The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation is a private, independent grantmaking foundation that began active operation in 1998. The Foundation’s goal is to ensure that all New Yorkers, particularly those from marginalized communities, have the resources and opportunities needed to reach their goals in school, work, and life.

The Foundation aims to increase economic opportunity by strengthening college and career pathways for low-income New Yorkers.  The Foundation supports innovative programs and practices that:

• Improve readiness for and connection to higher education
• Enable students to thrive and succeed in college
• Increase access to high potential careers upon graduation

To support this important mission, the Foundation seeks a Knowledge and Grants Manager. This  is a new role and the individuals filling it will be a thoughtful, engaged contributor to the Petrie Foundation team, reporting to the Executive Director.

Position Responsibilities

This position will be responsible for two major sets of interconnected activities. The Knowledge and Grants Manager will oversee all grants management systems and processes, including implementation of a robust grants database. Moreover, the individual will create learning and communications strategies that strengthen and improve practices among staff, grantees, community partners and opinion leaders.

Specifically, the Knowledge and Grants Manager will:

• Communicate the Petrie Foundation objectives, priorities and grantmaking process to nonprofit organizations and others in the community
• Develop and maintain appropriate grants management procedures, including but not limited to due diligence procedures, grant reporting, award letters, grant agreements, and procedures to ensure availability of funds
• Identify opportunities to streamline the grants process to minimize administrative load (for grantee partners and the foundation staff)
• Oversee the creation of and adherence to a foundation calendar and internal timelines related to grantmaking, grant reporting, and external communications
• Produce and distribute award letters, declination letters, as well as payments
• Monitor grantee reports and develop reporting mechanisms to share information on grantee accountability with relevant parties, including the board
• Drive a foundation learning agenda to foster development and use of best practices and improve outcomes in grantmaking and initiatives
• Provide support to program staff to establish and nurture communities of practice/learning communities
• Work with grantees to develop a story bank of grantee stories highlighting our strategic work
• Work with foundation staff to prepare information about foundation initiatives to share with policymakers
• Promote collaborative tools to facilitate sharing of ideas and work among internal teams and external partners
• Produce regular and ad hoc grant making reports and perform data analysis as needed
• Design and manage the foundation’s information systems including the grants database, library, issue research, and knowledge management
• Assess and recommend best-in-class software systems and oversee seamless implementation and integration
• Develop and maintain grants database manual and train staff on software and systems
• Create electronic (and where necessary, physical) grant files to meet legal, tax and audit requirements
• Serve as point of contact for inquiries about grant eligibility and the grant process
• Build strong, mutually respectful relationships with grantee partners through every point of contact during the grant application and grant maintenance processes
• Assist in the preparation of clear and accessible materials including the board docket, strategy memos, and annual report
• Ensure the foundation’s website is regularly updates and maintained
• Recommend and participate in ongoing professional development for self and foundation team

Profile of the Successful Candidate

The successful candidate will be skilled in managing information, creating process and work flows, using databases in strategic ways, leveraging reports to inform the foundation’s ongoing work, and enjoying learning about the range of organizations in the foundation’s portfolio using excellent research skills.

More specifically, the Foundation seeks a professional who has:

• Bachelor’s degree or the equivalent combination of education and transferrable experience
• 6+ years work experience preferred, including significant experience working with database management and/or grants management
• Commitment to social, economic, and racial justice and background working in these areas
• Proven ability to conceptualize, plan, synthesize and integrate knowledge and learning
• Ability to design workflows that focus on ease of use
• Proven ability to track and manage several projects and processes simultaneously
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills, including experience with and/or excitement about presenting data creatively and compellingly
• Demonstrated ability to create data visualizations and data dashboards for stakeholders
• The ability to easily interact with a wide range of people and styles with a customer service approach; excellent customer service skills with various audiences
• Must be able to work autonomously and pro-actively with high-level direction when needed and be able to work collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders
• Evidence of dependability, trustworthiness, and effective work habits
• An energetic, nimble nature, and a sense of humor

Location:

The Foundation has offices in Brooklyn, New York.  During 2020, employees may choose to work remotely.

The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We encourage people of color, of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, religion and physical ability to apply.

To Apply:

Please apply online by submitting a one- or two-page resume/CV and a cover letter including two writing samples provided as links or annexes.  Submit materials as attachments to [email protected]. Please indicate “Knowledge and Grants Manager” in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed and considered as received.