Program Specialist

THE W.K. KELLOGG FOUNDATION

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), an international foundation headquartered in Battle Creek, Michigan with regional offices in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Mexico City is a leading philanthropic institution that supports thriving children, working families, equitable communities, and the dynamic connections among them. The New Mexico office in Albuquerque collaborates with grantee organizations, communities, and other stakeholders throughout New Mexico.

“The W.K. Kellogg Foundation supports children, families, and communities as they strengthen and create conditions that propel vulnerable children to achieve success as individuals and as contributors to the larger community and society.”

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Program Specialist cultivates and maintains relationships with program staff, grant seekers, grantees and other internal and external partners by using foundation best practices and providing appropriate technical and systems support in the development and implementation associated with all aspects of foundation programming efforts.

Key Responsibilities & Essential Functions

A specialist at the foundation generally has the following responsibilities:

• Serve as first point of contact and liaison for current and prospective grantees.
• Provide technical support and assistance to key internal and external contacts including grantees, vendors, community partners and others.
• Format and present information from grantee partners and the field (articles, reports, briefings, presentations, etc.).
• Ensure integrity of data in organizational programming and systems.
• Handle administrative and logistical processes (correspondence, scheduling, travel, meeting prep and follow-up).
• Assist with planning and execution of events and meetings.

Specifically, program specialists are responsible for the following:

Administration

• Coordinate and manage all administrative aspects of the position, to include calendaring of calls and meetings, coordination of travel requests and expense reports, meetings, presentations, administrative planning and management.
• Perform other related administrative duties as assigned, including serving as backup and providing other workload assistance on the team upon request.

Managing Grant Proposals and Budgets

• Build and maintain strong, authentic relationships with grant leads, foundation grantseekers and grantees for effective communication and partnership to provide quality customer service and ensure understanding of the foundation’s strategic direction, processes and expectations.
• Partner with program staff to facilitate the flow and to monitor timing of multidimensional funding processes to meet critical deadlines and ongoing payout targets.
• In partnership with other program staff, conduct, analyze, summarize and share research, including data collection, areas of strategic interest, and create and manage key programming reports.

Grant Portfolio Management

• Operate as a liaison through interactions, verbal and written correspondence with grantseekers, grantees, and staff to obtain and provide information as well as receive and process required documentation.
• Make recommendations for improvements based on internal and external feedback for Fluxx and other data systems to include participating in internal working groups.
• Manage the grantmaking process according to organizational policies, including budget/commitment revisions and payments/delivery dates and ensure reports are submitted and grants are closed within the foundation’s acceptable timeline.

Program and Operations Contracts

• Assist the contract leads with the processing and management of program and operations contracts; partnering with the lead to process any amendments as appropriate. Ensure all deliverables have been received and payments have been made prior to closing the contract.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

While no candidate is expected to have all of the desired qualifications, strong applicants will have a track record of successful and relevant professional experience and a demonstrated commitment to the values and mission of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Ideal candidates will have:

Qualities and Characteristics

• Strong alignment with WKKF’s values and DNA
• Intercultural competence
• Openness / self-awareness
• Ego-management
• Systems thinker
• Brings people together
• Change competence
• Collaborative
• Conflict competence
• Listens well
• Talent architect / people developer
• Empowers leadership
• Trust builder
• Shares accountability and responsibility
• Results-oriented

Education & Experience

• Required - Minimum of associate degree plus three years of administrative or management support experience; or high school diploma or equivalent with at least five years of previously mentioned experience.
• Foundation or nonprofit experience helpful
• Successful experience working as part of a multidisciplinary and multinational team and working effectively with persons from diverse cultural, social, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. Displays respect and cultural competence, willingness to engage in ongoing learning about systemic oppression and its impact on self and communities.
• Indigenous or Spanish language skills highly desired.

Core Capabilities

• Strong skills in interpersonal and relationship building, written and oral communication and judgment.
• Understanding of WKKF issues and priorities.
• Adaptable to working with broad and diverse audiences.
• Knowledge of project management and workflow approaches and technologies; research skills including data collection, analysis, interpretation and communication.
• Ability to collaborate with colleagues, teams, grantees, partners and communities.
• Ability to problem solve using an analytical approach, understanding processes and workflows.
• Demonstrated agility in day-to-day work.
• Demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional and personal development.
• Highly developed customer service skills: proactive, detail-oriented, responsive, results-oriented, helpful and resourceful.

Compensation and Impact

• Salary Range: $60,000 - $75,000
• The "Why": This role is more than administrative; it is an opportunity to strengthen the conditions that allow vulnerable children and families in New Mexico to thrive.

TO APPLY

More information about the W.K. Kellogg Foundation may be found at: www.wkkf.org

This search is being led by Katherine Jacobs and Jehivian Hernandez of GDSI Leadership. Due to the pace of this search, candidates are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Candidates may submit their cover letter, outlining their interest and qualifications, along with their resume, via GDSI’s applicant portal.

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants.