Jobs & Fellowships

POSITION: Program Assistant (Thriving Communities)

REPORTS TO: Thriving Communities Program Officers (4)

LOCATION: New York, NY

FLSA STATUS: Full-time Non-Exempt

WEBSITE: www.nycommunitytrust.org

START DATE: Spring 2024

ABOUT US

The New York Community Trust (“The Trust”) is one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the country. For the past century, The Trust has honored the wishes of donors who have entrusted them with their financial legacies to make lives better in the place they love. The Trust is a philanthropic leader in New York City, Westchester, and Long Island, delivering nearly $200 million in grants in 2023 and more than $2 billion in the past decade. Today, in addition to a distinguished competitive grantmaking program, The Trust hosts donor-advised funds (“DAFs”) that make grants throughout the United States and donor collaboratives that work on the leading edge of philanthropy to improve the lives of New Yorkers. The Trust has long been a leader in the field, with innovations ranging from establishing the first donor-advised fund in the 1930s to making landmark grants, including the first to fight AIDS, build the High Line, support immigrant communities, and respond quickly in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Program Assistant is a full-time member of the New York City-based competitive grantmaking program team. The Program Assistant is responsible for providing administrative support to four program officers in the Thriving Communities program area, including the arts, environment, and community development (among others). The position reports to the program officers and assists with board meeting preparation; communicates with grantees (and potential grantees) regarding grant awards, reports, or other due diligence matters; manages calendars and coordinates in-person and virtual meetings (internal and external); and provides other administrative support across the grantmaking and Trust-wide teams as needed.

Please note that this position does not provide vertical job opportunities for a Program Officer position and the role is focused on administrative support to four program officers.

RESPONSIBILTIES 

Board meeting preparation

• Set up grantmaking templates for program officers to write grant recommendations.
• Enter fund sources within the board recommendations and add or modify report due dates within the grant management database system.
• Proofread edited versions of recommendations.
• Prepare and generate grant award letters to be sent electronically and troubleshoot if grantees have difficulty accessing and completing requested information.

Programmatic Duties

• Secure grantee financial, governance, and other due diligence materials and coordinate review of materials with program and finance staff.
• Follow-up on overdue reports or other administrative details with grantees.
• Manage email blasts, listservs, and other multiparty external communications.
• Maintain up-to-date and well-organized databases by proficiently handling data entry tasks.

Administrative duties

• Manage calendars for four program officers.
• Set up in-person, virtual, and teleconference meetings/site visits, including reserving conference rooms for on-site meetings.
• Manage visitor protocols and access to our office. Type, edit, proofread, scan, and photocopy correspondence, grant extension or modification letters, meeting agendas, and other documents.
• Complete payment request forms for vendors, consultants, and other expense requests.
• Order food for meetings, provide set-up and clean-up, and coordinate technology requirements.
• Assist in Trust and department-wide events for grantees, funding partners, and/or donors.

Physical requirements

• This position is primarily a sedentary role.
• This position may need to occasionally move about inside the office to liaise with internal staff, access files, office machinery, and a copy machine/printer.
• On occasion off-site support during events and convenings may also be required.

NYCT supports skills-based hiring and will review several aspects of an application including work experience (internships, volunteer, project-based, part/full-time employment, etc), skill proficiencies, education (courses, certifications, high school/college degrees, etc.) and involvement in professional & industry organizations.

• Three to five years of related administrative work experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Non-profit experience is a plus.
• Exceptional organizational skills, including capacity to prioritize work, handle multiple tasks, support multiple supervisors, function independently, and maintain precise attention to detail.
• Detailed knowledge of and demonstrated proficiency in the use of office computer applications including Microsoft Office programs and Teams/Zoom platforms and ability to learn and use new applications quickly, including The Trust’s proprietary grants management system.
• Ability to develop productive and professional relationships within The Trust and with external partners including grantees and other funding partners.
• Effective oral and written communication skills and ability to handle communication tactfully and professionally.
• Strong problem-solving skills.

COMPENSATION

An annual salary of $68,000 to $78,000 commensurate with the candidate’s experience and skills and this position is eligible for overtime. The position is on-site at our New York office and we adhere to a hybrid work model (four days in the office and one remote), seasonal remote weeks and flexible remote days during the year. The Trust offers excellent benefits, including a pension plan, an 8% employer contribution to a 403(b)-retirement plan; partially subsidized medical insurance coverage & tiered medical plan offerings; generous paid time off, fully paid bonding leave and other benefits.

The Trust is a qualifying nonprofit organization as defined by the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. As such, Trust employees may claim their employment time on their PSLF application.

HOW TO APPLY

Please apply through The Trust’s HRIS platform, Paylocity. Please upload your resume, cover letter, and a one-page writing sample (business email, memo, etc.) as a single PDF document. Writing samples should be solely authored by the candidate and demonstrate strong business writing skills.

We are committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in our recruitment process. The Trust strongly encourages members of underrepresented communities and individuals who meet most of the job requirements to apply.