Posted on March 18, 2013

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Manager, Program Administration

Position Summary: The Manager, Program Administration is responsible for ensuring effective compliance with laws, regulations, contracts, and internal policies and procedures related to the grant making activities of The California Endowment. The Manager reports to the Director, Program Quality and Effectiveness and manages an on-site team of grants analysts who, in turn, support program directors and managers in ensuring that grant agreements accurately reflect desired work and reports are received, reviewed, monitored and analyzed for results and impact on a timely basis.

The Program Administration unit oversees grantee compliance with grant and contract funding terms, beginning with relationship development with applicants, typically via telephone and e-mail. The primary focus of monitoring entails analysis of required grant reports for compliance, impact and lessons learned. Areas of concern are promptly elevated to program directors and managers to ensure responsible and high-quality grant making. The Manager ensures adherence to Endowment grant policies and procedures through frequent interactions with program directors and managers as well as with grantees. The Manager equips the grants analysts with tools to educate grant making staff and grantees alike to ensure they are familiar with the Endowment's grant requirements and interests in learning and evaluation.

The Manager collaborates and partners with other foundation managers (e.g., Finance, Grants Administration, Learning & Evaluation) to identify opportunities for streamlining processes to improve efficiency and satisfaction, and to highlight the results and impact of grants that are being monitored. S/he is responsible for pinpointing any trends with non-compliance and escalating issues for resolution.

Position Accountabilities:

1. Manages a team of staff that generates and distributes grant agreements to grantees, ensures full execution of these agreements and monitors grant progress to the highest standards of quality, accountability and integrity. Considers, reviews, approves and records requests for time off for grants analysts. Ensures workload coverage for absent grants analysts or grants analysts with exceptionally high, temporary workloads. Maintain a team master calendar.
2. Monitors, reviews and approves award agreements, amendments, board recommended grants, contracts, small grants, matching gifts and sponsorships through DocuSign for signature by the Executive Vice President. Sends documents with errors back to the originating staff person and follows through until envelope is correct and ready for signature. Tracks signatures and DocuSign envelopes throughout the signing process and follows up on envelopes experiencing any delay. Co-signs grant and contract check requests, assuring that the request and the supporting documentation meet Endowment quality and content standards.
3. Develops and implements policies and procedures designed to assess grantee and grant maker performance by establishing performance measures and systematic, regular performance reporting.
4. Prepares, researches, processes and monitors board recommended grants and acts as a liaison to the Endowment board of directors regarding these grants.
5. Develops and produces reports on a consistent and timely basis that provide grants analysts and Director, Program Quality and Effectiveness with comparable quantitative and qualitative information regarding grants analyst performance and effectiveness.
6. Develops and produces regular reports that provide program staff and executive management with comparable quantitative and qualitative information regarding individual grant making and grant monitoring.
7. Investigates issues that compromise grant maker or grantee performance and supervises the administrative review process.
8. Makes recommendations to senior and executive management to improve the quality of grant making administration.
9. Tracks trends in the field of philanthropy and contributes to building best practices in foundation grants management.

Qualifications:

• Experienced project manager with exceptional interpersonal and organizational skills.
• A keen intellect and a demonstrated track record as a creative and strategic thinker, yet attentive to every detail.
• Deep and demonstrated commitment to the mission, vision and values of the Endowment.
• Ability to work well with a variety of stakeholders; to listen, to make others feel comfortable and to help staff and colleagues be successful.
• Demonstrated success in cultivating, motivating, evaluating, training and retaining a diverse and talented staff.
• Knowledge of, or expertise with, the grant making process strongly preferred.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and an ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of people.
• Demonstrated commitment to the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, honesty and a strong work ethic.

Minimum Education:

• A Bachelor's or Master's Degree in business or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years experience in contract management and staff supervision.

To Apply: Please log on to our online application system at: http://cyberrecruiter.calendow.org/cyberrecruitercareers. Also, your application should include a cover letter detailing your interest in The California Endowment's mission and your experience supervising a team of professionals.