Programs and Development Assistant

The Honeycomb Project is seeking a Programs and Partnership Assistant to support our organization's growth and impact. 

Honeycomb Overview

We envision a city where every young person has the opportunity to drive real change through meaningful acts of service. Founded in 2011, The Honeycomb Project brings kids and their families together in the spirit of generosity to strengthen Chicago’s nonprofit sector through volunteerism and civic engagement.

Our family-centered programs tackle global issues on a local level. At Honeycomb, young changemakers ages 3-17 discover and harness their power to shape the future through immersive programs that amplify the work of Chicago’s nonprofits. Family volunteering provides a unique pathway for parents to lead by example, helping their kids learn first-hand about complex social issues and affect real change in their own communities. 

Honeycomb works with 50 local nonprofits to create site-specific, immersive projects that tackle pressing issues like food insecurity, housing, environmental conservation, and social justice. Kids work and learn alongside their parents – preparing home-cooked meals at shelters, growing fresh vegetables at city farms, and building nature trails along the Chicago River. Through hands-on experiences, Honeycomb families share an ethic of civic responsibility and a spirit of community that spans generations, helping transform Chicago’s communities.

Last year, 4,000 volunteers from 88% of Chicago zip codes participated in 200 programs.

Behind the scenes, Honeycomb is a small but mighty organization. Every member of our team is an ambassador of our mission, believing wholeheartedly in the importance of our work. Our organization’s culture embodies innovation, optimism, collaboration, and social awareness. We strive to instill a balance between bold initiatives, thoughtful strategies, rigorous production, and authentic interactions. In each other, we value flexibility, teamwork, integrity, and positivity. We believe hard work should be fun; we often gather as a team to have meaningful discussions about current events, play board games over lunch, or attend events around the city.

Position Overview:

The Programs and Development Assistant is a PT entry level hybrid role that bridges the Programs and Development departments, focusing on program coordination, fundraising support, and donor relations. This position is integral to enhancing our programmatic impact, improving efficiency of our operations, and fostering strong partnerships with donors and volunteers across the Chicago region. Your passion for family volunteerism, attention to detail, and organization skills will be instrumental in helping us achieve our programs and fundraising goals.

Supply Chain Coordination:

• Program Preparation: Efficiently source, pack, and prepare supplies for programs by following procedures and optimizing workflows with Honeycomb staff.
• Inventory Management: Oversee inventory and ordering of supplies and promotional items while maintaining supplier relationships for quality and cost-effectiveness.
• Branded Merchandise: Manage sourcing, inventory, and distribution of all branded merchandise.
• Performance Evaluation: Implement mechanisms to assess supply chain efficiency and accuracy, using feedback for improvements.

Program Coordination:

• Event Logistics: Assist in planning and executing logistics for fundraising events and volunteer projects, leading 2 programs/month and various special events.
• Outcome Monitoring: Track and evaluate program impacts to inform adjustments.
• Stakeholder Communication: Ensure clear communication among staff, volunteers, and participants.

Fundraising and Donor Stewardship:

• Corporate Partnerships: Collaborate to expand support from corporate partners and secure in-kind donations.
• Donor Appreciation: Organize events and recognition programs for donors and volunteers. 
• Prospecting: Research and identify potential donors, sponsors, and grant opportunities.
• Fundraising Materials: Create donor packets and sponsorship packages.

General Office Management:

• Cross-Department Collaboration: Ensure alignment between programs and fundraising.
• Team Input: Contribute to fundraising and program strategies in meetings.
• Office Operations: Manage office organization and supply procurement.
• Administrative Support: Provide general support, including correspondence and calendar management.
• Record Keeping: Maintain organized documentation for office operations.
• Intern Coordination: Assist in coordinating intern activities as needed.

Competencies:

· Problem Solving: You treat every situation with a positive “can do” attitude. You identify challenges and respond constructively to bring about solutions. You are flexible and optimistic when difficulties arise.

· Planning: You are highly organized and detail-oriented when it comes to planning. You accurately scope out the length and difficulty of projects, set goals, develop schedules and assignments, adjust for roadblocks, and evaluate results.

· Initiative: Your friends would describe you as ambitious. You go the extra mile to get things done. You approach your work with creativity and bring new ideas to the table.

· Collaboration: You define success in terms of the whole team. You maintain positive working relationships and inspire cooperation. You share wins and successes, foster open dialogue, and create a sense of community with your coworkers.

· Organization: You love spreadsheets and project management tools! You keep things running smoothly by managing time effectively and paying close attention to details, making sure projects are on track.

· Communications: You are a clear and graceful communicator. You can adapt your style and tone to different audiences (kids, donors, volunteers).

· Committed: You are passionate about family volunteering and embody the mission, goals, and values of The Honeycomb Project through all professional interactions.

Additional Details:

This is a PT hourly position. The employee should expect to work in office on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (8-hours days). This position requires flexibility to work evening and weekend hours, typically 2-3 days/month. 

The compensation package includes paid vacation/personal days plus paid time off from December 24 through January 1; paid national holidays; and opportunities for professional development.