About the Jewish Community Foundation and its Center for Designed Philanthropy

Established in 1954, the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles manages more than $1 billion of assets entrusted to it by over 1,300 families. Last year, The Foundation and its donors distributed $81 million in grants and over the past 25 years, it distributed over $1 billion in grants to thousands of nonprofits across a diverse spectrum. The Foundation’s Center for Designed Philanthropy administers several grantmaking programs and provides philanthropic advising to select donor individuals and families. Both The Foundation and its Center have seen enormous growth over the past several years, resulting in more dollars to distribute and more donor families requesting highly customize giving strategies and support. This role will provide the right individual with the opportunity to help build and sustain the success of the department and organization at a pivotal and exciting time.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Vice President of The Foundation’s Center for Designed Philanthropy, the Program Associate provides programmatic, research and administrative support to the Center, as well as provides legal support to General Counsel.

Position Responsibilities

Grantmaking:

• Support the Center’s new and existing grant programs (Cutting Edge, Israel, General Community, Capital), select donor grant processes and various departmental initiatives.
• Manage Foundation’s discretionary/small grants process.
• Respond to inquiries from grantseekers regarding grant eligibility, process, policies and procedures, describing relevant program details and making referrals to available community resources.
• Research and prepare written materials and is responsible for proofreading and accuracy of own work with limited supervision. This includes: reviewing grant applications, performing due diligence (collecting background information and conducting research specific to grant proposal such as board associations and funders), ensuring the grant meets The Foundation’s guidelines and objectives, drafting summaries of application proposals, and making recommendations to the Program Officers and VP whether to pursue applicants as potential grantees.
• Facilitate grant monitoring: review interim reports, follow-up with grantee to obtain additional information, ensure grantee compliance, and provide status reports, which may include recommendations for next steps.
• Assist in preparing grant close out evaluations for grants as they reach completion.
• Coordinate and assist in preparation for site visits to prospective and current grantees.

Meeting Preparation:

• Assist with the preparation of grants committee and Board meeting dockets and presentations, collating and sending materials to stakeholders.
• Manage logistical and technology details for Program staff meetings with nonprofits, grants committees and special events, including refreshments, participant RSVPs, meeting materials, room arrangements and media requirements and tracking departmental budget expenditures.
• Assist in preparation of reports of departmental grant and client activities for executive staff, lay committees and Board as needed.

 Administrative:

• Support department staff in calendaring of internal and external meetings, liaising with building security and greeting guests.
• Assist in the processing of all departmental invoices with outside vendors.
• Scan, sort and process departmental mail.
• Assist Foundation support staff with telephone coverage and administrative duties as needed. 

Database:

• Input data accurately into the GrantedGE grants management and Raiser’s Edge systems, producing basic reports as needed.

Legal:

• Support General Counsel by assisting with preparation, processing, and analysis of legal documents; drafting correspondence, corporate resolutions, and analyses of compliance matters; and assisting with complex legal transactions. 

Additional:

• Cross-train on other Center operations functions, such as data entry and maintenance of grants management database, updates to Raiser’s Edge database, maintenance all hard and electronic files, and tracking and reporting of department deliverables, to provide floating support to Grants Management Associate as needed.
• Conduct research and perform special projects as assigned.
• Maintain a working knowledge of the local nonprofit field as well as Jewish communal organizations both local and in Israel.
• Represent The Foundation in a manner that is consistent with our mission. 

Required Qualifications

• Excellent writer, researcher and project manager with demonstrated ability to analyze complex information
• Passion for Foundation’s mission, constituency and funding areas
• Track record of providing high quality, timely customer service
• Experience working with confidential and sensitive information
• Highly collaborative team player, with the ability to work effectively under supervision, independently and in a team environment
• Highly organized with attention to accuracy of detail
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Excellent time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple, time-sensitive priorities, flexible to changing directives
• Demonstrated ability to take the initiative to seek out and resolve problems through interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft XP, Office (particularly Excel, Outlook and Word), and the Internet
• Strong typing skills (50+ WPM)
• Experience with data entry in a vendor, donor or grants database
• Bachelor’s degree required (or equivalent experience)
• A minimum of two years of experience as a practitioner or funder in the nonprofit field

Apply by submitting a detailed cover letter, updated resume and 2 recent brief writing samples to this email:  [email protected] with salary requirements. No Third Party submissions.