Program Associate

Application Process

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to View email address on click.appcast.io. In the subject line, name the title of the position for which you are applying and indicate where you saw the announcement. We will review applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Organization

The Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck (PCLB) Foundation is a private family foundation that seeks to help people solve problems in their communities. Our program areas are education, outdoors, medicine, science, and family projects. In those areas, we identify and support dynamic leaders and effective organizations who work unselfishly to improve and empower those around them. We provide problem-solvers with connections, information, experience, and money that they need to provide their communities with critical skills and resources—ultimately, to do something remarkable.

Position Summary

As a member of PCLB’s Program Team, the Program Associate supports the Education Team’s Charter Schools portfolio with grant-making and grant oversight by engaging in a range of work. This includes conducting comprehensive research; analyzing and synthesizing qualitative and quantitative information; conducting an initial review of completed evaluation and monitoring documents/templates; drafting program-related communications; and managing logistics and tracking for specific grant activities. Additionally, the Program Associate is directly responsible for management, oversight, and relationship building for a select set of grantees, as assigned by the Team.

The ideal candidate for this position is an independent worker and thinker. The ideal candidate has strong knowledge of public education, including public charter schools, and is skilled at conducting research, working with datasets, interacting with external parties, and synthesizing findings for a lay audience. The Program Associate will also apply critical thinking skills when managing a discrete set of grants and grantee relationships.

Responsibilities

Grant Strategy Development

• Participates in and helps document the ideation of new or changing grant strategies created to achieve PCLB’s 10-year goals.
• Uses quantitative and qualitative research to help the Charter Schools Team understand more about issues/topics of interest, which will ultimately help inform grant strategies, and create clear reports that analyze and synthesize research findings.
• Contributes to the creation of tools and templates that enable the Charter Schools Team to more effectively and reliably track progress towards 10-year goals.
• Assists in the analysis of internally collected data and/or public, external data to evaluate progress toward PCLB’s 10-Year goals.

Grant-making

• Conducts background research on organizations/issues of interest to the Charter Schools Team and develops easy to understand profiles or reports that capture the requested information.
• Executes the grant-making process for a select list of grantees, as assigned, within deadlines. This work includes review of applications/reports and drafting internal-facing assessment documents.
• Assists in drafting internal presentations, and as needed, makes internal presentations to explain rationale for recommended docket of grants.
• Supports the Charter Schools Team with revisions, updates, or improvements to PCLB’s internally developed performance measurements.
• Supports the Charter Schools Team with analysis of data submitted through performance measurements.

Grantee Relationship Building

• Engages with grantees through site visits, meetings, phone calls and other channels to understand the organization’s work and to review opportunities, challenges, and advances.
• Preserves institutional knowledge and shares learnings internally by documenting critical information about grantee work.

On-going Learning and Development

• Supports Team in documenting values, principles, concepts, and methods in order to help codify/institutionalize the Foundation’s philosophy and strategic approaches.
• Promotes and participates in a culture of learning and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

A qualified candidate possesses:

• Commitment to the Foundation’s core values of Excellence, Fairness, Humility, Self-Reliance, and Trustworthiness.
• Commitment to and belief in the Foundation’s core program areas and portfolios.
• Possesses some subject matter knowledge, experience, and interest in PCLB’s program areas/portfolios and/or philanthropy.
• Excellent quantitative, qualitative, and analysis skills and comfort in using applicable technology such as Microsoft Excel.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of individuals.
• Project management skills to manage multiple projects simultaneously and complete work on-time.
• Discretion and commitment to organizational confidentiality.
• Willingness to travel and to work flexible hours, as needed.
• A Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 3
• 7 years of related experience, preferably with nonprofits or foundations.

Location

Staff spend three days per week “with people,” i.e., in the field with grantees or in the New York City office with colleagues. The other two days may be remote.

Compensation

The annual salary range is $80,000 to $90,000 and the salary is commensurate with the candidate’s skills and experience. PCLB also offers a strong benefits package.

Application Process

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to View email address on click.appcast.io. In the subject line, name the title of the position for which you are applying and indicate where you saw the announcement. We will review applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

The Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation is an equal opportunity employer.