The Ford Foundation is a New York headquartered, globally- oriented private philanthropic foundation. We believe in the inherent dignity of all people. In addressing the reality of inequality, we are guided by a vision of social justice a world in which all individuals, communities, and peoples work toward the protection and full expression of their human rights; are active participants in the decisions that affect them; share equitably in the knowledge, wealth, and resources of society; and are free to achieve their full potential.
Based in Johannesburg, The Ford Foundation seeks to fill the following vacancy:
PROGRAM ASSISTANT
The Program Assistant will provide key support to Program Officers who serve as grant-makers for the Foundation and manages various activities for the Program Officers including interfacing with grantees to ensure timely response to their requests. The Program Assistant also takes a lead role in organizing grantee convenings and helps to manage the various workflows of the program team more generally. The role will also involve simplifying and packaging information for disseminating or sharing both internally and externally.
Key responsibilities for this position include:
Be the first point of contact for grantees requiring assistance in the absence of the relevant Program Officers
Manage multiple calendars, appointments, and group meetings for the program team
Support document management and storage in institutional document repositories
Assist Program Officers in responding to requests from grantees, potential partners, stakeholders and the various departments within the Foundation
Assist with grantee-related matters including maintaining contact information, planning and coordination of logistics for site visits and grantee meetings
Act as thought partner to Program Officers in developing ideas for and shaping grantee convenings
Assist with the preparation of presentations and other materials for program staff
Package materials developed by program team into simple and digestible formats, and use latest technologies to make it visually appealing and easily understandable for wide-ranging audiences
Support the Administrative/Operations Assistant for travel involving Program Officers and grantees attending Foundation-related events
Submit and track Concur requests during and after a trip has been completed as required
Track DCA and travel budgets for Program Officers in consultation with Operations Manager
Assist program staff to identify consultants for various initiatives where necessary, arrange their contracts with the operations team, and manage the contracts
Represent the Foundation in any given environment, particularly in terms of liaising with grantees, potential grantees and external stakeholders.
The Program Assistant must meet the following criteria:
1-2 years of office experience or equivalent internship experience
Baccalaureate degree or undergraduate level experience
Strong commitment to promoting social justice
Detailed knowledge of and demonstrated proficiency in the use of office computer applications, including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook; technology certification (such as Microsoft Office Specialist) or equivalent experience
Ability to use communications tools to design easy-to-use materials like infographics, PowerPoint presentations, and related documents
Demonstrated proficiency in utilizing on-line information resources and data tools for information retrieval and data entry
Capacity to undertake Internet-based research
Effective oral and written communications skills and the ability to handle communications tactfully and professionally with a high attention to detail
Ability to prioritize work assignments, handle multiple tasks and function independently
Ability to work in diverse teams with shared responsibility and accountability
View the full job description and application instructions on the Vacancies page at www.actionappointments.co.za and email your application by Monday 28th June 2021 to [email protected]