Executive Assistant & Grant Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

PIC - Hybrid (In-Office Monday & Tuesday)

Are you a sharp, discreet, and highly organized professional who thrives at the intersection of executive support and project management? PIC is looking for an Executive Assistant & Grant Specialist to provide high-level administrative support to our Chief Economist and Senior Director of Workforce & Community Impact — while also leading the charge on tracking and coordinating grant and RFP opportunities. If you bring sound judgment, meticulous attention to detail, and the initiative to manage ambiguity with poise, we want to hear from you.

About the Policy and Innovation Center

The Policy and Innovation Center (PIC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose founding partners include the San Diego Foundation, the County of San Diego, and The Brookings Institution. PIC conducts research and policy analysis to help solve the region's most pressing challenges. Its mission is to unlock the region's potential by cultivating and building cross-sector partnerships that address intractable issues — climate resilience, critical infrastructure, community wealth disparities, and housing affordability.

Learn more at thinkpic.org.

About the Role

The Executive Assistant & Grant Specialist holds responsibility for managing activities and provides administrative support for both the Chief Economist and Senior Director of Workforce & Community Impact at PIC. As a Grant Specialist, they are responsible for monitoring grant opportunities and requests for proposals (RFPs), and for project-managing applications and proposals. This individual represents and supports PIC consistently and professionally in all internal and external communication and engagements.

This position requires the ability to use good judgment, make independent decisions, and ensure timely communication. It will include meeting logistics, scheduling, agenda preparation, event assistance, compilation of submissions for grants and RFPs, and reporting and tracking information for management. The EA will make interpretations and recommendations as appropriate. Duties are highly confidential and require comprehensive knowledge of PIC’s management policies, procedures, and operations. Responsibilities require discretion, judgment, tact, and poise. Incumbent has considerable latitude and flexibility in carrying out assigned tasks.

• Reports 50% to Chief Economist and 50% to Senior Director of Workforce & Community Impact.

What You’ll Do

Executive Support and Project Management

• Build and maintain courteous and respectful relationships with management, staff, board members, partners, and donors, and interface with the community, by providing quality customer service resulting in a positive and professional image of PIC.

• Coordinate workflow and travel arrangements for the Chief Economist and Senior Director of Workforce & Community Impact.

• Manage Chief Economist and Senior Director of Workforce & Community Impact’s calendar, including scheduling meetings, prioritizing requests, and resolving conflicts.

• Manage and triage inquiries and contacts via email, mail, phone, or in person requesting information with the Chief Economist and Senior Director of Workforce & Community Impact.

• Provide a range of support activities, including database entry and report generation, correspondence, word processing, copyediting, desktop publishing, expense tracking, meeting logistics and minutes, copying, filing, event coordination, and mailing.

• Prepare and process monthly expense reports in a timely manner.

• Ensure confidentiality and discretion in all matters.

• Other duties as assigned.

• Provide general office support, including managing supplies and coordinating with facilities as needed.

Meeting and Event Planning

• Coordinate with the Chief Economist and Senior Director of Workforce & Community Impact on scheduling and planning of key PIC events.

• Support meeting technology and presentation logistics.

• Attend assigned meetings and take/transcribe minutes.

Grant Tracking Responsibilities

• Monitor grant opportunities, including government and philanthropic grants.

• Monitor requests for proposals.

• Lead biweekly grant meetings to review upcoming grant deadlines, and provide the PIC team with overviews of potential new funding opportunities.

• Support the submittals of grants and RFPs, including compilation of necessary documentation, signature approvals, etc.

What You’ll Bring

• Minimum of four years administrative experience in a professional office environment; nonprofit experience preferable.

• Experience supporting C-level executives.

• Strong diplomatic and communication skills, with the ability to develop buy-in across a wide range of stakeholders; ability to develop effective working relationships with all colleagues, external constituencies, and decision makers.

• Ability to work with and effectively manage information of a confidential nature requiring considerable discretion, judgment, tact, and diplomacy.

• Excellent customer service skills.

• Proven track record in developing and using administrative systems.

• Experience with developing and maintaining budgets.

• Teamwork, self-motivation, a proactive approach to work, flexibility, and strong interpersonal skills are essential.

• Strong initiative and ability to work with minimal supervision.

• Ability to successfully organize, prioritize, and implement multiple projects.

• Initiative to recognize and anticipate problems, then solve them.

• Experience tracking grants and/or contracts.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Meticulous writing and editing skills.

• Computer skills: Expert proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel; understanding of the use and limitations of AI tools and good judgment regarding when to use them.

• Proven track record in project management.

• Working knowledge of processes for tracking, compiling, and submitting grant and RFP proposals.

Education and Experience

• Education and professional training beyond the high school level; background in government/nonprofit organizations a plus; business administration helpful; Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree preferred.

Language Skills

• Ability to read, write, and speak English fluently.

• Other languages—especially Spanish—preferred.

What Sets You Apart

• Highest degree of integrity and trustworthiness with absolute commitment to confidentiality and discretion when processing sensitive and privileged information.

• A high degree of professionalism and diplomacy.

• High-level reasoning under frequent time constraints.

• Ability to distill multiple streams of information and exercise sound judgment to make smart decisions quickly.

• Steady competence and focus when facing rapid rates of changing demands.

• Initiative and resourcefulness when managing ambiguity.

• Motivation to learn new online technology and other efficient working methods.

• Sensitivity to and respect for people representing a variety of cultures.

• Aptitude and experience for project management.

• Organizational agility and flexibility.

• Passion for maintaining a high bar for quality with a critical eye for detail.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

• Clear and concise communication.

• Knowledge and experience with process improvement.

• Effective collaboration and influence with stakeholders from a variety of functions and businesses at every level.

• Prioritization and management of multiple responsibilities simultaneously.

• Demonstrates assertiveness, compassion, congeniality, empathy, and foresight.

• Use of good judgment and own initiative; logical thought process.

• Professional attitude and demeanor; highly detail-oriented; strong organizational skills; innovative.

Schedule & Work Environment

• Non-smoking, professional office environment.

• Fast-paced, working with multi-level distractions.

• Hybrid in-office/work-from-home. Office is available every day, but in a typical week most staff work in office on Monday and Tuesday and remotely the rest of the week.

• Ability to work extended hours, as needed.

• Ability to sit for prolonged periods of time and view a computer screen for long periods of time; ability to bend and stoop.

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation

• $36 Per Hour

The Policy and Innovation Center is committed to practices that promote pay equity and transparency. Actual offers will reflect qualifications, skills, experience, internal equity, and alignment with market data, among other relevant factors.

Benefits

• Supportive, inclusive organizational culture committed to mission-driven work.

• Hybrid work environment with support for home office setup.

• 100% employer-paid premiums for medical, vision, dental, life, AD&D, and long-term disability; 75% employer-paid premiums for all dependents.

• 403(b) retirement plan with up to 4% employer match plus annual discretionary contribution.

• Earned Incentive Program.

• 3 weeks paid time off annually, plus 1 additional paid week off in July for all staff.

• 4-week paid sabbatical for every 5 years of service.

• 13 paid holidays + 2 paid volunteer days per year.

• Extended Health Care Time accruing at 2.77 hours per pay period (up to 480-hour cap) — usable for sick leave, family care, and parental leave/baby bonding.

• $100/month cell phone and internet reimbursement.

• $75/quarter gym reimbursement.

• Annual service award: $100 donation to a nonprofit of your choice.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.