Description

PROGRAM OFFICER, SCIENCE

Part-Time Position Description (16 hrs/wk)

Organization 

The Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck (PCLB) Foundation is a private family foundation that seeks to help people solve problems in their communities. Our program areas are education, outdoors, medicine, science, and family projects. In those areas, we identify and support dynamic leaders and effective organizations who work unselfishly to improve and empower those around them. We provide problem-solvers with connections, information, experience, and money that they need to provide their communities with critical skills and resources—ultimately, to do something remarkable. 

 Position Summary 

As a member of PCLB’s Program Team, the Program Officer for Science will be a part-time position working 16 hours per week and will lead the overall work of the Science Program Area in alignment with the Foundation’s strategic plan and 10-year goals. The Program Officer supports the Foundation with the development, prioritization, and execution of grant strategies for this portfolio, work which includes seeking rigorous evidence about strategy effectiveness and impact; identification and vetting of potential grantee organizations; monitoring of grant awards; and relationship building with grantees and relevant field experts. 

 The ideal candidate for this position can think strategically about PCLB’s broad goals to fund science broadly through support for "incubator" organizations, while remaining focused on the detail-oriented work and follow-through required of our grant-making process. The candidate will be an avid learner who can expertly apply their significant pre-existing knowledge of science generally, together with new knowledge to further PCLB’s 10-Year goals. These goals include finding and supporting incubator-like organizations with missions aligned with PCLB's goals of supporting novel, underfunded, and collaborative research, while encouraging thinking outside the traditional mental models of science. PCLB's funding will be directed in ways that, ultimately, help to advance scientific knowledge and make the world a better place. The ideal candidate will thrive on building relationships and strategic partnerships and will find joy in science philanthropy.  We hope to go further and faster together on shared goals – while holding everyone accountable for results. 

Responsibilities 

Grant Strategy Development:

• Participates in the ongoing development and execution of grant strategies to achieve PCLB’s 10-year goals, including design of clear action plans that prioritize the implementation of demonstrated high-impact tactics or high-potential, innovative projects that will accelerate progress on our goals. 
• Stays up-to-date on and synthesizes relevant academic and popular research, activities, insights, and trends in the field to shape/evolve strategies and tactics in the Science Program Area.
• Establishes rigorous evaluation processes and measures to assess impact in Science and progress toward PCLB’s goals and uses evaluation results to improve/inform next steps. 

Grant-making:

• Manages a portfolio of grants that are aligned to PCLB’s strategic priorities and propel us forward to achieve PCLB’s 10-year goals. 
• Identifies potential grantees through research and conversations with practitioners/field experts. 
• Becomes familiar with potential grantees’ work through research, site visits, calls, and other communications. Actively engages with existing grantees to support  PCLB’s grant-making and the organizations’ success throughout the grant period. 
• Executes the grant-making process within deadlines, including review of applications/reports and creation of internal-facing assessment documents. 
• Makes internal presentations to the Board of Directors and colleagues to explain overall portfolio strategy and rationale for the recommended docket of grants. 
• Establishes the appropriate indicators or methods to assess the success and progress of grantees’ work, adjusting grant-making activities as needed based on assessment.  

Grantee Relationship Building: 

• Actively engages with grantees through site visits, meetings, phone calls and other channels to understand the organization’s work; to review opportunities, challenges, and advances; encourage collaboration and exchange learnings; and celebrate/champion grantees’ successes.  
• Partners with grantees to address emerging challenges, offering experienced-informed assessments and supports (technical assistance, referrals to resources, etc.) for moving forward. 
• Preserves institutional knowledge and shares learnings internally by documenting critical information about grantee work and relationships. 
• On-going Learning and Development 
• Develops annual plans to engage the Board of Directors in the Science grant-making activities and translates science into impact to help the Board feel connected to the work and long-term goals of the funded research projects.
• Internally, enthusiastically promotes and participates in a culture of learning and continuous improvement, and finds joy in sharing this learning with colleagues and Board Directors.
• Externally, identifies and pursues opportunities to learn from, collaborate, and build external relationships with peer funders and leaders in the fields related to the Science Program Area. 

 Qualifications 

A qualified candidate possesses: 

• Commitment to the Foundation’s core values of Excellence, Fairness, Humility, Self-Reliance, and Trustworthiness. 
• Commitment to and belief in the Foundation’s core program areas and portfolios.  
• Subject matter knowledge with broad expertise, experience, and interest in science generally. Familiarity with science philanthropy a plus.
• Excellent quantitative, qualitative, and analysis skills and comfort in using applicable technology. 
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of individuals. 
• Superb project management skills to manage multiple projects simultaneously and complete work on time.  
• Discretion and commitment to organizational confidentiality. 
• Willingness to travel and to work flexible hours, as necessary. 
• A Bachelor’s degree; master’s degree preferred, Ph.D. a plus. Must have a minimum of 5-10 years of related experience, preferably to include the scientific research process and philanthropic funding of science. 

Location 

This position is based out of PCLB's NYC office.  Qualified candidates must be able to work in person in the New York City office on Wednesdays. The second day of work may be remote, work permitting. 

 Compensation  

The annual salary range is $46,000 to $53,000 and the salary is commensurate with the candidate’s skills and experience.  This position does include paid time off but does not include health benefits. 

Application Process 

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to careers@pclbfoundation.org. In the subject line, name the title of the position for which you are applying and indicate where you saw the announcement. We will review applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled.  

The Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation is an equal opportunity employer.