Program Specialist, Press Forward Chicago

Job Description

Position Summary :

The Program Specialist works with team members, grantees, budgets, and procedures to ensure the implementation and operational success of the Trust's Press Forward Chicago pooled fund for local journalism. This position serves as the internal and external operational and administrative support for Press Forward Chicago. The primary responsibilities include strong project management, time management, internal and external collaboration and relationship management, innovation, field building, community knowledge, and grantmaking

Press Forward Chicago is a grantmaking initiative intended to support the reimagination, revitalization, and rapid development of the Local News ecosystem in the Chicago area, in partnership with national Press Forward efforts.?Administered by The Chicago Community Trust ("Trust") and designed in partnership with the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and local journalism donors and practitioners, the goal of this portfolio is to help catalyze a local news renaissance that will reshape the local news landscape and re-center local journalism as a force for community cohesion, civic participation, and government accountability. Press Forward aims to catalyze innovative solutions to the challenges facing local news, amplify impactful journalism practices, and address the systemic inequities in media coverage and journalistic processes to ensure residents have access to relevant, credible, and trusted information. This work is part of a broader multi-funder collaborative initiative, co-created and co-led by The Chicago Community Trust, to foster a more equitable news ecosystem that represents and serves the diverse tapestry of our city's population.

Position Responsibilities :

• Manage the full grantmaking lifecycle, including the preparation of funding programs, requests for proposals, evaluation of applications, and reporting on grant outcomes
• Collaborates with grant recipients to support project success, monitor progress, and provide technical assistance as needed.
• Work with grant recipients and partners to identify and amplify impactful journalism practices that foster community cohesion and civic participation.
• Performs administrative tasks, including meeting coordination, hosting meetings, developing agendas, recording meeting outcomes, and handling scheduling for audio-visual services
• Supports cross-functional collaboration within the Trust, maintaining close communication with Community Impact, Philanthropic Services, Learning and Impact, Finance, Strategic Communications, Policy and Advocacy, and Trust collaboratives
• Develops communication pre- and post-meetings, events, conferences, etc.
• Reviews committee prep and memos
• Coordinates the collection, research, tracking ,and sharing of data, reports, documents, tools, etc. with appropriate parties for various projects
• Tracks, monitors and supports the execution of contracts
• Tracks budgets
• Leads grant recipients check-ins
• Prepare reports, presentations, and updates for leadership, funders, and other stakeholders, highlighting successes, challenges, and learnings; use data and feedback from grant recipients and partners to continuously improve Press Forward Chicago's grantmaking and project management processes.
• Creates and / or executes presentations to PF Steering Committee and Advisory Council
• Works on external communications tools, including newsletters, and more
• Helps with surveys of the ecosystem for media
• Provides support in on-boarding team staff members, consultants, and vendors, including task, process, and systems-related one-on-one training
• Supervises team intern
• Supervises vendors and contractors within The Trust's contract management system
• Other duties as assigned by executive director and other leadership staff

Experience and Skills

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are fundamental to achieving our impact

The Chicago Community Trust's vision is a Chicago region where equity, opportunity, and prosperity abound. We acknowledge the specific role discrimination and systemic barriers based on race, ethnicity, and other varied identities and differences have played in limiting opportunities for too many. A commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is at the core of who we are, the decisions we make, and the actions we take in our work to strengthen the communities we serve and advance our strategic focus to close the racial and ethnic wealth gap.

The History of The Chicago Community Trust

The Chicago Community Trust was founded in 1915 by Norman and Albert Harris, father and son duo of the Harris Trust and Savings Bank (now BMO Harris Bank). The Trust was the fourth community foundation ever created. There are now 750 community foundations in Canada and the U.S.

As our region's community foundation, the Trust unites generous donors, committed nonprofits and caring residents to effect lasting change that moves our entire region forward. Our approach centers on tackling the region's immediate needs and addressing the root causes of deep-seated issues to realize a more prosperous future for all who call metropolitan Chicago home.

For more than 100 years, donors have entrusted their philanthropic resources and visions to our stewardship. Guided by our deep knowledge of the community, we fund, lead, convene and collaborate to address the greatest and most critical needs facing the Chicago region. From the $22 million raised to help with unemployment relief in the Great Depression to spearheading an effort to help people keep their homes during the foreclosure crisis of the Great Recession to $35 million raised for the Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund, which supported nonprofits serving our most vulnerable neighbors, Chicagoans have put their trust in us.

In 2019, we announced we would focus our discretionary spending over the next decade on working to close Chicago's growing racial and ethnic wealth gap. The Trust envisions a Chicago region that's stronger and more prosperous because everyone-regardless of race, ethnicity, or zip code-has equitable access to the opportunities and resources they need to succeed and live a fulfilling life.

With assets of more than $4.5 billion, the Trust, in partnership with its donors, distributes more than $1.6 billion in grants each year. The Trust Team seeks to match the passion and commitment of donors, grant recipients, residents, and community leaders that continue to work tirelessly to make the Chicago region one where all have the opportunity to realize their dreams.