Operations Associate, Marine Conservation Initiative
Gordon and Betty Moore established the foundation to create positive outcomes for future generations. Guided by this vision and the Statement of Founders' Intent, we foster path-breaking scientific discovery, environmental conservation, patient care improvements and preservation of the special character of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Each day we strive to make a significant and positive impact on the world. Together, we work tirelessly to honor the vision of our founders and serve as stewards of the resources they entrusted to us. We establish specific strategies based on input from experts, identify partners who share our goals, and measure results along the way—all while making adjustments as needed. We build relationships and fund work in areas where we hope to make a significant impact. We’re okay with failing, as long as we learn from our mistakes. And we know that working together expands our ability to drive meaningful change.
We believe there can be no truly lasting change for the good if that change is not just and widely shared. Comprehending and incorporating values of diversity, equity, and inclusion in pursuing goals and refining strategies is vital to achieving our desired outcomes. These values weave through what we do and drive how we operate.
Marine Conservation Initiative
The Marine Conservation Initiative (MCI) works to achieve healthy and resilient marine ecosystems in North America that support sustainable uses over the long-term, including food, jobs and recreation. MCI’s grantees protect key habitats, improve fisheries through science-based management, and help defend or establish policies and other conditions required to achieve and maintain conservation gains. We focus our work in priority ocean geographies – the U.S. and Canadian Arctic and British Columbia – as well as on establishing enabling conditions to achieve durable conservation outcomes.
Operationally, MCI deploys over $20 million annually in over 100 active grants and maintains a discretionary operations budget of approximately $400,000. The initiative is authorized through 2024 and will conduct an external evaluation and strategic planning effort during 2023 and 2024. For more information please visit: Marine Conservation Initiative.
Position Summary
The Operations Associate provides coordination and administrative support for program staff and is accountable for enabling effective operations throughout the full cycle of grant development and grant management and in other key internal processes, which include management of operating and grantmaking budgets, monitoring and evaluation, external evaluations, initiative strategic planning, and other needs (e.g., submission of reports and other information to the Board of Trustees). The Operations Associate may also be asked to represent MCI on working groups in the Environmental Conservation Program or for the larger foundation.
Our ideal candidate will have deep experience in administration and project management. Candidates are not expected to have extensive experience in all areas listed in the job posting. This role reports to the Program Director, with a dotted-line reporting relationship to the Environmental Conservation Program Manager on operational and financial management. The Operations Associate works closely with others in the Environmental Conservation Program and across the foundation.
This position is based at our main office in Palo Alto, CA. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, foundation offices are temporarily closed until at least January 9, 2023, and work will initially occur remotely. Once our offices reopen, the foundation will shift to hybrid working arrangements; and all employees will work a minimum of eight days per month in their designated office location.
Primary Responsibilities
Initiative Team Operations:
Track Initiative operating budget and grantmaking allocations, ensuring informed financial decisions of the Program Director and regular coordination with the Program Officers and Program Manager.
Develop and implement templates, timelines, analyses, and processes to support and enhance initiative operations, particularly grant submissions, internal deadlines, team deliverables, initiative spending, and management of active grants. Use good judgment, with understanding of context, to identify priorities and strengthen team operations.
Manage internal team processes ensuring that tasks and responsibilities are clear, and deadlines are met.
Facilitate team coordination, work plans, internal functional relationships, knowledge management, and tracking and accountability of action items.
Support MCI team meetings by drafting and maintaining agendas; taking and distributing meeting notes, action items, and synthesis documents; and coordinating follow-up with individuals and teams.
Collaborate with the Program Director and Program Officers in the formulation and implementation of team processes and, with the Program Manager and other Environmental Conservation Program Operations Associates, in the development and implementation of program-wide processes (e.g., grant submission flow, grant sign-off, grant document templates).
Track and manage priorities within multiple work-streams to support the Program Director’s decision-making, the Program Manager’s oversight of program operations, and the Program Officers’ grant development processes – including data collection and entry, deadline tracking, and grant-requirement follow-up.
Edit written materials and provide recommendations for clarity on initiative documents for internal and external audiences.
On occasion, provide additional support or serve as backup for the Administrative Assistant in planning and coordinating internal or external meetings, events, and other convenings.
Contribute to, and participate in, the foundation’s cross-program activities and projects as needed.
