Elgin Program Assistant; GVF

Grand Victoria Foundation, with offices in Chicago and Elgin, is a private foundation that annually awards upwards of $8 million in grants and other support. The Foundation is in an exciting phase. It has new leadership and team members, who are executing a retooled mission, vision and strategy that focuses our philanthropy more deeply on supporting community-driven solutions to persistent challenges.

Our vision is a strong, livable and equitable Illinois where every resident has an opportunity to thrive. Our grantmaking focuses on creating change for and with communities closest to the need, with a goal to achieve equitable outcomes that reduce disparities and ensure fair access to resources in our areas of interest.

Our grantmaking aims to:

• develop and nurture individual leadership
• build and sustain strong and effective organizations
• support the development and execution of new ideas to address long standing systemic challenges
• offer opportunities for leaders and organizations to connect, share information and take collective action when necessary
• encourage and uplift civic engagement and participation

The Program Assistant is a member of the Foundation’s program team and will support our work to make sure that Elgin’s social, education, and economic systems are well-coordinated, responsive, inclusive, and create the right conditions for equitable outcomes. We believe this will result in a stronger community that represents the diverse voices and perspectives of its people. This position also supports the activities and operations of our downtown Elgin office.

The Program Assistant will be able to demonstrate their ability to thrive in the organization’s emerging work norms:

• Purpose-driven:
  Grounded in the work, aware of the impact that is possible, and able to
• purposely engage and collaborate with others internally and externally to move the work forward
• Innovation:
  Able and eager to identify new processes and people to support our work
• Ideas and inquiry:
  Generate ideas, then test those ideas establish new methods
• Entrepreneurial:
  Able to exhibit passion and optimism for the work, work beyond the completion of a task and examine how things can improve; take calculated risks; work autonomously and decisively; and is able to execute on ideas
• Comfort with ambiguity:
  Possess the confidence and flexibility to successfully work in an environment where new norms are processes are being formed

The primary duties of the Program Assistant are:

• Managing day to day office activities, such as coordinating meetings, events, and travel while maintaining and administering staff calendars
• Responding to written and phone inquiries in a courteous, helpful and responsive manner to grant applicants and others who contact the Foundation
• Managing local grant files to ensure they contain all required information
• Maintaining positive relationships with local vendors
• Acquiring and communicating a clear understanding of the Foundation’s mission and goals
• Managing office operations such as working with building management and other vendors that keep the office and its equipment well-maintained
• Work with Chicago-based staff on communications, grant administration and managing the budget for the Elgin program
• Performing other duties as assigned

The best candidates for this role will have many of the following skills and/or qualities:

• Ability to provide high-quality administrative support
• Has strong social skills and communicates well with team members (in two locations) and community members of diverse backgrounds.
• Is friendly, has a sense of humor, is service-oriented and likes to work within teams
• Has excellent judgment and maintains confidentiality
• Strong attention to detail and execution
• A strong work ethic and ability to effectively handle multiple duties
• Familiarity with the nonprofit sector
• Fluency in Spanish

• High level of comfort and experience with technology; particularly strong experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and use of databases
• Willingness to occasionally travel between the Elgin and Chicago offices
• Willingness to work occasional evenings in Elgin

Salary is competitive and based on skills and qualifications. Benefits include health, dental and life insurance; a 401(K) plan with employer matching contribution; and paid vacation and holidays.

Grand Victoria Foundation actively invites a diversity of candidates regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability or religion.