Program Operations Manager, Environment

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, based in Menlo Park, California, seeks a Program Operations Manager for its Environment Program.

About the foundation

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation invests in creative thinkers and problem solvers working to ensure that people, communities, and the planet can flourish. Together with our partners, we are harnessing society’s collective capacity to solve our toughest problems — from the existential threat of climate change to persistent and pervasive inequities, to attacks on democracy itself. A nonpartisan philanthropy, the Hewlett Foundation has made grants in the U.S. and globally for nearly six decades based on an approach that emphasizes long-term support, collaboration, and trust.

Globally, we make grants to address both longstanding and emerging challenges like our efforts to advance gender equity and governance, reimagine the economy and society, and reduce the growing threat of climate change. Our U.S. efforts prioritize strengthening democracy, advancing education for all, and supporting community-led conservation. In the San Francisco Bay Area we call home, we make grants to support meaningful artistic experiences in local communities and support regional foundations working on critical issues such as housing. All our grantmaking also invests in advancing racial justice and in strengthening the effectiveness of our grantees, and of philanthropy itself. The Hewlett Foundation’s assets are approximately $12.8 billion with annual awards of grants totaling more than $600 million. More information about the Hewlett Foundation is available at: www.hewlett.org

About the Environment Program

The Environment Program has two portfolios: one on Climate Change, and one on Conservation.  Our climate program works to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, seeking to keep the global average temperature increase well below 2° C above preindustrial levels and supporting a sustainable, equitable transition to a low-carbon economy. Our Western Conservation portfolio is helping preserve landscapes and waterways in Western United States for the health and well-being of people and wildlife. The Environment Program team currently consists of 10 team members, including four program officers, with annual grantmaking of approximately $200 million.

About the position

The Program Operations Manager will provide cross-cutting programmatic, operational, and administrative support for the Program Director and the Environment team. They will be a key operations partner for the Program Director in program and team management and workflow, internal and external communications, and ensuring the team continues to be high functioning and with a positive culture. Program-side coordination will include support across the two Environment strategies, creating and optimizing team processes and procedures, assisting with grant making process flow and management, planning annual program retreats and regular team meetings, leading projects to strengthen team culture, and other program-wide activities. The Program Operations Manager will serve as an Environment Program resource to the Director and the broader foundation, providing information as needed to colleagues, particularly around the Director’s priorities and commitments; and providing coordination and back-up support as needed for Program Associate staff. They, along with the Executive Assistant, will provide the programmatic and administrative glue for the Environment Program, working in concert with the Program Officers and Program Associates, and helping to manage the administration of the team.

Essential duties and responsibilities

Administrative budget planning, tracking, and reporting

• In collaboration with Program Director, and with input from Environment team, prepares annual overall program and subcomponent administrative and evaluation budgets.
• Continuously oversees the execution of the grantmaking, administrative, consultant, and evaluation budgets to ensure that the program is meeting budget-related benchmarks. Liaises with Finance and proactively informs the Program Director and relevant parties when actions are needed.
• In collaboration with the Grants Officer, tracks team-wide workflow and grant pace, and reconciliation of payments in Salesforce and other team tracking documents.

Environment Program-wide coordination

• Responsible for overall programmatic management of the annual program retreats including managing the agenda and internal and external facilitators.
   
• Supports and helps lead team building, values, and organizational culture efforts of team. Takes responsibility (along with Program Director and Executive Assistant) for team morale, building rapport, and a cohesive team.
   
• Facilitate team and foundation-wide work on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
   
• Works with IT and other program staff to create Environment-wide filing systems, protocols, and helps maintain program files within Box. Maintains up-to-date databases and documents of overall Environment grantmaking.
   
• Documents and optimizes team-wide processes such as budget tracking and reconciliation.
   

• Develops and implements orientation and onboarding process for new program staff, in collaboration with administrative departments and program staff. Serves as an ongoing resource to staff, particularly new program staff, in their orientation to foundation practices.
   
• Works collaboratively with program associates, including coordination, mentoring, and triaging workflow during periods of others’ absences.
   
• Understands basic grants administration process and can step in to support Program Associates during periods of high demand or absences.
   
• Manages overall program learning and coordinates synergies across strategies.
   
• Facilitates and supports Director’s communications to the team and externally. Works with the program’s Communications Officer to coordinate external communications as needed.
   
• Works closely with the Environment Director and Office of the President to gather materials for the board of directors on behalf of the Environment team. This includes coordinating materials with the team, ensuring deadlines are met, and working with team members on editing as needed.
   
• Participates in and/or leads special time-limited projects within the Environment program and across the foundation. These may include, for example, planning cross-team training efforts; helping to prepare materials for the foundation’s website; or one-off projects that Environment might participate in to help evolve the foundation.

Programmatic support for the Program Director

• Triages outside inquiries and coordinates responses to organizations including preparing correspondence, notes, and other routine documentation and communications.
   
• Supports Director to manage relationships with various internal foundation departments, particularly with Communications, IT, Human Resources, Finance, and Legal.
   
• Coordinates and manages forward planning of the quarterly and long-term calendar of the Director offering advice and support to ensure strategic prioritization of engagements.
   
• Coordinates substantive preparation and follow-up for the Director’s engagements, to facilitate networking with external key stakeholders. This includes researching relevant topics and background reading materials, and preparing briefings, talking points, presentations, and proposals, with internal and external audiences in mind.
   
• Participates in meetings and networks/task teams both internally and externally, representing the views of the Director where appropriate.
   
• Reviews relevant documents submitted for the approval or clearance of the Director, ensuring alignment with foundation priorities and processes and channeling feedback/comments where appropriate.

  Required skills and knowledge

• Five to seven years work (or equivalent) experience required.
• Prior experience in program management with a preference for experience in a grantmaking organization.
• Excellent project management skills with an ability to quickly learn and understand new processes.
• Flexibility to work well in teams, including shared responsibilities, and to work independently.
• Proven organizational skills and a strong attention to detail.
• Proven problem-solving skills and a proactive work style.
• Ability to exercise good judgment and discretion.
• Excellent computer skills; proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite with excellent Excel skills; experience with Salesforce a plus.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Proven ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks independently, effectively managing shifting priorities and time-sensitive projects to meet deadlines.
• Professional demeanor, especially with outside parties, including high-level executives. Ability to respond thoughtfully, promptly, and respectfully to various audiences.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including interpersonal skills and ability to effectively collaborate with a variety of people.
• Excellent research and writing skills, including through internet.

Physical demands/work environment

The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The position is based in Menlo Park, California. Staff are working in a hybrid environment and currently expected to work from the Hewlett Foundation office at least 2-3 times per week (Tuesdays and Wednesdays are required). While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to spend extended periods of time at a computer. The Foundation requires all staff, vendors, and visitors accessing the office to be fully vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Compensation and Benefits

The Hewlett Foundation is committed to providing compensation that is competitive within the philanthropic sector. We offer a generous total compensation package that emphasizes both base salary and comprehensive benefits. The salary range for this role ranges from $120,000-$155,000. Offers are based on the candidate's years of experience and our practice of maintaining salary equity within the foundation.