Grants Operations:
Ensure effective and efficient day-to-day grant development and management by facilitating grant development tasks, managing active grant records and requirements, tracking payments, preparing and sending reporting templates to grantees, and responding to communications with grantees and other stakeholders.
Coordinate the grant submission processes for the Program Director and Program Officers, ensuring high quality, consistent, timely, and appropriate products for decision-makers.
Edit draft grant materials, review grant budgets, and help prepare new grants for submission.
Support the Program Director and Program Officers with active grant records, create templates and monitor narrative and financial grant reports and grant payments.
Exercise judgment within defined internal grant procedures and practices to determine appropriate courses of action. Serve as key internal contact for MCI, solving problems and consulting with Grants Administration and Program Manager as needed.
Manage expenditure-responsibility and equivalency-determination requirements, working with grantees, foundation legal staff, and Grants Administration.
Communicate with grantees regarding procedures and grantee relationship management.
Qualifications
Associate’s and/or bachelor’s degree (B.S. or B.A.) preferred.
5+ years of relevant work experience preferred with proven experience in administration, program coordination, and/or project management.
Desired Competencies
Excellent project management and analytical skills.
Diligent attention to detail.
Ability to think critically and provide practical solutions based on thorough analysis in the face of real-time issues.
Interest in and ability to obtain knowledge in marine conservation, philanthropy, and other fields.
Willingness to ask for help and identify appropriate resources to accomplish tasks, when necessary.
Strong team orientation, positive attitude, integrity, self-motivation, discipline, and reliability.
Proficiency with office productivity software (e.g., MS Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Strong written and oral communication skills (e.g., copy editing, drafting memoranda and reports, preparing PowerPoint presentations, taking and distributing meeting notes, and exchanging correspondence with external contacts).
Experience developing, managing, and reviewing budgets.
Ability to work independently, self-manage priorities and goals for projects, anticipate needs, meet deadlines, and multi-task while working well under pressure.
Ability to track action items and accountabilities with a team that works remotely.
Willingness to support and promote the foundation and colleagues through commitment to the foundation’s goals for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Attributes
Our ideal candidate will demonstrate the following attributes that describe how we at the foundation strive to do our work with each other and our partners.
Committed to Excellence - We bring our best to all we do.
Passionate - Inspired by the vision of our founders, we are passionate about our work.
Collegial - We are part of a team striving toward common goals.
Open and Honest - We act with integrity, putting the good of the foundation first.
Humble and Self-Aware - Emulating our founders, we bring a sense of humility to our work.
Compensation and Benefits
The Moore Foundation provides a generous total compensation package that includes a competitive base salary and comprehensive benefits to support your life, health, and well-being.
The salary range for this position starts at $74,580 per year. Offers are based on the candidate's years of experience and our practice of upholding salary equity within the foundation.
Health benefits include employer-paid options for medical insurance and employer-paid dental and vision insurance for employees and dependents; an employee assistance program; employer-paid disability, business travel, and life insurance benefits; paid parental leave; and pre-tax flexible spending accounts for medical and child care expenses.
Other benefits include 6 weeks of paid time off per year of employment and 10 paid holidays; 401(k) retirement savings plan with a foundation contribution of up to 10% and a Roth 401(k) option; matching gifts program for qualifying charitable contributions; hybrid work arrangement; commuter benefits program; tuition assistance; and professional development opportunities.
Application Process
The Moore Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes a diverse pool of applicants. We depend on individuals who possess varied skills, perspectives and expertise. We seek to recognize many forms of excellence in candidates, attract individuals with varied identities and backgrounds, and enable all employees to feel they belong and can contribute to the mission of the Moore Foundation.
We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, marital status, registered domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or on any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law. We also do not discriminate based on the perception that anyone has any of these characteristics or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of these characteristics.
The foundation is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its programs, and operations. As part of this commitment, the foundation will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations.
If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact
[email protected]. A request for an accommodation will be responded to within three business days. However, non-disability related requests, such as following up on an application, will not receive a response.
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the ordinance.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
COVID-19
The Moore Foundation requires that all employees are up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations as defined by the CDC, except as required by law. Any employment offer will be contingent upon satisfactory proof that you are up to date per the CDC definition (which is subject to change over time), subject to reasonable accommodations for medical or religious reasons, and/or as otherwise required by applicable law.