Job Title:        Program Assistant

About the Organization

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a not-for-profit, mission-driven grantmaking institution dedicated to improving the welfare of all through the advancement of scientific knowledge. Established in 1934 by Alfred Pritchard Sloan Jr., then-President and Chief Executive Officer of the General Motors Corporation, the Foundation makes grants in four broad areas: direct support of research in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and economics; initiatives to increase the quality, equity, diversity, and inclusiveness of scientific institutions and the science workforce; projects to develop or leverage technology to empower research; and efforts to enhance and deepen public engagement with science and scientists.

About the Program

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s Program in Public Understanding of Science and Technology, directed by Doron Weber, supports books, radio, film, television, theater, and new media to bridge the two cultures of science and the humanities. The program also supports special initiatives that strengthen science as a social good.

Job Summary

The Program Assistant provides administrative support for all grants related to the Public Understanding of Science and Technology program, coordinating the grant process from initial inquiries through final reporting. This position has a high volume of communication with multiple grantees. There is a large amount of detail and deadlines related to this job and meeting all deadlines is critical to the success of the person in this position. This position handles the day-to-day administrative support for the Vice President and Program Director Doron Weber, assists with the management of the program’s social media accounts, and also coordinates occasional special initiatives including advisory board meetings, internal seminar visits, and external events.

This role provides first-class training, access to prominent leaders and institutions in the arts and sciences, and exposure to cutting-edge initiatives across diverse forms of media and technology. The person in this position must be highly organized and able to work independently with minimal supervision as well as work collaboratively with colleagues on a variety of projects and duties.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities may include, but will not be limited to the following:

ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES

• Schedule meetings and maintain the VP’s very busy, hectic and ever-changing calendar to coordinate extensive travel, public engagements, and program related meetings
• Manage travel logistics for the VP, such as booking hotel or travel, creating itineraries, obtaining conference agendas etc.
• Arrange all on-site meeting logistics for VP including catering and IT needs
• Assist VP with daily time management, including written and oral reminders for meetings and important deadlines
• General office and grant-related work, such as filing, maintaining program records, preparing correspondence, responding to requests for information, handling phone calls, tracking expenses and various other tasks as assigned
• Carry out discrete research projects and analysis related to the program as assigned

COMMUNICATIONS

• Work with the Program Associate to write content for and monitor all program-specific social media channels, including Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook
• Monitor the web for grantee news
• Work with communications staff and VP to keep website pages up-to-date

GRANTS MANAGEMENT

• Tracking and responding to inquiries, reviewing lists with VP and Program Associate on regular basis, and drafting declinations
• Data entry into the Fluxx Grants Management system
• Track the progress of proposals from initial contact to final reporting
• Communicate directly with existing and prospective grantees, proposal reviewers, and others as required to clarify priorities and procedures, track the submission of materials, maintain the accuracy of data, and ensure completeness of proposal and grant documents
• Assist VP and Program Associate with organizing, coordinating, and producing proposal materials, ensuring completeness and accuracy before distribution
• Work with other Foundation departments to ensure timely delivery and processing of grant-related information, and facilitate rapid response to internal questions as they arise
• Collaborate with colleagues to produce, verify, proof, and track documentation prepared for the Board of Trustees

Supervisory Responsibilities  

N/A

Knowledge and Skill Requirements

The ideal candidate would hold a bachelor’s degree or higher.  Experience with grants administration and social media preferred.  Required qualifications include:

• Minimum 1-2 years administrative work experience.
• Ability to work proactively with minimal direct supervision and manage multiple projects, while being a committed team player
• Excellent writing, editing, and oral communication skills
• Experience or facility with social media, including drafting copy and running various accounts
• Ability to read and understand organizational and project budgets
• Ability to assimilate a high volume of detailed information quickly and accurately in a fast-paced environment
• Willingness to work with a diverse constituency and on multiple tasks, at times under deadline pressure
• High degree of proficiency with Microsoft Office applications; Fluxx experience a plus
• Experience in film, theater, the arts and/or the sciences a plus.
• Integrity, intelligence, discretion, flexibility, and sense of humor
• Understanding of and commitment to the goals of the program and the Foundation

Essential Physical Functions

General office work

The person who will fill this role will be expected to work in the office Tuesday – Thursday and may work remotely on Mondays and Fridays except when job related commitments require the person to be in the office.

The Foundation is emphatically committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in its grant programs and among staff. As such, the Foundation strongly encourages applications from people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women and LGBTQ people, and members of other marginalized communities.

The salary range for this position is $75,000 – $80,000

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates must submit a personalized cover letter and resume via email to [email protected] with “LAST NAME – Program Assistant” in the subject line.