The Arcus Foundation is seeking two positive, energetic, and experienced Grants Managers to join the Grantmaking Effectiveness team. While both Grants Managers will be responsible for the day-to-day management of select international and U.S. programmatic grant portfolios, one of the Manager positions will also focus on institutional portfolios (including memberships and discretionary grants) and other components of grantmaking operations (including managing Arcus’ Equivalency Determination process and processing data requests for internal and external stakeholders). This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing department that is dedicated to fostering a dynamic and inclusive team that upholds trust- and values-based practices.
About Arcus Foundation
Founded in 2000, the Arcus Foundation is a private grantmaking institution dedicated to the idea that people can live in harmony with one another and the natural world. Arcus’ work is based on the belief that respect for diversity among peoples and in nature is essential to a positive future for our planet and all its inhabitants. Arcus works with experts and advocates for change to ensure that LGBTQ people and our fellow apes thrive in a world where social and environmental justice are a reality. The Foundation works globally and has offices in New York City and Cambridge, United Kingdom.
The Arcus Foundation staff and Board of Directors are a diverse group, reflecting the diversity inherent in the world the Foundation’s work supports. The Foundation works globally to support partners in their pursuit of lasting change. The mission is driven by the vision of Arcus’ founder, Jon Stryker, and by a shared dedication to the emergent global human rights and conservation movements.
With a deep commitment to integrity and humility, the leadership and staff of the Arcus Foundation hold one another accountable for implementing the Arcus mission. This includes practicing shared leadership and recognizing, celebrating, and taking collective ownership of Arcus’ success. Because a strong work ethic and responsible decision-making should exist at all levels of leadership, the Arcus Foundation applies fact-based decision-making and encourages all staff to proactively ‘course-correct,’ to efficiently manage resources so that the movements Arcus serves will benefit.
To learn more, visit www.arcusfoundation.org.
What It’s Like to Work at Arcus Foundation
Arcus’ passionate and diverse staff is comprised of dedicated individuals of varying gender identities, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and abilities, and we aim to prioritize equity and inclusion throughout the organization and encourage meaningful interactions between colleagues.
We promote a flexible working environment that allows for work-life balance, with opportunities for hybrid and flexible work schedules. Our newly built NYC office, located in Midtown Manhattan, was designed to be a place we can feel safe, and work effectively and collaboratively, bringing energy, inspiration, commitment, and deep learning to our mission.
Position Description
The Grants Manager (Manager) is part of the Grantmaking Effectiveness (GME) department, led by the Director, Grantmaking Effectiveness (Director). The department, which also includes two other managers (Grants Manager & Manager, Grantmaking Effectiveness), focuses on grant-related compliance, impact, and learning at the Arcus Foundation. The department has a unique vantage point across the organization: It partners with program teams and collaborates closely with the Finance and Communications teams to facilitate grantmaking processes and achieve foundation goals.
The GME department is responsible for implementing the legal, technical, and operational components of all grantmaking portfolios. The team engages across the foundation by leading cross-organization trainings and collaborations and designing systems to interact with grantees, manage the grant lifecycle, aggregate information, analyze data, and share learning and best practices. Working on every grant, the team is a critical partner and respected resource in supporting the management and implementation of program strategies, serving as thought partners and catalysts for innovation.
The Grants Manager position manages grantmaking processes, ensuring a high level of due diligence and legal, technical, and operational management for select grant portfolios. It provides deep engagement in grantmaking cyclical activities and planning. The Manager also manages technical assistance to internal and external stakeholders, particularly program staff and grantees, on matters pertaining to compliance with Arcus’ grantmaking policies and implementation of related processes and protocols. This role helps to deliver related learning curriculum, including guides, presentations, and manuals, as part of the GME team. They are a key partner and advisor within the foundation to ensure high-quality user experiences and effective processes.
Key Responsibilities
Grant Compliance and Operations
The Grants Manager is responsible for implementing the legal, technical, and operational components of select grantmaking portfolios across the foundation, including grants across the Social Justice Program and Great Apes & Gibbons Program. Additional portfolios may include membership grants and discretionary grantmaking (grants made at the discretion of the Board and CEO). Managing grant compliance and related operations is the core function of the Grants Manager role.
Related responsibilities of the role are:
- Ensuring grants are compliant with IRS and institutional regulations and requirements;
- Maintaining electronic grant files;
- Preparing grant information for the foundation’s annual audit;
- Overseeing the execution of grant agreement letters;
- Conducting legal compliance reviews of LOIs, proposals, and grant reporting;
- Ensuring grantmaking policies and procedures are consistently applied; and
- Making recommendations for continued workflow improvement to further efficiency.
Meeting these responsibilities requires:
- Supporting program staff by providing input and guidance on structuring grants and facilitating program team meetings and site visits to deepen competency in program areas;
- Supporting grantees by providing ongoing technical assistance and updating resources for grant seekers as requested by the Director;
- Ongoing analysis of grant records and reports, including analyzing grant financial reports and working with program teams and/or grantees if there is a problem or compliance issue, and conducting analysis of grant structure and budgets and recommending action to program staff; and
- Active engagement in the philanthropic sector to keep current on new regulations and best practices.
