Program Officer, The Belk Foundation

About The Belk Foundation

The Belk Foundation is a family foundation that invests in public education, specifically K-3 achievement and excellent teachers and leaders. It serves as the public expression of gratitude and commitment shown by the family that created the Belk department store organization. The Foundation awards grants in Charlotte and considers select state-level initiatives in North Carolina.

About the Program Officer Role

Working collaboratively with a dynamic small team, the Program Officer will be responsible for offering strategic input into the Foundation's operations and supporting the evaluation and grantmaking process for nonprofit partner organizations and school districts focusing on K-3 literacy, and the teacher and leadership pipeline. This person will build public awareness of the Foundation's mission and grantees, and facilitate the onboarding and professional learning opportunities for the Rising Generation and new members of The Belk Foundation Board.  The Program Officer will cultivate and identify potential grantees through research, networking, community involvement, and relationship-building across Charlotte-Mecklenburg and North Carolina. To succeed in this role, It is essential for this person to have knowledge and a true passion for public education, specifically in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area, but also across the state of North Carolina. The Program Officer must be exceedingly organized, flexible, and thrive on the challenges of an active, mission-focused lean organization.

What You’ll Do (Responsibilities)

Grants management, implementation and support

• Manage the grant process for a portfolio of grants, including but not limited to reviewing grant applications, facilitating the evaluation process, utilizing established online grants system and conducting grant process reviews.
• Support the planning of grantee and stakeholder convenings.
• Respond to the letters of inquiry, including researching and recommending new grantees.
• Provide input to continuously improve the use of the grant management system (Blackbaud).
• Support efforts to implement strategies to improve operational efficiencies within the grantmaking process and general operations of the foundation.

Board development, governance and support

• Support the development and execution of an onboarding plan and individualized learning for the Rising Generation and new members of The Belk Foundation Board.
• Support the continuous improvement of the Rising Generation strategy in order to effectively engage the group in the mission and operations of the Foundation.
• Support the coordination of some Board and grantee meetings, including logistical planning, communication, and material preparation.

Communication and logistical support for foundation activities

• Develop talking points, speaking notes and presentation materials for speaking engagements for the Executive Director and Board Chair.
• Prepare visual presentations and materials for meetings and events.
• Support communication efforts to meeting/event participants.
• Support the development of the annual report and periodic communication updates.
• Provide some logistical planning for meetings, as designated by the Executive Director.
• Proactively support internal and external communication efforts and engagement logistics.
• Develop communications for various audiences, as needed.

Requirements

What Skills You Need to Be Successful (Competencies)

Strategic Planning, Organization, and Effective Execution

• Exhibit strong project management, event planning, and exceptional implementation skills.
• Demonstrate critical thinking skills, including the ability to analyze data, problem solve, and present findings and solutions in a clear and concise manner.
• Possess high expectations for personal and organizational standards and achievements.
• Work proactively with the ability to prioritize responsibilities in a fast-moving and rapidly changing environment, while managing interruptions graciously and effectively.
• Exhibit exceptional organization and multitasking skills with the management of projects and events while still demonstrating a high degree of detail orientation and precision.
• Show a true understanding of the importance and commitment to practicing confidentiality.

Extraordinary Communication and Relationship Building

• Cultivate and maintain collaborative and transparent working relationships with coworkers, Board members and grant seekers/recipients.
• Exhibit the ability to utilize superior written and verbal communication skills.
• Utilize good judgment when managing complex local and statewide partnerships.
• Demonstrate a calm and caring personal style and the ability to function as a unifying force and the ability to function well in a small staff environment.

Organizational Engagement and Purposeful Leadership

• Exhibit a genuine curiosity and interest in the mission of the Foundation and its grantees, along with a commitment to continuous learning.
• Work independently while partnering and collaborating with the Executive Director, other team members and consultants.
• Demonstrate self-confidence, self-awareness and keen judgment when facing multifaceted issues.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree is required, and a Master’s degree in nonprofit management or a related field is preferred.
• Knowledge of Charlotte-area and North Carolina education history, systems, organizations, leaders, and communities is required.
• At least five years of professional work experience in a nonprofit, school district, higher education, or philanthropic organization with a focus on the education sector within North Carolina is required.
• Experience in grant writing and management is preferred.
• Experience with Blackbaud grantmaking system is preferred.
• Knowledge of philanthropic financial and legal responsibilities, including familiarity with private foundation approaches, requirements, and processes is an added plus.
• Experience in aspects of the grantmaking process, including application review, conducting site visits, data analysis, and reporting is preferred.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, research skills and community relations.

Work Environment

This hybrid job provides the flexibility for staff to work in-person for some events and meetings and the option to work remotely on other days.  Our offices are in the SouthPark area of Charlotte, NC. The selected candidate must be located in the Charlotte area.

Travel

Some local travel to meetings and grantee site visits are a requirement of this position. Very minimal out-of-town travel within the state of North Carolina is required for conferences and meetings.

Benefits

The Program Officer role is a 20 hour per week, non-exempt position. The compensation rate is $50 per hour. Benefits include retirement match; healthcare, sick, holiday and vacation pay; parental leave; and professional development opportunities.

As a foundation dedicated to quality education for all students, The Belk Foundation is committed to ensuring our learning and actions uphold diversity, equity, and inclusion. This commitment is critical to deepening our relevance, credibility, and effectiveness, and it will strengthen our mission to improve education for present and future generations.

We seek diversity of thought, background, and experience in those we engage with, learn from, and invest in; policies and practices that provide genuine opportunities for people of all races, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds to thrive; and an environment where our staff, volunteers, and partners feel valued and respected. We encourage applicants who represent the diversity of the Charlotte area and North Carolina.