Full-Time Program Operations Manager
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 more than 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 its 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 120 conducts the day-to-day operations of the Foundation and a Board of Trustees oversees the work of the Foundation. The Foundation expects to make approximately $300M in grants in 2016. 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.
Children, Families, and Communities
The Children, Families, and Communities (CFC) Program strives to ensure that all children have the opportunity to reach their full potential. Its grantmaking strategies address two interrelated and fundamental needs that must be met for children to thrive: education and health. To that end CFC focuses on specific strategies: Early Learning and Children’s Health.
Program Operations Manager
Reporting to the Children, Families, and Communities Director, the Program Operations Manager (POM) oversees a variety of operational aspects of the program. This manager supports and manages an environment that ensures operational excellence is achieved within CFC by supervising, and administering a broad range of work carried out with a team of program support staff. The POM works to ensure that CFC’s operations are in keeping with Foundation-wide policies in the grantmaking operations, legal, finance, human resources, information technology, and workplace services areas. Three staff report to the POM and the individual serves as a member of the Foundation’s Management Team. Specific responsibilities of the position include but are not limited to:
• Manage, mentor, and develop program support staff, including periodic performance reviews, and supporting learning plans and development goals
• Develop and manage annual operating budget, review and reconcile actual spending against projections on a monthly basis, and communicate with the team on variance and projected spending
• Oversee annual planning and ongoing processing of grants, ensuring that they are processed accurately in a timely manner, and in accordance with Foundation policies and procedures
• Track grantmaking budget and spending, including forecasting and monitoring grant payout
• Develop and oversee processes and systems that ensure effective operations within the CFC team and across the Foundation
• Provide regular reporting on operations to the program director and sub-program teams
• Work closely with Legal, Finance, Controller’s Office, Workplace Services, Information Technology, and other departments to actively provide feedback and ensure smooth operations across the Foundation
• Represent CFC in cross-foundation initiatives and meetings and contribute to Foundation-wide projects
• Manage vendor and contract process and payments
• Collaboratively plan and schedule CFC staff meetings
• Hire and orient new program support staff
• Ensure program support staff work collaboratively and productively to meet program goals
• Review written materials, research and stay abreast of grant-related issues
• Represent the program in a positive and professional way
• May perform other projects as needed
Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
• A bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 5-7 years of relevant work experience; graduate degree a plus
• Strong team management experience with demonstrated skills to lead, motivate, and develop a team
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with an ability to consistently maintain good work relationships and smooth team situations
• Demonstrated ability to provide constructive performance feedback and recommend necessary improvements with sensitivity and diplomacy
• Experience with budgets and quantitative aptitude
• Experience working with and improving workflows and systems
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including demonstrated proofreading skills
• Strong project management skills with prioritization skills to manage multiple tasks
• Advanced proficiency with Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint and a willingness to learn other software as required. Design sense and creativity, a plus
• Database skills desired
Professional and Personal Qualities
• Impeccable integrity and trustworthiness
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively as a team member
• Professional demeanor that demonstrates warmth, dependability, responsiveness, and knowledge
• Works to completion and handles deadlines and pressure with poise; and responds with grace, flexibility, and with solutions to changes
• Consistently maintains a positive attitude and develops strong work relationships
• Ability to work well with diverse colleagues with varied personalities and work styles
• Handles sensitive information effectively and confidentially
• Demonstrated respect for diversity and multicultural sensitivity
• Passion for the work of the Foundation, particularly the work of the Children, Families, Communities
• Administratively self sufficient
Physical Requirements
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 be able to work at a desk for long periods of time (2-3 hours), lift and move documents and supplies (not to exceed 25 lbs.), and bend to file or retrieve documents.
Benefits, Compensation, and Location
The Foundation offers an excellent benefits package and a salary that is commensurate with related work experience. The position is located in downtown Los Altos, CA and is full-time and exempt.