Full-Time Program Associate
Job Description
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation (Foundation) is a family foundation that is guided by the enduring business philosophy and personal values of Lucile and David Packard, who helped found one of the world’s leading technology companies. Their approach to business and community participation has guided our philanthropy for 50 years. Today, their children and grandchildren continue to help guide the work of the Foundation. The Foundation makes grants at the local, state, national, and international level.
The Foundation works on the issues their founders cared about most, which are improving the lives of children; enabling the creative pursuit of science; advancing reproductive health; conserving and restoring
the Earth’s natural systems; and supporting and strengthening an array of local nonprofit organizations.
A staff of 115 conducts the day-to-day operations and a Board of Trustees oversees the work of the Foundation. David and Lucile Packard passed on to the Foundation the following core set of values: integrity; respect for all people; belief in individual leadership; commitment to effectiveness; and the capacity to think big.
The Conservation and Science Program is focused on the challenge of sustainability and finding development paths that meet human needs while protecting and restoring the ecological systems upon which all life depends. We invest in action and in ideas. The Foundation supports initiatives to secure public policy reforms and changes in private sector practices, and scientific activities that develop knowledge and tools critical for addressing current and future priorities.
Within the Conservation and Science Program, the Western Pacific subprogram focuses on a region that is home to rich marine biodiversity but has some of the world’s fastest growing populations and economies that place tremendous stress on its resources. Our goal is to restore and ensure the health and productivity of coastal marine environments in the face of rapidly increasing pressures, in particular from overfishing. The Marine Birds subprogram focuses on seabirds and shorebirds, some of the most threatened animals on Earth. Invasive predators on seabird islands reduce their breeding success. Endangered seabirds are caught inadvertently in fishing gear on the high seas, and wetland reclamation and human disturbance have eliminated habitats important to shorebirds. Our goal is to reduce these threats and strive to restore seabird and shorebird populations by supporting a range of initiatives in island restoration, seabird bycatch mitigation, and shorebird habitat conservation.
Program Associate
We seek an experienced program associate who will report to the program officer responsible for program operations and will provide associate-level program support for the Western Pacific and Marine Birds program officers. Duties will include, but not be limited to, the following:
• Assist in maintaining positive and productive grantee relationships with a wide range of organizations and individuals
• Learn about and explain the Western Pacific and Marine Birds program strategies; participate in strategy refinement as needed
• Contribute to the timely preparation of the monthly grant process, quarterly grant docket, and annual dashboard documents and processes
• Create and maintain grant files according to Foundation polices; use a database (GIFTS) to manage grant information
• Monitor grant budgets and maintain the grant tracking systems for the assigned subprograms
• Facilitate the development and management of the subprograms’ administrative budgets
• Meet Foundation, Conservation and Science, Western Pacific, and Marine Birds subprograms deadlines while producing work that meets or exceeds quality guidelines
• Compose, proofread, and correct documents such that no further checking is required
• Monitor grants for Foundation legal, financial, and program compliance requirements
• Proactively research and assemble relevant information for correspondence, reports, and meetings
• Schedule meetings
• Coordinate specific team calls and team calendaring as needed
• Participate in and lead meetings to produce collaborative work products and improve processes; as needed take notes, keep records, and track and follow up on action items
• Respond in a timely, professional, and courteous manner to inquiries and other requests for information
• Compose biweekly progress reports and general correspondence and documents
• Track meeting expenses and work with staff to ensure attendees are reimbursed in a timely fashion
• Organize and maintain electronic and paper files
• Work closely and effectively with the Conservation and Science program support team and program officers
• Other duties or projects as assigned
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Meets all deadlines and completes all tasks with a high degree of accuracy and dependability
• Highly effective written and oral communications skills; actively and constructively participates in meetings
• Detail-oriented with excellent written grammar and proofreading skills
• Able to multitask with well-developed organizational skills
• Manages and prioritizes own time and uses strong judgment skills to handle non-routine matters
• Able to anticipate information needed by others as situations and projects develop
• Consistently interacts with others in a professional, courteous, and tactful manner
• Maintains a positive attitude and good working relationships
• Works well with and across many diverse cultures and backgrounds
• Coordinate among different time zones; be available for occasional early morning or evening calls
• Leadership skills and ability to suggest and implement process improvements when needed
• Works independently and as a productive team member in varied activities and projects
• Flexible and able to work with humor and grace under pressure
• Excellent skills and strong knowledge of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and SharePoint
• Willing to learn and become proficient at systems such as GIFTS and other databases
• Consistent and reliable for full-time work and willing to work overtime when occasionally required by work demands
Physical Demands
Candidate must have the ability to communicate via voice telephone, read and understand written communication, and generate written communication manually and using a computer. Candidate must also have the ability to sit at a desk for 2-3 hours at a time, lift and move documents, and supplies not to exceed
25 lbs., and bend to file and retrieve documents.
Education and Experience
College degree or equivalent education and experience and a minimum of 3-5 years of administrative experience
Benefits and Compensation
The Foundation offers an excellent benefits package and a salary that is commensurate with education and related work experience. The position is located in Los Altos, CA. It is full-time and nonexempt.