. The role manages the full grant and scholarship lifecycle, due diligence, nonprofit partner service, compliance, reporting, impact data, Board materials, and grants-system administration. It also supports corporate giving, community relations, fundraising and stewardship activities, and focused impact communications in partnership with Patterson shared-service teams. The position creates repeatable, partner-centered processes and reliable information so Community Impact leadership can focus on strategy, governance, growth, enterprise alignment, and expanded community impact.

Essential Functions

Grantmaking and Scholarship Management

• Manage the full grant lifecycle, including inquiry and application review, due diligence, recommendations, award documentation, agreements, reporting, closeout, and records retention.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for applicants and grantees; communicate guidelines, provide responsive support, coordinate partner check-ins and site visits, and route requests outside guidelines appropriately.
• Administer the Patterson Foundation scholarship program with external partners, including communications, application processes, selection support, recipient notification, disbursement, and evaluation.
• Prepare objective, decision-ready materials and recommendations for grant committees, Board meetings, and leadership.
• Support portfolio reviews and new grantmaking opportunities based on Sr. Manager and Board direction.
• Consider grantmaking program improvements and additions based on the community need, company direction, and trends in philanthropy.

Compliance, Controls, and Partner Service

• Apply consistent due-diligence, documentation, approval, reporting, records-retention, and compliance standards.
• Monitor grant conditions, reporting requirements, nonprofit acknowledgements, policy changes, and exceptions; elevate risks and decisions promptly.
• Simplify partner-facing processes where possible while preserving appropriate controls and accountability.
• Protect and expand Patterson’s grantmaking impact.
• This role will lead the full grant and scholarship lifecycle, strengthen nonprofit relationships, maintain compliance, and provide the Board with clear, decision-ready recommendations.

Dedicated expertise is increasingly important as the Foundation modernizes its grantmaking approach and prepares to responsibly distribute more funding with stronger measurement and accountability.

• Build the operational infrastructure required for growth. This person will own the grants-management system, data, reporting, processes, controls, and cross-functional coordination that keep the work accurate, efficient, and sustainable. The role reduces key-person dependency, protects continuity, and creates the reliable operating foundation needed to implement Board priorities and allow Community Impact leadership to focus on strategy, governance, partnerships, and growth.
• Connect Patterson’s giving to its people, partners, and business. Beyond administering grants, this role will support corporate giving, fundraising, community partnerships, employee and field engagement, signature events, stewardship, and focused impact storytelling. This directly supports the Board’s call for stronger awareness, year-round fundraising, meaningful stakeholder relationships, and clearer communication about the difference Patterson’s investments make.

Corporate Giving and Community Relations

• Coordinate corporate giving requests, community donations, sponsorships, and partnership opportunities within established priorities, budgets, approval processes, and guidelines.
• Support employee and field engagement tied to community partnerships, including opportunities for volunteerism, local activation, nonprofit connections, and community participation.
• Support Patterson signature events through planning, donor and sponsor coordination, stewardship, recognition, participant communications, and post-event impact reporting.
• Help identify and cultivate community partnerships that align with Patterson priorities, strengthen relationships, and create relevant connections for the business.

Focused Impact Storytelling and Communications Coordination

• Maintain a practical editorial calendar centered on grant decisions, grantee and corporate-giving outcomes, scholarships, employee participation, fundraising milestones, community partnerships, and signature events.
• Draft and coordinate high-priority content such as grant announcements, impact summaries, annual-report inputs, executive talking points, Board updates, partner stories, and campaign communications.
• Build a repeatable intake process for stories, visuals, results, permissions, and quotes from grantees and employees.
• Partner with Corporate Communications and Marketing for channel strategy, brand standards, editing, design, publishing, and external media support.
• Track a limited set of communications measures and use findings to improve the content cadence.

Cross-Functional Projects and Field Engagement

• Monitor nonprofit needs, grantmaking practices, funding trends, and community issues through professional networks and partner engagement.
• Participate in selected grantee, employee, and community events where the grantmaking or storytelling value warrants the time.
• Perform other duties and priority projects that support Community Impact goals, subject to established workload guardrails.
• Travel to field and community events to represent Patterson and the Patterson Foundation, strengthen relationships, promote Community Impact opportunities, and engage key stakeholders.

Core Competencies

• Takes Action: Embraces opportunities and challenges with urgency and enthusiasm.
• Instills Trust: Acts genuinely, consistently, and with integrity.
• Drives Results: Sets meaningful goals, maintains accountability, and measures outcomes.
• Effective Decision-Making: Makes timely, informed decisions aligned with business and Community Impact goals.
• Customer-Centric: Creates responsive, respectful experiences for internal and external stakeholders.
• Builds Partnerships: Fosters effective communication, teamwork, inclusion, and shared accountability.
• Personal Development: Actively pursues learning, feedback, and professional growth.
• Continuous Improvement: Improves processes, systems, and ways of working.

Job Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, public administration, business, finance, social sciences, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
• 4+ years of experience in grantmaking, foundation operations, nonprofit administration, program management, compliance, or a related field.
• Experience managing grants or funding cycles, including due diligence, documentation, payments, compliance, and reporting.
• Experience coordinating corporate giving, community partnerships, sponsorships, fundraising activities, employee engagement, or community relations.
• Strong organizational, analytical, project-management, and written communication skills, with exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and maintain accurate records in a high-accountability environment.
• Ability to build constructive relationships with nonprofit partners, committee members, business partners, and vendors.
• Proficiency with databases, reporting tools, Microsoft 365, and business-process documentation.
• Sound judgment and the ability to make and communicate objective, consistent recommendations.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to travel throughout the US and potentially Canada for 5-6 business trips, about 25% of the year.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience administering a grants-management system, preferably GrantsConnect, YourCause, or a comparable platform.
• Knowledge of nonprofit financial statements, charitable compliance, scholarship administration, and impact measurement.
• Experience preparing Board materials, dashboards, or executive-level reports.

What's In It For You:

We provide competitive benefits, unique incentive programs and rewards for our eligible employees:

• Full Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits and an integrated Wellness Program
• 401(k) Match
• Retirement Savings Plan
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Holiday Pay & Floating Holidays
• Volunteer Time Off (VTO)
• Educational Assistance Program
• Full Paid Parental and Adoption Leave
• LifeWorks (Employee Assistance Program)
• Patterson Perks Program

The potential compensation range for this role is below. The final offer amount could exceed this range, based on various factors such as candidate location (geographical labor market), experience, and skills. $77,200.00 - $100,333.33

Patterson provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race; color; sex; gender identity; sexual orientation; religious practices and observances; national origin; pregnancy, childbirth, or other related medical conditions; status as a protected veteran or spouse/family member of a protected veteran; or disability.

At Patterson Companies, we live our values everyday. With more than 8,000 employees worldwide, we're responsible for providing dentists, veterinarians, animal producers, and farmers with the support they need to keep us and our animals healthy.