Programs Assistant

The Barnes Foundation

The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage

Programs Assistant

Position Reports To: Director of Grantmaking Programs Exempt/Non: Non-Exempt

Primary Function:

The Programs Assistant provides primary support to the Center's Director of Grantmaking Programs (DGP) and Program Officers, in the delivery of all the Center's grantmaking work (Exhibitions &Public Interpretation and Performance Project grants, Evolving Futures, Pew Fellowships, and Capacity Building grants), in close collaboration with other Center programs and administrative staff, in all phases of program operations.

Job Qualifications

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree or its equivalent with at least three years of full-time administrative work experience in a comparable position.
• High proficiency and comfort with the use of Microsoft Excel or the ability to quickly learn such platforms.
• High proficiency with Microsoft Word and Outlook is required.
• Knowledge of PowerPoint basics or comparable presentation programs is preferred.
• Systematic thinker with superior organizational skills and proven success in creating and maintaining efficient administrative processes.
• Effective interpersonal skills to successfully interact with the Center's constituency, fellow staff, and external consultants.
• Skill in analyzing information and situations to define the problem or objective, identify relevant factors, formulate logical and objective conclusions, and recognize alternatives and their implications.
• Comfort working independently and as a team member, prioritizing multiple projects in a busy environment accurately, efficiently, and with a high level of attention to detail, balancing and satisfying competing deadlines and personalities, maintaining professionalism under pressure and in sensitive and difficult situations.
• Respect for the needs and issues of non-profit organizations and artists is required, while clearly understanding the appropriate boundaries between Center staff and its constituents.
• Ability to exercise a high level of discretion and confidentiality in interactions with both internal and external people concerning all work-related information, and with understanding of the Center's unique relationship to The Pew Charitable Trusts.
• Respect for administrative procedures while remaining flexible and resilient.
• Ability to know when to ask questions, when to take initiative, ability to learn quickly, and willingness to assume tasks as needed.
• Criminal Background Clearance - National

Physical A ctivities to Perform Essential Functions: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Moving: Approximately 80%+ of time is spent seated while working at a desk. Ability to occasionally transport up to 25 lbs. of files, equipment or supplies. Ability to move to access files, equipment or supplies.


Vision Requirements: This position requires extended time on the computer.

Communication Requirements: Clearly communicate in person, by phone, and by video conference. Communicate with others in conversational and written English.


Working Conditions: Position operates in hybrid work setting comprised of the PCAH's Philadelphia campus and remote work setting indicated by the employee at their documented home address. Position requires extended time on the computer.

Job Responsibilities:

Provide administrative support for the Center's grantmaking functions.

Scheduling, Meetings and Events Support

• Manage the DGP's schedule to assure their calendar is up-to-date and considerately arranged.
• Coordinate with the Center's executive support staff and other administrative staff to monitor and maintain the Center's operations calendar, working to keep it up-to-date with important details on all conference room reservations, visitors, and meeting requirements.
• Schedule a high volume of virtual and in-person meetings between Center constituents, applicants, consultants, grantees, and program staff. Greet and provide hospitality to Center guests and set-up and breakdown conference rooms; support execution of virtual meetings and presentations in Microsoft Teams. Liaise with operations staff to ensure meeting rooms are secured and to ensure optimal logistical arrangements for in-person and hybrid remote/in-person meetings, including set up and breakdown of AV equipment. As necessary, arrange/request catering, restaurant reservations, hotel, and travel. Facilitate routine internal program meetings on a weekly or monthly basis.
• Work closely with the Center's operations staff to support the planning of events and capacity-building activities, ensuring efficient and realistic schedules for professional development talks, symposia, seminars, consultancies, and trips; and grant adjudication meetings. Manage RSVPs through email and Eventbrite.

