Program Officer: Community Investment

Innovia Foundation

Job Description

 

Full job description

Mission:

To ignite generosity that transforms lives and communities.

Vision:

Vibrant and sustainable communities where every person has the opportunity to thrive.

Office Culture Statement:

At Innovia Foundation, we invest in our staff and create an empowering and innovative work environment. 

· We are passionate about serving our communities. 

· We trust and treat each other with honesty and respect. 

· We support, inspire and encourage each other. 

· We are accountable to ourselves and each other. 

· We respect our colleagues by being present and having direct and open communication. 

· We are intentional in our interactions. 

· We have a deep commitment to equity internally and throughout our region. 

· We celebrate our successes. 

About Us:

Innovia Foundation ignites generosity that transforms lives and communities. We envision vibrant and sustainable communities, where every person has the opportunity to thrive. As the community foundation for Eastern Washington and North Idaho since 1974, we partner with people who want to make our part of the world better.

We believe that generosity is the most powerful source of positive change to achieve our shared goals and values. We partner with generous individuals, families, businesses and organizations to address our region’s most pressing causes and greatest opportunities. We offer innovative products and giving solutions to catalyze greater impact and inspire donors to take a more active approach to philanthropy.

We thoughtfully collaborate with community leaders and stakeholders to build and strengthen relationships, so that our work is more reflective of and relevant to the priorities of our region. We are committed to being present and engaged, learning about community needs and supporting community momentum. We work together to address and solve our region’s problems, help those in need, identify and respond to our greatest opportunities, and leave a lasting impact.

The Innovia team is made up of people with different strengths, experiences and backgrounds who share a passion for investment in the promise of our region. We are deliberate, intentional and purposeful about the kind of culturally diverse team we are building.

Each year, Innovia invests nearly $10 million into our communities through grants and scholarships.

If you’re someone who…

· Is mission-driven and embraces collaboration, open community and constructive team partnerships

· Shows up with a sense of purposeheart and authenticity

· Is adept at project management and detail work, who genuinely thrives on providing the best team support possible

· Is compelled by your innate curiosity and love for learning to dig deep, research and explore new perspectives and ideas

… then we have an exciting and rewarding opportunity for you!

We welcome you on this journey to improve people’s lives and make our world a better place!

Position Summary:

Are you looking for a rewarding career fueled by purpose? Do you want our region to be the best it can possibly be? Place, purpose and innovation drive our mission, so Innovia Foundation may be the place for you. As the region’s leading community foundation and one of the most prominent in the nation, we serve 10 counties in Eastern Washington and 10 counties in North Idaho.

We bring together:

· Donors – Supporting causes and organizations that improve our community.

· Nonprofits – Delivering experiences that improve people and place.

Reporting to the Chief Community Investment Officer, the Community Investment Program Officer must have a clear understanding of the mission, vision and values of the Foundation. The Program Officer will be responsible for implementation of the Foundation’s grant and scholarship processes to advance Innovia’s mission to ignite generosity that transforms lives and communities.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Grantmaking

· Oversee Innovia’s grantmaking processes – including the annual competitive grants cycle - to ensure compliance with Innovia policies, procedures, grant criteria and alignment with Innovia’s mission, vision and strategic plan.

· Coordinate the work of internal teams to ensure clear communication, shared outcomes and efficient grantmaking. This includes, but is not limited to:

o working with Marking and Communications staff to ensure donors, nonprofits and the community are informed of grant opportunities and impacts; and

o working with Gift Planning staff to provide excellent service to support donor-recommended grantmaking; and

o working with Finance and Administration staff to cross-check available funding with recommendations and provide accurate documentation for check batching and processing.

o working with Core Team members to ensure accurate and efficient processing of grant and scholarship awards.

· Manage internal and external grant committees and convene and facilitate all review meetings.

· Ensure grant management is complete, accurate and timely by fully utilizing the grant software utilized by Innovia, including, but not limited to:

o create and update grant applications;

o perform due diligence on all organizations and document all required information,

o manage committee reviews;

o develop and document correspondence (including award letters, declinations and contractors);

o enter all awarded grantees and manage correspondence; and

o award funds.

· Establish and maintain respectful relationships with nonprofits, conduct site visits and attend grantee events, as appropriate.

· Review, summarize and report grant outcomes, as appropriate, to donors, Board of Directors and other stakeholders, including, but not limited to reports and thank you letters.

· Continually apply lessons learned to ensure equity, efficiency and continuous quality improvement for Innovia’s grantmaking and remain current on best practices within the field, as well as any changing rules and regulations that affect grant awards.

· Other duties as assigned.

Scholarship Management

· Ensure scholarship programs are executed in compliance with Innovia policies, procedures and scholarship criteria.

· Provide excellent customer service to scholarship donors, committees (Innovia and external) and recipients to ensure the scholarship process is rewarding, transparent and meeting donor intent.

· Communicate as required with applicants, recipients, parents, financial aid offices and education institutions.

· Establish relationships with staff at identified schools within Innovia’s service region

· Manage internal project team to ensure clear communication, shared outcomes and efficiency. This includes, but is not limited to:

o working with Marketing and Communications staff to communicate scholarship opportunities with relevant audiences and publicity of awarded students;

o working with Finance and Administration staff to cross-check available funding with recommendations and provide accurate documentation for check batching and processing.

