Program Officer

The Program Officer is responsible for reviewing and monitoring grant proposals as well as monitoring grants; including program development, grant processes, community events, issues exploration, publications, and community and grantee relations with a special focus on serving Culpeper County.

Primary Job Responsibilities: To perform this job, each primary job responsibility must be performed satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform the primary job responsibilities. Other duties may be assigned to meet business needs.

Grantmaking & Management

• With guidance from board and senior management, supports development of funding priorities, develop grant announcements, RFP’s, evaluation processes.
• Develops collaborative and comprehensive proposals and funded programs.
• Works with applicants to clarify parameters/procedures and provide proposal technical assistance to those seeking to submit applications.
• Participates in the evaluation and planning of annual grant process.
• Participates in staff and committee review of proposals for the annual grant process
• Conduct interviews and site visits with applicants; gather input from other funders and relevant agencies for the annual grant process.

Community Engagement

• Participates in business/chamber activities and/or civic organizations to learn more about community efforts and to share Foundation information.
• Cultivates and develops diverse, authentic, respectful, trusting relationships with community residents and key stakeholders. Works to facilitate emergence of the voice of community members. Understands power dynamics and community decision making.
• Supports senior program staff to identify, develop and broker partnerships among community organizations and stakeholders to facilitate and encourage collaborations and cooperative responses to community needs.
• Supports program staff in organizing, managing and facilitating collaborative projects including issues-based focus groups, working groups and collaborations designed to address specific issues.
• As relationships shift from networking to guiding funded programs, serve as an advisor for continuous learning for broader and extended impact.
• Identify modes of grantee support beyond direct grant making.
• Connect grantees to technical assistance, marketing and capacity building providers and partners.

Comprehensive Network

• Develops a comprehensive network of community organizations, government organizations, and foundations; and shares information about the Foundation with them.
• Cultivates and develops diverse, authentic, respectful, trusting relationships with community residents and key stakeholders, especially among a diverse set of established and emergent leaders and those with varied levels of power and a strong stake in decisions at hand.
• Works to facilitate emerging voices of community members.
• Understands power dynamics and community decision making; fosters partnerships.

Grants Management, Grantee Communications & Monitoring

• Visits with regional nonprofits and community partners in a personal one-on-one setting to share information about the Foundation and to understand their activities and priorities.
• Demonstrated proficiency using grantmaking software, with a focus on Salesforce, including overseeing funding workflows, producing grant agreements, tracking progress, generating evaluation and compliance reports, and coordinating related correspondence and meetings with grantees.
• Presents to department staff meetings. Presents to board/grants committee as appropriate.

Research & Impact Analysis

• Organizes issues exploration sessions and facilitates exchange of information between Foundation and stakeholders, nonprofits, private partners and other foundations.
• Engages in regular, ongoing feedback loops to support learning.
• Conducts research as necessary to identify needs, service gaps, and/or areas of potential improvement in service delivery, wellness and education programs, capacity building or other issues of importance to the Foundation.
• Cultivates special knowledge of trends in philanthropy, and developments in fields related to Foundation priorities.

Evaluation & Impact

• Assists in the evaluation of the Foundation’s impact and organizational assessment.
• Implements methods of assessing grant performance.
• Interact with volunteers adhering to the guidance in the “Volunteers in the Workplace” document.

Other duties as assigned aligned with the Foundation’s strategic objectives.

Technical Skills

• Strong MS Office skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; exceptional interpersonal skills, a focused listener.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Strong organizational and project management skills that reflect ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to take initiative and manage projects assigned through completion; meets deadlines.
• Ability to work effectively independently and as a collaborative team member.
• Ability to anticipate challenges and effectively resolve potential issues through creative problem solving; recommends best practices.
• Ability to inspire and motivate constituents; transparent.
• Ability to balance multiple requirements of internal and external constituents with flexibility and a steady temperament.
• Ability to work creatively and with flexibility in a fast-paced environment while maintaining high work standards.
• Ability to develop rapport and engender trust working with diverse audiences and constituencies
• Exhibits a positive attitude and professional demeanor.
• Effective negotiation skills.

Education and Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent experience
• Master of Public Policy, Public Health or related field, highly desirable
• 3-5 years of demonstrated non-profit, philanthropic experience, required
• Understanding of philanthropy's rold in the community and a familiarity with nonprofit organizations.
• Strong understanding of the nonprofit and civic landscape in Culpeper County and active ties to the Culpeper community are preferred.