Description

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation is seeking applications for the position of

Program Assistant to support the Foundation’s administrative and program teams in the next 9 years of its spenddown. Since 2008, the Foundation has made more than $200 million in grants to improve the quality of life for residents in Southeast Michigan and the Great Lakes region since launching its grantmaking in 2008.

In 2022, the Erb Family Foundation announced its plans to shift from a perpetual

foundation to a spenddown model and conclude its grantmaking by 2034-2035.

The grantmaking priorities for the Foundation’s spenddown center on six areas of focus:

Alzheimer’s Research, Arts and Culture, Democracy, Great Lakes, Sustainable Business,

and Legacy Giving. In addition to its grantmaking, the Foundation works closely with grant partners to learn how to better invest in their organizational health and long-term durability. Across all its

activities, the Foundation’s goal is to inspire a new generation of leaders and philanthropic

partners to carry on Fred and Barbara’s passions long after the Foundation is gone.

This work is guided by the Foundation’s mission and vision: The Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation envisions a flourishing, healthy, and resilient Great Lakes ecosystem and a culturally vibrant, sustainable southeast Michigan. Toward this end, we strengthen the cultural and environmental organizations that share our vision to make this a reality for generations to come.

And, by its values: to make a lasting transformative difference; embrace possibility; work and learn in partnership; and pursue fairness and respect.

THE OPPORTUNITY

We are seeking a Program Assistant to support the Foundation’s administrative and grantmaking activities across all grantmaking areas during an important phase of the Foundation’s spenddown journey. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to meaningful philanthropic work while gaining exposure to the full lifecycle of grants administration and foundation operations.

The Program Assistant is a full-time hybrid position, expected to last about three years; however, all employment is at-will. The Program Assistant will be focusing on essential grants administration functions across Foundation grantmaking areas and will be an integral part of the Foundation's program and administrative teams. They will report to the Vice President of Administration and work closely with the Grants Manager, Grants Associate, Vice President of Programs, program teams, and other Foundation staff. This role offers exposure to the full administrative grantmaking process, including management of proposals, grant agreements, payments, and reporting.

The person in this role will collaborate cross-functionally with staff throughout the Foundation to help support efficient grantmaking operations, maintain strong administrative systems, and contribute to projects that advance the Foundation’s mission and strategic priorities. This is an excellent opportunity for an early-career professional interested in philanthropy, nonprofit operations, grants management, and collaborative, mission-driven work.

CORE DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITES:

Grantmaking and Program Support:

Provide project management and other support to the administrative and program teams, including helping to manage grants processes, timelines, internal/external projects; and data compliance, monitoring, and cleanup in the grants system and shared drives.
Support program staff members with proposal review; drafting, editing, and proofreading grant recommendations for board review; notetaking; organizing and uploading supporting documentation in the grants system; reviewing, summarizing, and analyzing final reports; and preparing other materials and documents for internal and external presentations.
Assist members of the Leadership team and senior program officers with grants management and other projects as needed.
Conduct research on themes, topics, policies, and areas of opportunity relevant to the Foundation’s grantmaking and other interests.
Respond to grant partners’ and applicants’ requests for assistance as appropriate and assist with obtaining additional information from grant partners to complete processing of grant requests and payments.
Assist in planning and scheduling small and large-scale meetings and events 
Contribute to the Foundation’s external communications 
Represent the Foundation at local and national conferences and meetings.
Participate in the Foundation’s full staff meetings and team building activities, selected program team meetings, and other internal meetings. 

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS:

Early-career professional with at least 2 years of experience in grants management, database management, fundraising, or relevant project or administrative coordination within the nonprofit or philanthropic sector.
Demonstrated commitment to the Erb Family Foundation's values: to make a lasting transformative difference; embrace possibility; work and learn in partnership; and pursue fairness and respect.
Passion for issues relating to the Great Lakes, environmental policy, environmental justice, climate change, sustainable business, Alzheimer's research, democracy, arts, culture, and nonprofit capacity building, with an interest in helping the Foundation advance its goals.
Excellent time management and prioritization skills, with the ability to remain calm under pressure, stay flexible and responsive, and adapt to fluctuating workloads.
Demonstrated experience in building strong, positive, collaborative relationships internally and externally, characterized by active listening, openness to new ideas, and encouraging dialogue.
Ability to be resilient, manage conflict, and maintain a growth mindset.
Willingness to contribute to a culture of communication, curiosity, inclusion, and belonging.
Ability to maintain the highest levels of integrity, ethics, discernment, diplomacy, and strict confidentiality.
A collegial spirit in sharing and receiving ideas, information, and feedback.
Strong writing and verbal communication skills; careful attention to detail.
Proficient with Microsoft 365 (Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote) and experience with donor or grant management software (The Foundation uses akoyaGO for its grants management software).

WORK ARRANGEMENT, COMPENSATION, AND BENEFITS

This is a full-time, hybrid position. The Foundation's office is located in Royal Oak, Michigan. Staff work on a hybrid schedule, typically three days a week in-person, with flexibility for remote work the remainder of the week. Occasional schedule adjustments or additional in-person days may be required. 

Attendance at Foundation and/or grant partners' evening and weekend events, as well as occasional regional travel should be anticipated. 

The Program Assistant will regularly engage with staff, grant partners, and external stakeholders and will primarily work in a standard office environment using a laptop and other office technology. This role requires strong communication, organization, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a collaborative, fast-paced environment. Occasional lifting or moving of materials up to 50 lbs. may be required.

The salary for this position begins at $60,000 and may be adjusted based on qualifications and experience. The Foundation offers a comprehensive benefits package, including employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance, a generous 401K plan with employer contribution and match, life insurance, short and long-term disability insurance, paid time off, technology reimbursement, and a professional development allowance.

TO APPLY
Interested candidates should submit a resume and thoughtful cover letter to Employment@erbff.org describing their interest in the role and relevant experience. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. All inquiries and application materials will be handled confidentially.  

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER 

The Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation is committed to fostering a workplace grounded in fairness, respect, inclusion, and belonging. We value the perspectives and experiences that individuals from diverse backgrounds bring to our work and strongly encourage candidates from historically underrepresented communities to apply.

The Foundation is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.