Grant Application Cycle Support

• In collaboration with all grant programs and the Center's Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), closely track and maintain the schedule of application deadlines, notification dates, grant panelist review periods, and grant adjudication panel meetings.
• Work with CAO to request, collect, and organize financial audits/statements from applicant organizations to ensure financial threshold eligibility criteria are met.
• Provide basic technical support to applicants and panelists on the use of the Center's online application system. Work with the Center's core administrative staff to ensure the Center's online application system is updated and prepared to open for each stage of the application cycle. Communicate necessary changes to application forms, review criteria, and dates in a timely manner.
• Screen grant applications in the Center's online application system for completeness, adherence to guidelines, errors, faulty links, file submission issues, incomplete data, etc.
• Assist program staff with securing and orienting grant application reviewers and panelists by issuing instructions, reminders, preparing dossiers and documents, and in gathering contact and financial information needed to process payments.
• Provide primary administrative support for annual grant adjudication panel meetings. Work with Center's core administrative staff to prepare application review system to run the panel meeting. Schedule run-throughs and rehearsals. Operate A/V equipment and provide logistical support during the meetings. Field basic questions from applicants and prospective applicants about application guidelines, eligibility, and processes. Offer general program information, elevating questions to senior staff as needed.
• Under the direction of the DGP and in collaboration with the Program Officer: Pew Fellowships, serve as a point of contact for all Pew Fellows and provide assistance and guidance as needed. Coordinate logistics for the Center's partnerships with selected artist residency programs and serve as the main contact for Pew Fellows. Track the selection process and schedule of residencies, process payments and request and collect travel waivers before each residency and final reports at the end of each residency opportunity. Schedule and organize the Center's annual Pew Fellowships orientation and financial consultant meetings.

Daily/Ongoing Tasks

• Provide general support to DGP with technology, calendar, and correspondence. As requested by the DGP, write, transcribe, and manage email and written correspondence to constituents and consultants, including memos, agendas, invitations, requests, and reminders. Field general programmatic inquiries that come from website visitors.
• Collect payment information, tax forms, letters of agreement, and invoices from Center external vendors, consultants, and constituents to issue payment. Create payment requests and submit proper documentation and approval to the Accounts Payable staff of the Center's administrator, the Barnes Foundation, to ensure payments are processed on time.
• Assist DGP in managing their corporate credit card; prepare monthly credit card reconciliation.
• Ensure that contact lists are kept up-to-date, and that the appropriate persons and organizations are receiving materials. Ensure that outgoing mail and express packages are handled appropriately.
• Help update the Center's databases and Grants Management System with information about applicants, grantees and other constituents to the Center's operations, capacity-building programs, and communications. Work cooperatively with the Center's communications staff and grants administrator to keep the portions of the database that pertain to the Programs both accurate and current, performing data entry as requested.
• Coordinate with Communications staff to track grantee news and media coverage on a monthly basis, providing information for Center website and other communications materials. After Program events, create and disseminate accurate attendee contact information and evaluation surveys.
• Maintain the program's archives and libraries, managing the accessioning and deaccessioning of materials under the direction of program staff.

Special Assignments and Projects

• Upon request of the DGP, perform special communications, administrative or logistical functions, including qualitative research; quantitative analysis.
• Other duties as assigned.

Organization-Wide Competencies:

1. Accountability:


a. Prepares for work assignments and meetings,


b. Conducts thorough fact-finding, decision-making and/or follow through,


c. Admits mistakes and errors and informs others when one is not able to meet a commitment.


2. Job Quality:


a. Dependably demonstrates job knowledge necessary for the position,

b. Produces timely, accurate, high quality work output,


c. Prioritizes work responsibilities effectively and produces work quantity expected for the role.


3. Service:


a. Identifies problems and collaborate with others to devise and create effective solutions.


b. Interacts and communicates with fellow employees in a manner that promotes a harmonious and

cooperative working environment in accordance with our Core Values.


c. Facilitates open communication and keeps an open mind about new ideas.


4. Leadership:


a. Sets a good example for others,


b. Demonstrates ethical decision-making and communication,


c. Makes decisions. Uses a solution-oriented, collaborative approach.


5. Collaboration:


a. Seeks win-win outcomes in decision-making,


b. Shows a proactive, inclusive, helpful, and respectful attitude to colleagues, guests and others,


c. Takes initiative to contribute to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives.