Program Manager, Equitable Food Systems - Grants Administration & Financing

ABOUT REINVESTMENT FUND:

At Reinvestment Fund, we are dedicated to making a tangible difference in the lives of underserved individuals and communities. Our mission is to create opportunity for underserved people and places through partnerships. We marshal the capital, analytics, and expertise necessary to build strong, healthy, and more equitable communities.

As a federally certified community development financial institution (CDFI), our job is to make finance an agent of positive change and equitable growth. We provide loans, grants and technical assistance to businesses and nonprofits. Our borrowers and grantees educate students, support local economies, and create jobs. They build affordable housing and provide community goods and services that include access to nutritious food, hunger relief, physical and mental health care, and other social services.

In addition to our core lending activities, Reinvestment Fund manages several initiatives with the support of local or national foundations, and state, local and federal public agencies, and governments. A set of these initiatives are focused on strengthening food systems to improve access to healthy food and economic opportunity in the food sector for underserved communities. Chief among them is America’s HFFI. Created by the 2014 Farm Bill, America’s HFFI is a public-private partnership administered by Reinvestment Fund on behalf of USDA Rural Development to improve access to healthy food in underserved areas. HFFI provides resources, including grants, loans, and technical assistance to support healthy food retail and food retail supply chain projects that will improve access to fresh, healthy foods in underserved rural and urban areas.

ABOUT THE POSITION:

Reinvestment Fund is seeking a Program Manager to join our current team to support the expansion and implementation of America’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI). Reporting directly to the Managing Director, Equitable Food Systems, the Program Manager will work with internal and external stakeholders to design and implement the HFFI Partnerships Program and to support successful implementation of the overall HFFI program. The ideal candidate will bring previous lending experience to best support food financing program grantees and the continued evolution of this program. This grant-funded position is an excellent opportunity for a self-motivated individual with both a team approach and systems-oriented thinking skills to help grow, further develop, and implement innovative programs.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program Management, Leadership, and Communications

• Work with the Managing Director on long- and short-term program planning, design, and implementation of programs and funding cycles, ensuring achievement of milestones and overall program goals within budget and approved timeline.
• Cultivate and manage relationships with external program partners for HFFI – funders, advisors, service providers, program recipients, vendors and consultants. Identify program partners with sector-specific and general expertise. Assess capacity of partners to add capacity to the HFFI program, enhance diversity and equity, and achieve program objectives and equitable outcomes. Manage multiple contractual and informal relationships towards mutual goals and collective impact.
• Analyze and evaluate program outcomes, data, and results, draft grant reports, and lead communication of successes, impact, and learnings related to the HFFI Partnerships Program.
• Represent Reinvestment Fund externally in the healthy food and food system financing industry, including public speaking engagements, written pieces and research overviews, leading webinars, presenting at conferences and participating in other gatherings to do outreach and provide exposure for Reinvestment Fund’s food programs.
• Other duties as assigned.

Grants Management

• Support applicants and grantees regarding grant applications, grant documentation, funding disbursements, budget and workplan compliance and reporting, and grant closeout process.
• Ensure all necessary documentation is in hand and coordinate with external vendors and program participants and internal teams to process grant payments.
• Monitor grants during and after grant period, including obtaining and reviewing financial and narrative progress reports, ensure grantee adherence to workplans, track major purchases, and review other project compliance materials as required during and after grant period.
• Manage and monitor vendor contracts with a wide variety of vendors to support program implementation, including payment, compliance, and reporting.
• Using a variety of technology tools, build and analyze databases of grant and portfolio information including program outcomes, significant impacts, and portfolio trends. Communicate lessons learned to a broad audience.
• Maintain project files in excellent condition and consistent with organizational policy and departmental procedures, with sufficient documentation for third-party review, prepare files for timely audits.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred, and/or at least 5 years of relevant experience working in financial analysis, lending, grants management and/or program management.
• Demonstrated strong project management skills, including organization, time management, defining and setting priorities, and problem-solving.
• Demonstrated interest in or experience with food systems, food access, community development, business or real estate financing, or business support/technical assistance.
• Working knowledge of and/or experience with financial analysis, lending, loan structuring, and/or credit enhancements.
• Demonstrated experience with food systems, food access, community development, business or community facilities real estate financing, or business support/technical assistance.
• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work with diverse individuals, communities, and groups on complex issues.
• Proficient in MS Office – Word, Excel, Powerpoint.
• Ability to travel up to 10%.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience with SmartSimple or other grant platforms a plus but not required. Successful candidates will have the opportunity to complete SmartSimple user training and manage grant projects in an online system, if hired.
• Experience with Project Management Tools (e.g. Smartsheet, Asana)
• Bilingual English/Spanish a plus.

WORK LOCATION:

For this position, we are prioritizing candidates local to either our Philadelphia, PA or Atlanta, GA offices, though remote employees may be considered. Reinvestment Fund provides a flexible work arrangement of two days on-site and three days remote allowing for face-to-face interactions for employees commutable to our offices. If a remote employee outside of the Eastern Time Zone is ultimately selected for the position, the working hours will fall between either 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST or 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM EST. Travel will be occasionally required to our Philadelphia headquarters for staff meetings.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

Reinvestment Fund offers a competitive salary based on experience and skills, as well as an excellent benefits package including employer-paid health, disability, and life insurance, 401(k) savings plan with employer match, flexible spending accounts (medical, dependent care and transportation), tuition reimbursement, paid time off, and EAP program.

The salary range for this position at commencement of employment is between $82,000 and $100,000/year, however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

Reinvestment Fund uses E-Verify to validate all new hires' ability to legally work in the United States and all new hires may be subject to a background check.

Reinvestment Fund is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or employment practices based on race, color, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital or familial status, national origin, non-job-related disability, or status as a veteran. Reinvestment Fund is committed to belonging, culture and engagement throughout our organization and in our external investment practices.

Reinvestment Fund, Inc. has an affiliate, RF Impact Advisers, Inc. (“RFIA”) that is a state-registered investment adviser. In order to advance compliance with and prevent violations of federal and state securities laws and to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest, RFIA has adopted a Code of Ethics to govern certain conduct of its staff, including certain staff of Reinvestment Fund because Reinvestment Fund is an advisory affiliate of RFIA. As part of this Code of Ethics, there are specific personal reporting and other requirements and disclosures of personal financial and/or securities transactions information for certain individuals, and this reporting may extend to your household members.