NoVo Foundation

New York, NY

The Foundation

NoVo Foundation acts from the original meaning of philanthropy: the love of humanity. The Foundation is dedicated to catalyzing a global social transformation away from current cultures of domination and their reliance on hierarchy, violence and the subordination of girls and women.

NoVo believes a new code of behavior is possible, where we are all linked and not ranked. We envision a balanced world that’s governed by principles of mutual respect, collaboration and civic participation, and that our contribution is to help create the conditions for that new code to arise, and inspire others to join them. We seek pivot points in society – such as adolescent girls and local economies – where support and resources can have long-lasting and wide-ranging positive impact. We see violence against girls and women as a fundamental enforcer of oppression, and work to eradicate its presence.

The scale of these ambitions guides our investment strategies. Ours is both risk capital and patient capital; experimentation and new thinking are critical paths forward. Seeing the world as it is, and as it could be, inspires our voice. Through all of our activities we try to illuminate the possibility of a new paradigm, gather evidence of its existence and establish pathways for its manifestation. As our website states, we “are humbled and honored to contribute to building a world based on peace, compassion, justice and love.”

Jennifer and Peter Buffett are the co-presidents of the Foundation and have articulated the vision and values that guide its work.

For further details about the mission and vision of the NoVo Foundation please visit www.novofoundation.org.

The Position

The Assistant provides administrative support for the development and ongoing implementation of the Foundation’s Initiative to End Violence Against Girls and Women. The Assistant reports directly to the Director, Initiative to End Violence Against Girls and Women. She/he also works closely with the Program Officers for the Initiative, as well as other Foundation staff. Responsibilities include communication with prospective and current grantees, meeting and event planning, research and reporting, and general administrative support for the Initiative Director.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and maintain the Initiative Director’s calendar, schedule meetings and coordinate with others’ calendars where needed;
• Assist the Director in meeting preparation and follow-up, including researching related information as needed;
• Draft and proof-read correspondence on behalf of the Director;
• Provide support to the Director and Program Officers by attending key meetings and events in person and listening for areas to follow-up; * Coordinate special events and meeting logistics for Director and Program Officers, including booking travel, accommodations, and other related preparation and event planning;
• Prepare expense reports for the Initiative Director;
• Develop and maintain electronic filing system for the Initiative, including information on current grantees;
• Track grant requests and funding allocations;
• Organize and prepare information relevant to grant recommendations including proposal summary, budget review, and accompanying materials to inform grant discussions;
• Record notes of internal team meetings and meetings with grantees;
• Participate in meetings with prospective and current grantees, as required;
• Provide general administrative support for the Initiative team as needed, including, word processing and editing, photocopying, and filing; and
• Interface with Grants Associate and Director of Grants Administration and other staff in support of regular grantmaking activities. 

Qualifications

We are seeking candidates with the following qualifications:

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in a field relevant to the skills and/or knowledge that would benefit the Initiatives’ grantmaking. 

Experience

• A minimum of two years administrative experience in a fast-paced, professional office environment coordinating projects, performing complex scheduling, and writing correspondence (a portion of that experience from internships would be considered).
• Experience preferred in a nonprofit, grant making, advocacy, or social justice environment.

• Familiarity, passion, and demonstrated commitment to advancing NoVo’s goals of ending violence against girls and women everywhere and ensuring that girls everywhere are able to reach their full potential.

Core Competencies

• Highly motivated, organized and detail-oriented self-starter with problem solving abilities, flexibility and resourcefulness.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills (in person, via e-mail, and on telephone).
• Methodical, swift, dynamic and accurate in the execution of all responsibilities.
• Ability to simultaneously manage multiple projects while maintaining a firm grasp on individual project details.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, team-oriented, deadline-driven environment.
• Demonstrated ability to consistently go above and beyond all tasks assigned to meet objectives and deliverables.
• Experience organizing complicated domestic and international travel and associated logistics.
• Excellent research skills.
• Comfort with quantitative data, budgets, and financial information.
• Positive and friendly disposition.
• Ability to handle confidential information with complete discretion.
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office and Mac applications. Experience with Salesforce and Concur a plus.
• Responsible with a deep sense of dedication, reliability and dependability.
• Must have excellent judgment, tact, initiative, creativity and critical thinking.

Note: This description is a guide to the primary duties and functions of the job, not an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, qualifications, physical demands, and working conditions. Position descriptions are reviewed and may be revised to meet the changing needs of NoVo Foundation at the sole discretion of management.

Compensation and Culture

NoVo offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits, generous vacation, and a pleasant working environment. The Foundation employs a small staff and is dedicated to promoting an environment of collaboration and workplace flexibility.

NoVo deeply values diversity and is committed to the recruitment and retention of individuals of underrepresented backgrounds including with regard to gender, race, religion, and sexual orientation.

Application Process

For employment consideration, the optimal way to contact us is via e-mail. All applications must include:

• Resumé
• Thoughtful cover letter (explaining your interest in and qualification for the position and how you became aware of this opportunity: job portal, referral, etc.)
• Salary requirements (must specify actual amount or range)
• One writing sample (between 2 and 5 pages maximum, attached in PDF format)

E-mail applications to j[email protected] with subject line: Initiative Assistant/YOUR NAME.

Application deadline is Monday, December 19th, 2016 at 5:00pm, PDT.