Foundation Program Manager; JRS

The JRS Biodiversity Foundation is hiring a Foundation Program Manager to manage vital elements of the foundation’s administration and grantmaking programs. The JRS Biodiversity Foundation’s mission is to increase access to and use of information that will lead to biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa. We are the only funder focused on improving access to biodiversity data and on the information technologies (IT) behind conservation decisions.

With assets of $45M, we invest about $2.5M per year in eight to ten, multi-year grants.

The Foundation Program Manager is a dual role that combines technical areas of grantmaking, grants management, and evaluation with operational areas of administration, finance, and governance. This role is a unique chance for a professional to learn about and to contribute to every aspect of a small, high-performing strategic philanthropy. The Program Manager will report to and work in close partnership with, the Executive Director in the foundation’s Seattle office.

Experience and high levels of interest in most or all of these areas of Qualifications will make for a great fit:

• Financial management or strategic communications.
• Project management in international development, research, or the private sector.
• Grantmaking, program evaluation, or operations in strategic philanthropy.
• A degree related to environmental science that preferably includes knowledge of data science and biodiversity informatics.
• Experience with staffing or managing projects in sub-Saharan Africa.

As the second full-time staff-person, you will impact everything we do to keep improving as a highly effective grant-maker. You will welcome the challenge to work on the toughest questions or the most mundane details in these areas:

• Financial Administration: Assist in budget management, accounting, bill payment, and audits with a zeal for accuracy and rigor and dogged patience for getting the numbers right.
• Strategic Communications: Manage and create content for our website and social media to advance the work of our grantees and partners and promote open access to biodiversity data.
• Board of Trustees Support: Assist with communications and planning to support Board Committees, plan and administer Trustee travel, and prepare materials for meetings.
• Operations: Ensure JRS policies are cutting-edge and that we comply with State and Federal regulations, follow foundation policy and Board direction, and achieve annual goals.
• Grant-making: Manage requests for proposals and review proposals to help our applicants win JRS grants and to succeed. Research new areas, monitor trends, and seek opportunities.
• Grants management: Support progress reporting, payments, and adaptation of plans and budgets, to support grantees to pursue their goals and get the most “bang for the buck.”
• Grant and program evaluation: Monitor and evaluate grant performance with enthusiasm for learning, data, and continual improvement.

The ideal candidate is passionate about environmental conservation and sustainable development in Africa and is happiest when helping others to succeed. You are fascinated by organizational development, how to catalyze change, the motivation of teams and leaders, and the potential of philanthropy to support African change-makers. You are interested in how grantmaking can support a community’s success. You love science, data, and analysis.

Though you think like a scientist, you know the laboratory or the field is not quite the place for your talents. You are detail-oriented, believe that rigorous plans are the key to adaptation, and can…