The Organization
The Haas Leadership Initiatives (HLI), a project of the Tides Center, was founded in 2005 by the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund (the Fund) to make it possible for the Fund’s grantee partners to access strategic leadership and organizational development resources. The HLI program understands that it takes skilled leaders to change policies and systems and to do the hard work of advancing rights and creating opportunities for all people. And that it takes strong, fully funded organizations to keep at it and to work effectively in social movements. Across the country, nonprofit organizations and public agencies are tackling tremendous challenges with limited support. Investing in leadership development makes a big difference; stronger leaders catalyze lasting and transformational change and get better results. The HLI’s leadership investment programs are a key strategy for ensuring the success of individual organizations and of the networks and movements of which they are a part.
Beyond investing in the capacity and leadership of the Fund’s grantee partners through its centerpiece program The Flexible Leadership Awards, the HLI focuses on building the field in two ways: 1) improving leadership and consulting practice by supporting innovative approaches to raising resources, cultivating talent, and embracing racial equity; and 2) encouraging foundations to invest more – and more effectively – in leadership.
HLI is home to the Haas, Jr. Fund’s Flexible Leadership Awards Program, the LeaderPower Collaborative (the expansion of the FLA to other funders), and the ReSet Fundraising Initiative. In 2019, more than eighty grantee partners — non-profit organizations across the state and the country — were supported by the Haas Leadership Initiatives capacity building programs. The Irvine Foundation’s Fair Work Initiative is HLI’s newest foundation partner, coming on-line in June 2020.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Program Associate plays an integral role in supporting three HLI Program Directors and affiliated organizational development practitioners in their work on behalf of the Haas Leadership Initiatives. The position reports to the HLI Program and Finance Manager and is nested within a highly collaborative and matrixed team. The Haas Leadership Initiatives is a project of the Tides Center and currently located in the offices of the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund in San Francisco.
The Program Associate is an at-will, exempt position. The salary for this position is $75,000 per year with a very competitive benefits package (medical, dental, 403b).
The Haas Leadership Initiatives hopes to identify a successful candidate by the end of May, with a start date ideally, of no later than July 1st. Interested applicants should send a cover letter and resume to Luigi@haasjr.org with the subject header – “PROGRAM ASSOCIATE APPLICATION”. Resumes and cover letters will be accepted and reviewed through May 8th, 2020.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
As noted above, this position interfaces with multiple stakeholders, including the HLI team, funders, the project’s fiscal sponsor (the Tides Center), consultant practitioners, and grantee partners, and therefore requires excellent interpersonal and customer service skills. Because the Program Associate is a critical component of an umbrella initiative housing several robust programs, they must be someone who takes initiative, enjoys creating systems to ensure smooth and efficient coordination of activities for the programs, takes a strategic and big picture approach to solving problems, and possesses good judgement and the confidence to make reasoned decisions that resolve and advance various activities.
This position supports all areas of the Haas Leadership Initiatives, including, but not limited to:
· Program Administration Support (30%) – This role requires commitment to learning about the purposes and substance of various HLI initiatives well enough to be a contributing member in planning and program implementation. As a member of the HLI team, you will:
· Contribute and coordinate program planning and implementation for each HLI program (e.g. HLI annual planning, consultant convening, internal/external meetings);
· Provide timely resources and support to the HLI team and its consultants; and
· Provide scheduling and administration for complex projects and meetings as needed.
· Consultant Network Management (25%) – This role will support the Haas Leadership Initiatives’ growing community of organizational development consultant practitioners and their community of practice. Activities include, but are not limited to:
· Drafting and managing contracts with consultants, along with other project-based vendors;
· Onboarding and supporting new consultants by providing relevant resources and information to help support their grantee partners;
· Drafting, reviewing, and sending out communications to the consultant network in a timely manner;
· Developing, refining, and maintaining processes to monitor consultants’ expenses and time on their project(s), in collaboration with the Program & Finance Manager;
· Gathering and sharing resources with consultants in collaboration with the HLI team; and
· Working in collaboration with consultants and the Program Directors to plan, execute, and manage the community of practice.
· Special Projects (20%) – This role will support the HLI team with special projects year-round (one-time or ongoing) as the organization grows. As the Program Associate becomes more familiar with the work, there are opportunities for continued learning and growth based on interests. Activities include, but are not limited, to:
· Contributing, managing, and supporting external evaluation partners and consultants by developing and refining processes, and gathering internal resources and documents for their review;
· Supporting HLI’s nascent communication and rebranding efforts, drafting and managing external & internal communications (e.g. webinars, emails, newsletters), and coordinate external vendors; and
· Other related duties as assigned.
· Grants Management (10%) – This role will play a key role in supporting HLI’s new grants program and in ensuring that grant proposals and documents are collected and that funds are disbursed in a timely manner. They will become familiar with the grants management software provided by the Tides Center, our fiscal sponsor. Activities include, but are not limited to:
· Assisting in collecting and reviewing grant documents in a timely manner;
· Carrying out any follow-up communications with grantee partners and Tides; and
· Supporting the timely payout of approved grants by tracking the process through Tides’ information management system.
· Grantee Peer Learning Initiatives (5%) – The individual will collaborate with the Program Directors to identify grantee learning opportunities that reflect the needs of our partners, both immediate and long-term. Activities include, but are not limited to:
· Supporting and managing relationships with vendors/consultants to ensure high-quality programming; and
Communicating new and existing opportunities with grantee partners and tracking their usage.
CANDIDATE PROFILE
We are committed to recruiting candidates of color and diverse gender expressions.
We are seeking an individual who is…
· Committed to social justice and intersectional racial equity
· Well-organized and a self-starter who likes to take initiative, is curious and seeking opportunities to grow and expand their knowledge and skills with a growing organization
· Skilled at working well with a wide range of people and able to manage complex projects with attention to detail and deadlines
· Comfortable in working in a fast-paced environment and able to adapt to changes
QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS
Successful candidates will have…
· A minimum of three (3) years relevant professional experience in nonprofit or philanthropic organizations, and/or a combination of relevant professional experiences across the public and private sectors
· Successful experience managing multiple projects, programs or initiatives and in establishing monitoring and tracking systems that support knowledge development and planning
· Excellent organizational skills and demonstrated systems development experience
· Strong written, oral, and interpersonal communications skills including with diverse stakeholders
· Fluid and competent with mastering multiple information technologies, e.g., data and knowledge management systems
How To Apply
The Haas Leadership Initiatives hopes to identify a successful candidate by the end of May, with a start date ideally, of no later than July 1st. Interested applicants should send a cover letter and resume to Luigi@haasjr.org with the subject header – “PROGRAM ASSOCIATE APPLICATION”. Resumes and cover letters will be accepted and reviewed through May 8th, 2020.