Senior Associate, Program Strategy

Position Overview

The Rockefeller Foundation is seeking a Senior Associate to provide project management, grantmaking, and programmatic support to the Program Strategy team. Reporting to the Manager, Program Strategy, the Associate will support executive-level grantmaking and the execution of key institutional priorities for the Foundation’s Program teams. They will also provide strategic support on a portfolio of special projects related to advancing the execution of the Foundation’s climate strategy.

Pay Range: $92,000 - $117,672. This represents the present low and high end of the Foundation’s pay range for this position. Actual pay will vary based on various factors, including but not limited to experience.

Work Schedule: This role is on a hybrid work schedule, and required to be in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Grantmaking/Grants Management

• Collaborate with Foundation teams (e.g., President’s Office, Communications, Connected Leaders Platform, Program Teams) in the development, application, and approval process for grants, as well as post-award management. Contribute to identifying challenges, proposing solutions, and facilitating communication for the Strategic Opportunities Fund (SOF) and Climate Exploration Fund (CEF).
• With some discretion, assist with budgeting and procurement for the program strategy team.
• Track, conduct high-level analysis, and report on grants bi-annually, ensuring accurate documentation and reporting to leadership and the Board.
• Effectively manage grants for the President’s Office, including tracking the President’s grants queue and preparing summaries and analyses to inform grant recommendations to the Foundation President.
   

Executive Vice President, Programs’ Special Projects

• Collaborate closely with the Manager, Program Strategy, to prepare for internal and external engagements. Design, administer, and analyze needs for agenda development, research, synthesize materials, and ensure effective coordination of projects.
• Independently develop and deliver high-quality briefings for the EVP’s external engagements, ensuring alignment with Foundation priorities and high-level decision-making.
• Independently conduct research and synthesize information to inform the EVP of Programs’ decision-making processes.
• Under the oversight of the Manager, Program Strategy, execute special projects assigned by the EVP Programs and the President’s Office, including managing the Foundation’s Climate Advisory Council and preparing written updates for the RF Board of Trustees.

  Strategy Development

• Partner with teams across the Foundation’s program areas to bring an institutional lens to develop people-centered climate solutions.
• Provide strategic project management to program teams, ensuring alignment with Foundation objectives and efficient execution of initiatives.
• Research climate topics and provide analytical summaries to support program leaders and teams in pipeline development and solution refinement.
• Contribute to strategic initiatives, including preparing for Board meetings, institutional portfolio reviews, fundraising strategies, and other special initiatives under the guidance of the Manager, Program Strategy.

Education, Experience, and Skills

• Generally expected to have at least 5 years of project management, grantmaking, or fundraising experience, or working with grants in a non-profit setting.
• Proactive and solution-oriented with a proven track record of successfully managing timelines and projects.
• Ability to work in a flexible, outcome-driven environment, where the focus is on delivering quality results, regardless of time or place.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously and deliver on time.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and an ability to synthesize long, complex topics into simple summaries.
• Embraces a strategic mindset with strong analytical skills.
• Collaborative, curious, eager to learn, and interested in how the Foundation creates and implements strategies.
• Team player with a can-do attitude, willing to jump in and help in a range of situations.
• Strong relationship management skills with the ability to build and maintain positive relationships with grantees, stakeholders, and team members.
• Strong aptitude with Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, and Word.
• Bachelor’s degree.

Qualifications and Competencies

• Data Oriented: Consistently achieves results, by approaching work informed by data.
• Decision Quality: Makes good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward.
• Communicates Effectively: Develops and delivers multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
• Strategic Learning: Actively learns through experimentation when tackling new problems, using both successes and failures as learning fodder.
• Values Differences: Recognizes the value of different perspectives and commits to inclusion, equity, and diversity in every aspect of work.

About The Rockefeller Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation that enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We make big bets to promote the well-being of humanity. Today, we are focused on advancing human opportunity and reversing the climate crisis by transforming systems in food, health, energy, and finance. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at http://rockefellerfoundation.org and follow us on X @RockefellerFdn.

The Rockefeller Foundation offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that includes health insurance programs, tuition reimbursement and student loan repayment, a generous 401K, parental leave, and various forms of paid time off, all to help our employees feel energized, cared for, and engaged.

As an organization, we focus on six values to advance our culture and continue our success. We are dedicated to being Transparent, Optimistic, Accountable, Collaborative, Trusted, and Equitable. We operate from a strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in everything that we do. It is not only the right thing to do – we could not make an impact without the diverse perspectives and experiences of our team members. We expect all employees at the Foundation to contribute by developing their unique perspectives and talent, challenging conventional wisdom through evidence and reason, and amplifying marginalized voices. 

The Rockefeller Foundation is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity and compliance with all federal, state, and local laws concerning employment discrimination, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. To this end, the Foundation ensures equal opportunity to all employees and applicants regardless of race, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, lawful alien status, physical, mental, and medical disability, veteran status, liability for service in the United States Armed Forces, or any other protected status. 

The Rockefeller Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Salary : $92,000 - $117,672