Special Projects Manager

Panta Rhea Foundation; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Panta Rhea Foundation is seeking a Special Projects Manager to support the Executive Director, board, and partners. The role combines executive support, governance coordination, and administrative leadership within a small, geographically dispersed team.

Responsibilities include scheduling, calendar management, board logistics, travel planning, event coordination, and budget/contract processing. The ideal candidate is bilingual in English and Spanish with nonprofit philanthropy experience.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in nonprofits, philanthropy / foundations, intermediaries or fundraising / development.
• Experience supporting a senior executive, board of directors, and a small, geographically dispersed team.
• Experience with event planning and meeting coordination & logistics.
• Strong systems/process orientation; with experience building or improving ways of working.
• Strong financial / budget literacy, including expense processing.
• Excellent judgement and discretion, with expert diplomacy across diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated autonomy, maturity, and sophistication with internal and external partner engagements and communications.
• Spanish / English biliteracy required.

Responsibilities

• Support the Executive Director in the effective administration of the Foundation’s strategies, including outreach to and relationship management of foundation stakeholders and partners.
• Support Executive Director with scheduling, calendar management and meeting preparation / follow-up
• Lead with governance compliance, including executive support for board business & management
• Lead the scheduling of board events and meetings, including coordinating board engagement, communications and meetings, including logistics, committee communication, scheduling, material preparation, minutes and additional logistics.
• Lead the Executive Director’s travel planning and provide support for staff logistics.
• Support event planning for foundation convenings, partnership engagements, and grantee and site visits, including coordinating scheduling and event budget, creating agendas and related communications, and managing related travel logistics.
• Manage the logistics of in-person board meetings including coordinating domestic and international air and ground travel; meeting space, overnight accommodations, and hospitality needs.
• Lead on the effective administration of the virtual office infrastructure so staff can collaborate robustly and efficiently through online tools.
• Support in organizational budget administration, bookkeeping, expense, invoice, & contract processing and tracking budgets with direction from the Executive Director
• Maintain organizational policies and procedures, ensure all compliance documentation is current. Develop and implement standard operating procedures for administrative needs.
• Provide onboarding / offboarding and logistical support for foundation staff / consultants.
• Provide grantmaking support based on organizational needs.
• Fully manage the Foundation’s primary email inbox, replying to inquiries, prioritizing requests, and directing onward, as appropriate. Track open communications items and ensure timely and accurate follow-up.
• Support the creation of various communication tools for the Executive Director, including presentations, written materials for internal and external meetings and engagement, in line with the Foundation’s communications strategy and in collaboration with the Communications Consultant and Executive Director

Skills

Executive support

Board liaison

Event planning

Travel planning

Budget literacy

Grantmaking support

Communications management

Relationship management

Governance compliance

Biliteracy: Spanish/English

Job description

The Special Projects Manager plays a vital role in ensuring the smooth and efficient day-to-day functioning of the administration of the foundation, including executive and board leadership. Reporting to the Executive Director, this position provides dedicated administrative support to the Executive Director; board liaison, including communication and coordination; partnership outreach and relationship management; and additional management of the foundation’s administrative functions. This position strengthens internal coordination and enhances the foundation’s ability to serve partners and mission-driven goals.

As a member of Panta Rhea’s small geographically dispersed team, the ideal candidate is bilingual in English / Spanish and brings existing experience in family foundation / philanthropy, fundraising and development and executive / office / administrative management. The primary responsibilities of this role include:

Executive and Board Leadership Support (45%)

• Support the Executive Director in the effective administration of the Foundation’s strategies, including outreach to and relationship management of foundation stakeholders and partners.
• Support Executive Director with scheduling, calendar management and meeting preparation / follow-up
• Lead with governance compliance, including executive support for board business & management
• Lead the scheduling of board events and meetings, including coordinating board engagement, communications and meetings, including logistics, committee communication, scheduling, material preparation, minutes and additional logistics.

Event and Travel Planning (30%)

• Lead the Executive Director’s travel planning and provide support for staff logistics.
• Support event planning for foundation convenings, partnership engagements, and grantee and site visits, including coordinating scheduling and event budget, creating agendas and related communications, and managing related travel logistics.
• Manage the logistics of in-person board meetings including coordinating domestic and international air and ground travel; meeting space, overnight accommodations, and hospitality needs.

Administrative Leadership (15%)

• Lead on the effective administration of the virtual office infrastructure so staff can collaborate robustly and efficiently through online tools.
• Support in organizational budget administration, bookkeeping, expense, invoice, & contract processing and tracking budgets with direction from the Executive Director
• Maintain organizational policies and procedures, ensure all compliance documentation is current. Develop and implement standard operating procedures for administrative needs.
• Provide onboarding / offboarding and logistical support for foundation staff / consultants.
• Provide grantmaking support based on organizational needs.

Communications Management (10%)

• Fully manage the Foundation’s primary email inbox, replying to inquiries, prioritizing requests, and directing onward, as appropriate. Track open communications items and ensure timely and accurate follow-up.
• Support the creation of various communication tools for the Executive Director, including presentations, written materials for internal and external meetings and engagement, in line with the Foundation’s communications strategy and in collaboration with the Communications Consultant and Executive Director

Qualifications and Experience

• 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in nonprofits, philanthropy / foundations, intermediaries or fundraising / development
• Experience supporting a senior executive, board of directors, and a small, geographically dispersed team
• Experience with event planning and meeting coordination & logistics
• Strong systems/process orientation; with experience building or improving ways of working.
• Strong financial / budget literacy, including expense processing.
• Excellent judgement and discretion, with expert diplomacy across diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated autonomy, maturity, and sophistication with internal and external partner engagements and communications.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Comfortable in a small, high-autonomy environment, with the ability to balance and execute competing priorities.
• Spanish / English biliteracy required.