May 19, 2023

Grants and Operations Coordinator Position Announcement

About The Lloyd A. Fry Foundation:
Our vision is a Chicago that offers education, prosperity, and hope for all. The Foundation awards $8 million in grants each year across four main program areas: Arts Learning, Education, Employment and Health. Across all of our funding areas, our focus is on helping organizations: Build capacity to enhance the quality of services and better assess the impact of programs; Develop successful program innovations that other organizations in the field can learn from or adopt; and Share knowledge so that information which can help low-income communities and individuals is widely and readily available. For more information, visit www.FryFoundation.org.

Title: Grants and Operations Coordinator
Supervised by: President
Status: Full-time, non-exempt

Position Summary:
The Lloyd A. Fry Foundation seeks to hire a full-time Grants and Operations Coordinator to support the Foundation’s grantmaking, program administration and day-to-day operations. This position works closely with members of the Program and Administrative teams, playing an integral part in supporting and coordinating various administrative, financial, and communications functions related to grantmaking within the Foundation. This role coordinates and oversees operational and administrative duties, such as supporting the President and Program Staff with administrative tasks, managing business activities in the office, and effectively collaborating with others while leading and executing special projects for the organization. This role serves as a first point of contact for grantees and the public, providing information on the Foundation’s guidelines, the grant proposal process, and assisting with database issues. They are responsible for assisting the Grants and Operations Manager with the Fry Foundation’s grants management system and processes, which includes processing grants and related activities, preparing reports for board meetings, and providing technical assistance for staff and external stakeholders. The Grants and Operations Coordinator works with the Administrative team to ensure that the Foundation’s grantmaking and related processes, documents, procedures, and implementation are executed professionally, efficiently, on schedule, and in a manner consistent with best practices.

Below are the ongoing responsibilities that fall into two areas – operations coordination and grants administration.

Operations Duties:

• Manages relationships with office service providers such as building maintenance, IT service provider, and equipment vendors; reviews and reconciles invoices.
• Supports the Foundation’s finance and communication functions.
• Supports Program Officers and President with drafting correspondence, coordinating site visits and other meetings, organizing travel arrangements and other administrative tasks as needed.
• Processes expense reports for President and Program Officers, in collaboration with Controller.
• Coordinates logistics for in-person, remote and hybrid meetings: manage invitations, RSVP’s, space set-up/clean-up, plan meals, produce materials, handle A/V needs, manage and troubleshoot videoconference platforms, etc.
• Maintains office calendars with board meetings, grant cycle dates, holidays, etc.
• Uses advanced office technology, including Microsoft Suite, Adobe, and other software, to produce reports, create charts, summarize data, and prepare presentations.
• Helps to maintain and update the Fry Foundation website.
• Maintains the office’s shared spaces; ensures that reception, kitchen, library, conference and workroom spaces are organized and stocked with supplies as needed.
• Manages incoming and outgoing mail; distributes mail to the appropriate parties, tracks subscriptions and coordinates delivery of packages.
• Follows through on special projects and other duties as assigned.

Grants Duties:

• Serves as a point of contact for applicants and grantees who need assistance in using the Fry Foundation’s grants management system for submission of applications and reports.
• Answers routine inquiries about Fry Foundation’s programs and priorities, including deadlines, guidelines, and the proposal review process; fields general inquiries via phone and email and routes communication to appropriate staff.
• Collaborates with Program and Administrative teams to effectively implement grant processes throughout all stages including receiving and tracking all inquiries and proposals, assuring submitted documentation meets the Foundation’s application requirements, following through on grant agreements, and requesting payment processing; maintains confidentiality of all grant-related information.
• Supports the Grants and Operations Manager with maintaining the online grants database.
• Generates reports from the grants management system and/or other sources of information.
• Supports the preparation of board book materials for quarterly board meetings, including proposal review documents, financial reports, and the printing, assembly, and circulation of board books.

Work Environment:

• This position operates primarily in a professional office environment that is accessible.
• This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, scanners, and filing cabinets. It also involves clearing dishes from tables and loading a dishwasher. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear and read a computer monitor. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must frequently lift and/or move objects up to 25 pounds.
• This is a full-time position. Days of work are Monday through Friday.
• Decisions and criteria governing the employment relationship with all employees are made in a non-discriminatory manner, without regard to race, ethnicity, creed, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, citizenship status, military service and/or marital status, order of protection status, handicap, disability, or any other factor determined to be unlawful by federal, state, or local statutes.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of three years of relevant experience, preferably in a nonprofit or foundation environment.
• Proficiency in MS Office with emphasis on Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Previous experience working with databases: data entry, running customized queries and producing customized reports.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Excellent writing and proofreading skills.
• Needs to be comfortable communicating with individuals at all levels; and working with all styles and personalities.
• Needs to be comfortable and enjoy working with data, numbers, and charts.
• Exceptionally detail oriented and meticulous, with strong project management skills and attention to follow up.

Compensation: Salary is in the $40,000-$55,000 range, based on experience. Excellent employee benefits include 3 weeks of vacation, paid sick days and employer-paid health insurance (85% of the premium). A 403B retirement plan is available.

Application Process: Interested applicants should email a cover letter articulating how their skills and experience meet the responsibilities noted above, salary requirement, and a resume to search(at)fryfoundation.org. Subject line should read: Your Name Grants and Operations Coordinator. No phone calls please. The Foundation seeks to fill this position as soon as possible and will work actively to build a highly diverse pool of candidates.