Program Assistant- Restoration

Position Background:

The Chesapeake Bay Trust, a non-profit grantmaking organization, seeks a Restoration Program Assistant for our Annapolis, MD, location to primarily support the Restoration team’s body of work, including grant review, grant management, grant tracking, and database management. This person will be a key member of a 40+ person staff. This position is a full-time salaried position (40 hours per week). Within the first 6 months, this position will be expected to be in the Trust offices in Annapolis, Maryland at least two days per week, with remote work possible for the remainder of the week. After the 6-month probation period, there will be an opportunity to reassess the number of in-office and remote workdays. This role reports to a Restoration Program Manager.

Established in 1985, the Chesapeake Bay Trust uses grantmaking as a method to promote community-based participation in the restoration and protection of the natural resources of Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay region. In the past fifteen years, the Trust has doubled its grant-making five times through new revenue from a wide range of partners, with current annual grant-making of approximately $25 million. The Trust currently allocates these grant funds through 350-400 awards per year to entities who apply through open, competitive calls for proposals as well as programs such as the Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps.

Specific Responsibilities:

The person in this position will spend approximately 80% of their time assisting the Restoration team in advancing its mission, and approximately 20% of their time supporting the Trust in other avenues of work. Specific duties include:

• Assist in the management of grants that advance the Trust’s restoration and stewardship goals, including the steps of proposal review (programmatic and budgetary aspects), project site visits, status and expense report review, award revision requests, and final report/close-out, for a subset of the Trust’s award portfolio. Some management activities may require site visits.
• Serve as the lead on grantee correspondence for the Restoration team.
• Prepare grant reports and meeting preparation material for staff and review committees.
• Prepare queries of grant data as needed for a variety of purposes, such as funding partner requests, reports to the Board of Trustees, legislature, the Trust’s website, and more.
• Provide support to a subset of not-for-profit organizations in the preparation of grant proposals and in the management of grant awards.
• Support the Restoration team with grant program advertisement.
• Develop and post grant-related website content to celebrate project/program success.
• Assist the Restoration team with event logistics (e.g., compiling registration list(s), presentation slides, meeting materials such as an agenda for a team meeting, taking meeting notes), including review committee days and external events such as grantee workshops, press events, and/or symposia.
• Support internal and external meeting logistics including hosting meetings on virtual platforms such as Zoom and/or Microsoft Teams.
• Assist the Restoration team with special projects, such as grantee newsletters, social media posts, blogs, and/or annual reports.
• Serve with the other Program Assistant in the Outreach and Restoration program team as a Trust lead of the online grants system and database software with tasks to include development and refinement of grant application forms, reviewer forms, data fields, award and decline letters/notifications, and any updates needed to improve efficiency.
• Support several administrative functions, such as tracking and recording grants, reviewing award milestones to submit for payment, and supporting quarterly reporting to our funding partners.
• Advance recommendations received from the Trust’s external diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice advisory committee and the Trust’s internal action team.
• Other projects and duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Skills:

• High level of proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite of programs (especially Excel, Word, and PowerPoint) (required).
• Ability to tackle multiple tasks in a timely and effective manner (required).
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail (required).
• Ability to work independently and in team settings (required).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills (required).
• Personal vehicle or access to a vehicle/transportation and valid driver’s license or access to transportation options necessary to facilitate site visit travel and travel to the office (required).
• Experience with at least one database that illustrates ability to learn (preferred).
• Bachelor’s degree (preferred).
• An interest in environmental and community health issues (preferred).

Salary and Benefits: $51,000 to $54,000

Benefits include:

• Health Insurance with choice of medical plan and prescription, dental, vision, and life and disability insurance options, along with flexible spending accounts
• 401K retirement savings program with match
• Starting at 10 accrued vacation days, 7 accrued sick days, and 4 personal days annually
• Compensatory time available for overtime hours worked
• Eleven paid holidays per year
• Individual Professional Development fund

A successful candidate with less experience in some of the responsibilities listed above will be offered a starting salary at the lower end of this range. A successful candidate with more experience in the responsibilities listed above will be considered at a higher starting salary.

Application Instructions and Deadline:

The position will remain open until filled. Please submit your résumé and cover letter to apply. Your cover letter is the most important piece of your application. In your cover letter, please address your ability, based on your skills and experience, to accomplish the specific duties of the position as outlined above. Your cover letter should describe what makes you a strong match specifically for this position, and why this position is a match for you.

The Chesapeake Bay Trust (Trust) provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Applicants must have a residential address in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, or Washington D.C and must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. The Trust does not participate in programs that require sponsorship for work visas.

• Health Insurance with choice of medical plan and prescription, dental, vision, and life and disability insurance options, along with flexible spending accounts
• 401K retirement savings program with match
• Starting at 10 accrued vacation days, 7 accrued sick days, and 4 personal days annually
• Compensatory time available for overtime hours worked
• Eleven paid holidays per year
• Individual Professional Development fund