· Ensure scholarship management is complete, accurate and timely by fully utilizing the scholarship software utilized by Innovia including, but not limited to:

o creating and updating scholarship applications;

o developing and documenting correspondence (including award letters and declinations);

o managing committee reviews;

o processing all new and renewable scholarships, and;

o awarding funds.

· Manage scholarship committees (internal and external) through the scholarship process, including internal compliance reporting and due diligence.

· Review, summarize and report scholarship program outcomes, as appropriate, to donors, Board of Directors and other stakeholders, including, but not limited to annual summary report and thank you letters.

· Continually apply lessons learned to ensure equity, efficiency and continuous quality improvement for the scholarship process and remain current on best practices within the field, as well as any changing rules and regulations that affect scholarship awards.

· Other duties as assigned.

Organization Responsibilities

· Serve as one of Innovia’s representatives at community events and on assigned community committees.

· Ensure clear, highly organized processes and communication so project teams are effective and efficient.

· Demonstrate initiative in identifying and applying best practices in philanthropy, equity and cultural competence and partnership development and collaboration.

· Assist with all Innovia events, as requested, including, but not limited to New Fund Founder Orientations, nonprofit and donor receptions and gatherings, and Annual Reception.

· Other events as assigned.

Profile of a Successful Candidate

The Community Investment Program Officer must be a mission-driven individual with a commitment to philanthropy and community, and strong values of partnership and equity. The ideal candidate will have a strong interest in the programmatic work of Innovia and a desire to contribute by developing and implementing data management systems that can support Innovia’s mission. The person should be adept in managing multiple project teams made up of staff, fellows/interns and or community and corporate volunteers. The candidate will demonstrate initiative and be self-directed in all tasks, as well as organized and have an exceptional attention to detail. The position requires someone who can balance a range of responsibilities and work proactively to address the organization’s functional needs and the needs of our constituents. Candidate must demonstrate a love of the community, be solution focused and place extreme importance on building and maintaining equitable, trusting relationships.

Minimum Qualifications:

· Bachelor’s degree

· 3+ years’ experience in the fields of philanthropy, community engagement, and/or program planning/implementation/evaluation.

· Excellent oral, written and computer skills, including experience with database management

· MS Office Suite proficiency

· Experience managing project teams with diverse skills and complex, multiple tasks

· Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access at the individual, organization, community and institution levels

· Demonstrated analytical and evaluative skills (problem solving)

· Demonstrated initiative and ability to be self-directed in all tasks

· Ability to plan, prioritize and work on various projects and meet deadlines

· Comfortable managing multiple tasks, while maintaining a strong attention to detail

· Must be a team player/leader with open-mindedness to collaborate

· Strong interpersonal and networking skills among diverse stakeholder and constituent groups

· Ability to approach situations and challenges with empathy and a sense of humor

Preferred Qualifications:

· Project management and/or grant management experience, including experience managing a project team, delegating tasks and providing sufficient follow-up.

· Demonstrated experience working with youth and young adults, preferably to assist them with education attainment.

· Experience working at a nonprofit and/or an education institution (secondary or post-secondary).

Physical Abilities:

Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to:

· sit for prolonged periods of time;

· walk;

· operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard;

· utilize verbal and written communication to exchange information

· clearly see 20+ feet, with or without corrective lenses and differentiate between colors

· occasionally stand, stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist;

· climb stairs;

· lift, carry, push, and/or pull up to 20 pounds

Mental & Other Skills/Abilities:

· Adaptability ability to adapt to changes, delays or unexpected events in the work environment; ability to manage competing demands and prioritize tasks; ability to change approach or method to best fit the situation.

· Interpersonal Skills: ability to develop and maintain positive working relationships and teamwork both inside and outside the organization while effectively handling internal pressure.

· Dependability ability to follow instructions, both in written and verbal format; ability to respond to management direction; ability to complete tasks on time or notify the appropriate person with an alternate plan when necessary.

· Judgment:ability to make prudent and timely decisions; ability to exhibit sound and accurate judgment; ability to explain reasoning for decisions.

· Language Ability: ability to read and write reports, business correspondence and procedure manuals; ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from management staff, clients, customers, and the general public.

· Mathematical Ability:ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.

· Problem Solving Ability ability to identify and/or prevent problems before they occur; ability to formulate alternative solutions to problems when necessary; ability to transfer learning from past experiences to new experiences of similar nature.

· Quality Management ability to complete duties, on time and with precision; ability to edit the accuracy and thoroughness of one’s work as well as the work of others; ability to constructively apply feedback to improve performance, ability to generate ideas to improve and promote quality in work

· Reasoning Abilityability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form; ability to work through problems involving multiple variables.

Work Environment:

The employee is exposed to typical office environment conditions and noise levels.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $27.00 - $31.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

  • Dental insurance
  • Flexible spending account
  • Health insurance
  • Paid time off
  • Professional development assistance
  • Retirement plan
  • Vision insurance

Compensation Package:

  • Bonus opportunities

Ability to Relocate:

  • Spokane, WA 99201: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person

 
 
 

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