Arcus Foundation

Program Assistant – New York City

Established in 2000 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the Arcus Foundation is a national, private grant making foundation. The mission of the Arcus Foundation is to achieve social justice that is inclusive of sexual orientation, gender identity and race, and to ensure conservation and respect of the great apes.

The Arcus Foundation, through its Arcus Gay & Lesbian Fund, supports organizations in Michigan, nationally and internationally that are working for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) rights and acceptance. In addition, through its Arcus Great Apes Fund, the Arcus Foundation supports organizations seeking to ensure respect and survival of great apes and their natural habitat around the world. The Foundation's core values include a belief that all individuals have a right and responsibility to full participation in our society; that education and knowledge can be an antidote to intolerance and bigotry; that all members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community deserve to be welcomed, celebrated and to become an integral part of a healthy society; that all non-human animals have the right to live free of human cruelty and abuse.

The Foundation has offices in Kalamazoo, Michigan, New York, New York and Cambridge, UK, and employs 21 staff members. Our current opportunity for the Program Assistant is located in our New York City office.

Position Summary

The Program Assistant provides administrative and program-related support to the Director of Grant Making Programs, the Deputy Program Director and a Senior Program Officer in the New York City office. S/he is also a member of the administrative staff in New York City. Duties include: scheduling, meeting and travel planning; responding to all external inquiries about grant funding and support in carrying out grant making processes; assistance with organizing internal meetings, convenings and communications; conducting background research on non-profit organizations, other funders and specific issue areas; scheduling meetings with grant seekers and attending, as needed; and providing a wide range of administrative support to the Director of Grant Making Programs and to senior program staff in the New York City office.

Program Responsibilities

Become and remain familiar with the Foundation's funding interests, evaluation strategies, procedures and communications efforts.
Provide technical and customer service assistance to grantees, grant applicants, and potential applicants, including eligibility and program screening, logging in all external contacts and making referrals to program staff, as appropriate.
Work in a team environment with New York-based and Michigan-based program staff to assist in smooth operation of Foundation grant cycles.
Conduct assigned research projects to contribute to program planning efforts, grant performance and funding recommendations.
Assist in preparation of semi-annual grant dockets in advance of board of directors meetings; prepare Grant Review Summary Sheets for completion by NYC-based program staff; assist Grants Management Unit in processing grants in files and/or database; prepare routine correspondence as directed.
Assist in organizing and planning logistics of site visits and arrange meetings with grant seekers and grant recipients.
Attend meetings and other convenings to take notes and obtain information useful to the Program Department.
Review grant proposal files for completeness and follow up with applicants on any missing materials.
Participate in program staff and all-staff meetings.
Take primary responsibility for planning and organizing monthly Lunch and Learn program to enable Arcus staff to meet with grantees and other knowledgeable individuals and organizations.
Perform other duties as required

Administrative Responsibilities

Provide administrative support to the Director of Grant Making Programs and to NYC based senior program staff.
As part of the NYC administrative support staff, provide general office support including reception desk, answering phones, event and project support, as needed.
Screen telephone messages and mail received by the Director of Grant Making Programs and senior program staff and manage timely communication when they are away from the office; follow up on action items deemed urgent in consultation with Director of Grant Making Programs or senior program staff.
Maintain the appointment calendar of the Director of Grant Making Programs, Deputy Program Director and Senior Program Officer and coordinate business travel for senior program staff, as needed.
Provide other departments with information and specific data pertaining to Program Department operations including grantmaking, special projects and general activities.
Assist in the preparation of Board books.

Competencies and Skills

Two years experience in nonprofit sector in either grant making, public relations, fundraising, budgeting or program operations required; experience in GLBT or other social justice organizations preferred
Strong administrative, writing and computer skills, including experience with MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, database programs, scheduling programs, among others
Strong organizational skills and the ability to multi-task
Excellent communications and interpersonal skills, both written and oral, required
Commitment to mission of the Arcus Foundation

Application Process
Please send resume and cover letter to . Indicate Program Assistant in the subject line. Mailed applications should be sent to:

Human Resources
Arcus Foundation
119 W 24th St., 9th Floor
New York, NY 10011

No phone inquiries please.

The Arcus Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and is firmly committed to complying with all federal, state and local equal employment opportunity ("EEO") laws. The Arcus Foundation strictly prohibits discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment because of the individual’s race, creed, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, height and weight, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, partnership status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, military status, arrest record and any other characteristic protected by law.

Executive Assistant – New York City

Established in 2000 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the Arcus Foundation is a national, private grant making foundation. The mission of the Arcus Foundation is to achieve social justice that is inclusive of sexual orientation, gender identity and race, and to ensure conservation and respect of the great apes.

The Arcus Foundation, through its Arcus Gay & Lesbian Fund, supports organizations in Michigan, nationally and internationally that are working for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) rights and acceptance. In addition, through its Arcus Great Apes Fund, the Arcus Foundation supports organizations seeking to ensure respect and survival of great apes and their natural habitat around the world. The Foundation's core values include a belief that all individuals have a right and responsibility to full participation in our society; that education and knowledge can be an antidote to intolerance and bigotry; that all members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community deserve to be welcomed, celebrated and to become an integral part of a healthy society; that all non-human animals have the right to live free of human cruelty and abuse.

The Foundation has offices in Kalamazoo, Michigan, New York, New York and Cambridge, UK, and employs 21 staff members. Our current opportunity for the Executive Assistant to the Executive Director is located in our New York City office.

