Program Director

Once Upon a Time Foundation

The Once Upon a Time Foundation (“OUAT”) is a private foundation based in Fort Worth, Texas. OUAT currently has about $275 million in assets and has made contributions and commitments exceeding $100 million since 1998 in support of numerous entities and projects. To learn more about the Foundation and its programs, please see the attached pages.

Be part of a dynamic foundation team that forms lasting partnerships with leading organizations locally and nationwide, supports transformational research in multiple medical fields, and instills the value of giving back in the next generation of leaders.

A Program Director at the Foundation will work alongside the Foundation’s current Senior Program Director to help manage OUAT’s current programs and the future expansion of the Foundation’s grant‑making. The role entails a wide range of responsibilities, is dynamic and evolving, and involves coordination across a broad group of stakeholders including the Foundation’s funder, community leaders and educators, medical researchers, partner universities, and current and former students who are part of the Foundation’s Philanthropy Lab program.

The Program Director will be joining a team of 6-7 people who are ultimately responsible for supporting the Funder of OUAT with the broader work of the Foundation. Standard office hours are Monday through Friday from 8 am to 6 pm. This is an in‑office, full‑time position for an average of 45 hours a week, with busier event and travel seasons requiring 50 or more hours per week, and 40 hours per week during slower times of the year.

This role will, on occasion, include travel or events in the evenings and/or on weekends. Flexibility in schedule is important.

Specific responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

• Managing the implementation and administration of all of OUAT’s current programs and initiatives (see additional details below), with a focus on maximum impact, continuous improvement, and comprehensive and detailed updates to OUAT’s Funder.
• Building relationships with non‑profit leaders, research partners, and university
  administrators, and assisting in the vetting process for developing new partnerships and possible grant recipients.
• Coordinating and facilitating collaboration amongst research partners at different sites in our multi‑site research studies such as Philanthropy Lab, EDMH and CAS.
• Overseeing the organization of multiple conferences and events hosted in conjunction with our major initiatives.
• Developing and seeking out current and new community partnerships for the
  implementation of in‑kind donations program.

• Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree with strong academics and a minimum 3.5 GPA.
• 10 or more years of experience working in the nonprofit or philanthropy space.
• Ability to work an average of 45 hours per week.
• Exceptional ability to balance multiple projects and tasks.
• Experience in managing multiple team members in their day‑to‑day activities.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 15% of the time.
• Willingness to make a minimum two/three‑year commitment to the position.
• Candidate with Texas Ties strongly preferred.

Compensation will be increased up to 10% over current, depending on experience, plus full benefits.

Benefits include the opportunity to personally direct each year $2,500 grants per year of service to any 501(c)3 of your choice, up to a maximum of $25,000/year after 10 years of service. For example, a Foundation employee with three years of service gets to award $7,500 in grants to one or more non‑profits of his/her choice (the award amount can be directed to a single non‑profit or split between up to four non‑profits).

This is a personal benefit to direct grant funding to organizations the employee personally cares about, separate and apart from grants managed on behalf of the Foundation’s activities.

OUAT’s strategic and funding priorities are informed by the Funder’s life experiences and circumstances and have evolved and will continue to further evolve over time. Consistent focus areas have included health and medicine,…