Community Foundation Seeks Program Officer

Published: March 9, 2022 | By: Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation | Category:

Applications are being accepted by the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation for the position of Program Officer. This position provides support for grantmaking and programmatic activities at the Community Foundation as part of the team that administers grants and scholarships to Linn County and beyond. The position will provide temporary support for grantmaking and programmatic work for the Creating Safe, Equitable & Thriving (SET) Communities Fund and the community’s Group Violence Intervention strategy this year and will assume a more traditional program officer portfolio over time.

Below is the Program Officer Job Description as well as a Program Officer Portfolio Description which includes the details of the temporary and long-term programs this position will support.

The salary range for this position is $50,000 – $58,000.

To apply for the Program Officer position, submit a cover letter, resume and three references to hiring@gcrcf.org.  Application deadline is Monday, April 4.

 

PROGRAM OFFICER JOB DESCRIPTION

Classification: Exempt under Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

Reports to: Senior Vice President, Programs & Community Investment

Summary: The Program Officer will participate in the grantmaking and programmatic initiatives of the Community Foundation as part of the team that administers grants and scholarships to Linn County and beyond. The position will manage assigned grant portfolios and community leadership projects and represent the Community Foundation at relevant community meetings that align with their area of work. The Program Officer will join Community Foundation efforts to advance racial equity in Linn County.

Essential Functions:

Grantmaking

Manage assigned grant portfolios, which includes the following elements:

  • Provide technical assistance to applicants related to proposal development and submission
  • Review and analyze submitted proposals
  • Manage the committee review process, including committee training, site visit coordination, and support of the committee chairperson
  • Provide feedback to applicants after the application review process
  • Conduct field visits to assess progress of grantee organizations and projects
  • Review grantee interim and final reports and follow-up as needed
  • Work with grants team to routinely assess implementation of assigned grant portfolios and monitor best practices in grantmaking with a perspective of continual improvement
  • Analyze opportunities for impact in portfolio areas
  • Participate in Community Foundation efforts to improve the racial equity outcomes of its grantmaking
  • Develop subject matter expertise and knowledge of key people and organizations
  • Follow National Standards and legal requirements for grantmaking

Grants Management

  • Ensure accurate and timely management of assigned grant portfolios through the payment and reporting process
  • Using the iPhi grants management system, provide team assistance with the online grant application portal and manage assigned grant portfolios

Project Management

  • Manage special projects as needed

Community Liaison

  • Represent the Community Foundation at relevant community meetings that align with grant and project management portfolios

Competency: 

  • Experience in grantmaking and managing grant portfolios
  • Experience managing significant projects and/or people
  • Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite
  • Ability to process, understand and analyze large quantities of written materials from a wide variety of disciplines
  • Ability to present information concisely and effectively, both verbally and in writing
  • Ability to manage priorities and workflow
  • Acute attention to detail
  • Strong organizational and analytical skills
  • Ability to handle multiple relationships, responsibilities, and deadlines
  • Flexibility and adaptability
  • Ability to learn foundation database system (Stellar Financial’s iPhi Core)

Supervisory Responsibilities: 

  • No Community Foundation direct reports; project management work may include community leadership relationships that require strong collaborative skills

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work: 

  • Full-time
  • Routine work during normal office hours (8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.), with special projects requiring additional flexibility for evening or weekend activity
  • Flexible work arrangements available

Preferred Education and Experience: 

  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
  • Minimum of three years of experience in the social sciences, nonprofit sector, or related field
  • Foundation Program Officer experience preferred

Additional Eligibility Qualifications: 

  • Learning and experience in concepts of racial equity and justice, and ability to work collaboratively to apply those concepts to the Community Foundation’s programmatic work

 

Program Officer Portfolio Description

Program Officer portfolios at the Community Foundation are designed to align with the grantmaking strategies of the Community Foundation. Program Officers work with a team of grantmaking professionals to manage a core group of grantmaking programs, with portfolios allocated among the grant team as fits the current staffing needs.

From time to time, Program Officers support Community Foundation leadership initiatives. This position will include managing the Creating Safe, Equitable & Thriving Communities Fund and supporting the community implementation of the Group Violence Intervention strategy. The Program Officer will be onboarded into the team and will assume a more traditional Program Officer portfolio over time.

 

Creating Safe, Equitable & Thriving Communities Fund

The Creating Safe, Equitable & Thriving (SET) Communities Fund supports the priorities outlined in the SET Task Force report, published in 2017 following a community engagement process. The fund has been supported by the City of Cedar Rapids, Linn County, and Cedar Rapids Community School District. The fund’s advisory committee, comprised of funder and community representatives, established that the first priority of the SET Fund was to address gun violence. This led to the research-based Group Violence Intervention (GVI) strategy supported by the National Network for Safe Communities (NNSC) in New York City. The Community Foundation is currently under contract with the NNSC for technical assistance to help the community implement the model, which includes a law enforcement strategy, a support and outreach strategy, and engagement of the community’s moral voice.

Foundation 2 is providing the support and outreach coordination through grant funding from the Community Foundation and others. The Cedar Rapids Police Department is providing leadership for the law enforcement strategy. The Community Foundation continues to provide some project management support until all the components of the GVI strategy are embedded within the community. This will include:

  • Learn the GVI model
  • Develop and maintain good relationships with key GVI stakeholders
  • Convene GVI stakeholder meetings; help the group progress strategically
  • Support the success of grantee organizations
  • Manage grants that the Community Foundation received to launch GVI
  • Facilitate the transition of GVI to a permanent lead organization

 

Community Foundation Grant Portfolio

As GVI transitions to a permanent arrangement, the Program Officer will transition to fully participate in the Program Team’s grant portfolio. This portfolio can be reviewed on our website, and includes providing grants to support:

  • Successful programs and launch new/innovative programs
  • Operational grants
  • Capacity building projects
  • Endowment building efforts
  • And many other efforts

The Program staff works in teams to support important community efforts, including disaster resilience and response, educational success including scholarships, and emerging community needs and opportunities. The Community Foundation places priority on addressing racial equity efforts in Linn County, with several program team initiatives to improve grant practices and outcomes.

 

To apply for the Program Officer position, submit a cover letter, resume and three references to hiring@gcrcf.org.  Application deadline is Monday, April 4.

 

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