Grant Technical Assistance
The Grants Manager is responsible for resource development and the provision of technical assistance related to grantmaking policies and practices for Arcus’ staff and grantees. These responsibilities pertain to the select portfolios for which the Grants Manager assumes core compliance and operational responsibility; however, additional technical assistance provision support may be required.
Responsibilities of the role to Arcus’ grantmaking are:
Internal
- Participating in training and training material creation in an ongoing manner on the technical aspects of grantmaking for program staff; and
- Participating in training and training material creation on grantmaking policies and practices for all new Arcus staff.
External
- Providing input on resources for grantseekers to understand the foundation’s grantmaking policies and practices; and
- Providing ongoing technical assistance and training related to both technical and policy aspects of Arcus grantmaking to portfolio-specific grantee partners as well as other grantees as requested.
Qualifications and Competencies
Required Technical Expertise
- Significant experience in philanthropy or the nonprofit sector, with a minimum of 5-10 years of grants management involvement, including some experience focused on international grantmaking. Ideally, this experience is in positions of increasing responsibility with cross-functional exposure.
- Demonstrated knowledge of IRS regulations governing grantmaking in a nonprofit and/or private foundation environment.
- Mastery of grants management system programs, and in using automated grants systems, databases, and processes; experience using Fluxx is a plus.
- Data, information, and knowledge management understanding and the ability to follow related processes.
- Understanding of and commitment to the foundation’s program areas, mission, and values, including knowledge of or experience in conservation or social justice, demonstrated through prior work or volunteer experience.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Must be extremely well organized with great attention to detail. Must enjoy the challenges of taking an ambiguous project vision or goal and translating it into concrete objectives and steps.
- Experience managing project budgets.
- Strong project management skills with demonstrated ability to excel in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities, while remaining flexible and proactive.
- Must possess solid decision-making ability, independence, and initiative, and a strong ability to take guidance and direction.
Preferred Technical Expertise
- Experience working as an administrator of a grants management system (Fluxx is a plus).
- Knowledge of reporting systems and experience managing system integrations across multiple grant-related platforms.
- Proven track record in planning and managing learning events or curriculum.
- Proven track record designing and developing technical assistance resources, including manuals, guides, curriculum, and presentations.
- Experience managing an in-house Equivalency Determination process.
Professional Integrity
- Exceptional reliability and always exhibits a high degree of professionalism.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality of information and operate with maximum discretion.
- Effective stewardship of foundation staff and financial resources.
Inclusive Practice
- Demonstrates sensitivity and respect for cultural values, practices, beliefs, and social experiences of diverse communities; effectively and comfortably engages in a variety of cultural settings.
- Ability to be effective in a global, multi-cultural, multi-location organization.
Positive Partnerships
- Positively and professionally strengthens the capacity of Arcus’ teams and external partners.
- A confident and team-oriented relationship builder who can communicate and work with people at all levels and backgrounds.
- Demonstrated ability to build trust and collaboration across departments and teams.
- Able to represent the foundation to external stakeholders upon request and as authorized.
- Exceptional team orientation and possession of a facilitative and collaborative style of engaging others in projects.
Location and Travel
The Grants Manager positions are based out of our New York City office. Relocation assistance may be available for qualified candidates.
Arcus staff work on a hybrid schedule of three days in-office (Tuesday–Thursday), with the option of working two days remotely. The general office hours are 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
On occasion, you may be asked to travel domestically/internationally for site visits, conferences, and/or foundation gatherings and events approximately 5–10 percent of the time.
Compensation
The Grants Manager roles are full-time, 40-hour work week, exempt positions with annual salary that ranges from $110,000 to $125,000. In addition to salary, Arcus Foundation offers a robust benefits package that includes:
- Employer contributed Medical, Vision, and Dental health insurance, which includes trans-inclusive healthcare coverage.
- Non-elective retirement plan with generous employer contribution and matches.
- 20 days of Paid Time Off (PTO) each calendar year, increasing to 25 days after your third year and 30 days after your fourth year; 7 sick days, 12 holidays, and 1 floating holiday.
- 12 weeks of Paid Family Leave.
- Hybrid work schedule and flexible working practices.
The Arcus Foundation is an equal opportunity employer firmly committed to complying with all federal, state, and local equal employment opportunity laws. The Arcus Foundation prohibits discrimination against employees and applicants for employment because of the individual’s race or color, religion or creed, immigrant, citizenship or non-citizen status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, intersex status, sexual and reproductive health decisions or decision making (of employees or their dependents), disability, marital status, familial status, domestic partnership status, genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, pre-employment arrest record, or any other characteristic protected by law. The Arcus Foundation also considers for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with federal, state, and local law.
This position was originally posted by Arcus Foundation and has been curated by PurposePhil Career. To apply, please visit the original listing on the "apply" link below. We are not affiliated with the employer organization of this job ad or consultancy, and provide this curated listing as a service to our users.