Position Summary

The Executive Assistant is an experienced organizer or project manager responsible for independent project management and support of the Executive Director and the Senior Management Team of the Arcus Foundation. The Executive Assistant directly assists the Executive Director in managing and running all parts of the Foundation's operations, supports and organizes many aspects of the meetings of the Arcus Board of Directors, schedules and coordinates all aspects of organizational retreats, special meetings and management team agendas and meetings. This position is a first point of contact with the ED for people seeking meetings, grant seekers, colleagues and partners. It requires excellent communication skills, a proactive approach to information, discretion, skillful project management on multiple fronts simultaneously, good decision making ability and judgment, and independent thinking, to keep information flowing between the ED, external constituents and all parts of the organization.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Assist the ED in managing all aspects of ED job, including scheduling, meeting planning, travel planning, meeting agenda development, research, project management of administrative and program related projects as assigned. Responsibility requires a sense of urgency to complete projects in a timely manner.
Represent the ED at meetings as assigned and communicate all relevant information in proactive manner to all Arcus staff affected.
Manage special projects as assigned by ED, including planning of retreats, convenings and research projects. Project management responsibilities require the ability to conceptualize what is involved in a project, ability to create and meet timelines, be proactive in communication and advancing projects, excellent ability to exercise judgment and to communicate with all parties involved.
Conduct research into administrative, IT, operational matters and program areas as assigned and requested by ED.
Facilitate and manage communication between the ED and the Arcus Foundation Board of Directors, including coordinating all details of logistics of Arcus Foundation Board and Board Committee meetings.
Manage all aspects of Board meetings including site selection and reservations, meeting logistics (travel, space for meetings, meals, IT etc). Coordinate production and mailing of Board packets and materials. Organize and coordinate all logistics for external guests and consultants to Board meetings. Insure clear and quick communication with Arcus staff regarding Board meetings and projects.
Facilitate the work of the Arcus Foundation Senior Management Team through leading development of weekly agendas, note taking and support of M-Team coordinator in communicating and executing decisions made by the team.
Facilitate communication and meetings between ED and Arcus Foundation staff, grant seekers, consultants, and other partners. This responsibility requires timely response to all inquiries made to ED and ability to simultaneously manage complex calendars involving many people.
Screen, research, and prioritize inquiries and communications between the Executive Director and external constituencies based on the mission of the Foundation and the needs of the Executive Director. Triage requests and make decisions about when to direct inquiries to other Arcus staff as appropriate, in order to facilitate timely response to all queries.
Manage and maintain the Executive Director's appointments schedule / calendar including meetings and travel for Foundation related business.
Plan travel, develop itineraries, manage projects, and facilitate the workload of and communications with the Executive Director while ED is traveling.
Serve as administrative point of contact between Executive Director and various internal staff groups, project groups and any Arcus-related activities in which the Executive Director is engaged. May provide support by planning meetings, and coordinating dissemination of information.
Coordinate Foundation-wide staff retreat logistics, including independent responsibility for managing agenda development, site selection, meeting and menu planning, and staff travel. Responsible for working with location’s on-site staff, catering, facilitator and other relevant persons to ensure smooth meeting logistics and budget management.
Coordinate logistics and planning of grant seeker, funder, and other convenings as requested by ED and Program staff.
Work with grantees and grant seekers engaged with the Executive Director to ensure compliance with Foundation grant processes and procedures, communicate and meet with groups seeking support to insure they understand Foundation requirements and work with them on proposal development; facilitate communication and site visits between relevant grantees and grant seekers, and the Executive Director.
Manage records and flow of information in and out of the Executive Director's office. Maintain, enhance, and/or update filing system, IT systems, as appropriate. Responsible for all filing and data maintenance needs for ED.
Serve as point of contact for special projects assigned by ED as necessary, including preparing and tracking consultant contracts and tracking payments, management of large Foundation grants, conduct research on specific issue-based interests of Foundation and research comparative information for new Foundation policies.
Assist staff with providing support as needed for meetings, retreats, mailings, and special events.
Attend and participate in Management Team, including developing the agenda for each meeting; Program Team, Administrative Team, and All-Staff meetings.
Generally ensure the smooth flow of work and communications for the organization.
Perform other support duties as necessary and appropriate.

Qualifications:

Minimum of three years work experience in a relevant nonprofit program leadership or support role, supporting a Program Officer, Executive Director or similar. Or minimum of three years experience in senior level project management of complex projects and organizations.
Experience working in social movements and GLBT movement as an organizer or program manager highly valued.
Excellent IT and computer skills, including high level of skill and proficiency in Apple systems, MS Office, data base maintenance, Excel and PowerPoint or other presentation software. Knowledge of web-related programming and publishing software helpful.
Superb and proactive communications and writing skills required.
Promptness, reliability, sound judgment, and ability to complete tasks in a timely manner essential.
Excellent organizational, time management, interpersonal and written and verbal communication skills.
Attention to detail and a high level of professional performance essential.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple timelines and projects required.
Demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgment and initiative, to prioritize, and accurately complete multiple tasks and work under deadlines and changing priorities required.
Experience in meeting/event planning experience as well as some basic accounting and budget experience helpful.
Experience working with individuals from various cultures and in a public-interest organization required.
Able to maintain confidentiality of information and discretion required.
Able to create systems and establish protocols.
Familiarity with and commitment to the GLBT community and GLBT nonprofit organizations. Experience in or knowledge of GLBT issues and commitment to social justice issues required.

Application Process
Please send resume and cover letter to . Indicate Executive Assistant in the subject line. Mailed applications should be sent to:

Human Resources
Arcus Foundation
119 W 24th St., 9th Floor
New York, NY 10011

No phone inquiries please.

The Arcus Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and is firmly committed to complying with all federal, state and local equal employment opportunity ("EEO") laws. The Arcus Foundation strictly prohibits discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment because of the individual’s race, creed, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, height and weight, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, partnership status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, military status, arrest record and any other characteristic protected by law.