Position Summary

The Grants Officer is a key position within the Grants Management team, with the primary responsibility of reviewing at least a third of all requests for the Heising-Simons Foundation and its affiliated 501(c)(4) organization, the Heising-Simons Action Fund. This full-time (37.5 hours per week), exempt position, reports to the Director of Grants Management, and will be part of a team that currently consists of five people. This position can be based in our Los Altos or San Francisco office; however, the Foundation will also consider remote candidates. During the COVID-19 pandemic, all Heising-Simons Foundation staff are working remotely. When our offices do re-open, returns will be flexible and gradual to accommodate staff needs. 

The Grants Management team ensures scalable, effective, and efficient grantmaking systems and processes and works closely with all departments across the Foundation, especially grantmaking teams, legal counsel, IT, finance, and the executive staff. In 2020, the Grants Management team processed over $140M in over 600 transactions. It is anticipated that the volume and award amount will be about the same for 2021. This mid-level position is an opportunity to apply and build on experience and working knowledge of grantmaking compliance, operations, and technology solutions. Candidates are not expected to have experience in all areas listed in the job description.

Primary Responsibilities

• Support the full lifecycle of at least one third of all grants, from concept through all diligence and compliance processes, to final reporting for both the Foundation and Action Fund.
• Partner closely with our program and legal staff to ensure that all administrative, legal, and tax compliance of grants are met while being as grantee centric as possible.
• Review and monitor proposals, grants, reports, and other grant requirements to identify legal, financial, and program compliance issues and propose effective solutions related, for example, to grant structure, required documentation, and ensuring that reports and other grant requirements are correctly documented in grants management platform (Salesforce).
• Provide counsel and support to staff on how to solve potential issues and challenges that may be presented by a grant or grantee, such as organization status, certain legal requirements, and other questions.
• Coordinate various special projects, including schedules for the 990PF tax return, conflict of interest affiliations, annual year in review, and others as assigned.
• Assist with designing and conducting staff onboarding and ongoing training related to the Foundation’s grantmaking, policies and procedures, compliance, and Salesforce.
• Assist with enhancements to Salesforce, including additional applications and integration with other technology.
• Maintain a working knowledge of the Foundation’s programs and priority funding areas and remain abreast of current research, activities, and trends in the philanthropic sector.
• Represent the Grants Management team in Foundation-wide committees and initiatives, as well the Foundation or Action Fund at external meetings and peer groups.

Requirements

• 5+ years’ experience working in a grantmaking organization.
• Familiarity with tax rules governing private foundations and public charities; private foundation experience preferred; 501(c)(4) compliance welcomed, but not required.
• Technical savviness, with exceptional Microsoft Office and administrator-level database skills.
• Proven project management, multi-tasking, and prioritization skills, with experience meeting tight deadlines.
• Strong creative and technical troubleshooting skills and the ability to think strategically when exploring solutions.
• A proactive nature, with excellent attention to details and good follow-through.
• The ability to communicate effectively, collaboratively, and diplomatically across a broad range of internal and external constituents.
• Able to exercise good judgment and maintain confidentiality in maintaining critical and sensitive information.
• A strong sense of teamwork, humor, and integrity.

Compensation and Benefits

• The starting salary for this position is $95,000 to $110,000 per year, depending on skills and experience. We conduct an annual review of our salary ranges and make adjustments based on data from our peer organizations.
• We offer a comprehensive employee benefits package that includes employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and dependents, long-term disability, business travel, and life insurance, flexible spending accounts for medical and child care expenses, a 401(k) plan (with a matching contribution of up to 16%), commuting assistance, an employee assistance program (EAP), tuition reimbursement and a generous professional development budget, matching gifts, fitness reimbursements, fertility assistance, mental health counseling, and identity theft protection. In addition, we allow schedule flexibility and telecommuting, with manager’s approval.
• Paid time off includes:
  • Vacation: starts with three weeks/year, with increases based on tenure
  • Sick: 12 days/year
  • Personal Days: two days/year
  • Family Medical Leave
  • Parental Leave
  • Holidays
    • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
    • President’s Day
    • Memorial Day
    • Juneteenth
    • Independence Day
    • Labor Day
    • Veterans Day
    • Thanksgiving Day (and the day after)
    • Year-End Break (Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day)

Our success is dependent on our ability to build teams that include people with different experiences who can challenge each other’s assumptions with new perspectives. We encourage people of color, from under-resourced communities, immigrants, LGBTQ+, and others with diverse perspectives and experiences to apply.

Organization Details