Jobs Board

Hiring: Foundation Program Associate/Chicago

Now Hiring:
Chicago-based Circle of Service Foundation.

Program Associate – Jewish Community Program Area

Circle of Service Foundation (“COSF” and “Foundation”) makes grants in the areas of Community Services, Education, Jewish Community, Medical Research, Violence Reduction and Climate.

The Foundation seeks a Program Associate who will support the Foundation’s Jewish Community Program in all aspects of grant review and grantmaking, including administration, research and special projects. The Jewish Community Program supports a wide range of education and social service agencies, primarily in the Chicago area, as well as in Israel and internationally. The Program Associate will report to the Jewish Community Senior Program Officer.

Major Responsibilities:

Assist in Grantmaking and Monitoring (approximately 60% of time)

• Support the Jewish Community Senior Program Officer in the grant review process, including checking grant materials for accuracy, scheduling site visits, and preparing materials for board and committee review.
• Insightfully evaluate grant proposals – including analyzing organization and program goals, outcomes, financial data, sources of funding and other relevant information and appropriately applying qualitative and quantitative analysis.
• Establish and maintain relationships with grant applicants – including communicating with grant applicants, conducting site visits and requesting and providing information related to the grantmaking process.
• Prepare summary and analysis of assigned grant proposals and recommendation of Foundation action.
• Monitor performance and progress of organizations receiving grants from the Foundation. Recommend interim Foundation action as appropriate.

Lead and Participate in Jewish Community Program Projects and Provide Administrative Support (approximately 40% of time)

• Analyze and synthesize trends and opportunities in the Foundation’s funding areas, in conjunction with the Senior Program Officer.
• Undertake research in areas of existing grantmaking and potential areas of future interest in the Jewish Community Program.
• Absorb and synthesize research, presentations and other information relevant to the fields in which the Foundation works.
• Represent the Foundation to funder groups and other networks.
• Plan, coordinate and/or participate in Jewish Community Program projects as needed.
• Collaborate with other members of the Foundation’s team to support internal project priorities.
• Draft and maintain Foundation communications, including, but not limited to, language for the Foundation’s website, board communications and communications with grant applicants, grant recipients and others.
• Revise and maintain the Foundation’s application and reporting tools, in coordination with the Director of Grants Management and Operations.
• Provide administrative support to Jewish Community Program through scheduling, note-taking and other tasks, as needed.
• Maintain knowledge management systems within Jewish Community Program.

Preferred Qualifications and Experience:

• Interest in supporting and engaging in a thriving Jewish community in Chicago and globally.
• Bachelor’s degree
• Three to five years’ professional experience in a nonprofit or for-profit environment requiring research, writing and analytic thinking skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively among a team – both with internal colleagues and external colleagues.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Attentive to detail; excellent capacity to handle multiple projects simultaneously; strong time-management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as a self-starter.
• Excellent organizational skills and qualitative and quantitative analytical skills.
• Demonstrated creativity and entrepreneurial spirit.
• A person described by their peers as humble, honest, hardworking, strategic, adaptable and enthusiastic.

Additional Information:

• Full-time position
• Compensation: Competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for the position will be discussed early in the interview process.
• When appropriate, travel to locations throughout Cook and Lake Counties will be required regularly for site visits and other meetings.
• Available benefits:
• Insurance: Health, Dental, Life Insurance, Disability, Long-Term Care
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Flexible Spending Account
• Vacation and holidays
• Sick/Personal time
• Matching gift program
• All Foundation coworkers are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 , including a “booster shot”, or have been approved for a legally required accommodation.

Remote Work Policy: COSF currently expects all team members to work onsite in its downtown Chicago office two days per week. It is possible that COSF will increase in-office expectations. COSF has announced to coworkers, however, that, even if there are further increases, COSF will not increase in-office expectations to more than four days per week, so some amount of hybrid work will continue indefinitely.

Commitment to a Diverse and Inclusive Team 

The Foundation is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and actively invites applications from individuals who identify as a member of a traditionally marginalized and/or underrepresented community.

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Essential Functions and Requirements

The information contained in this job description is intended to convey information about the essential functions and requirements of the position. It is not an exhaustive list of the skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the opportunity.

Background Check and Pre-Employment Drug Test

Please note that we will conduct a criminal background check prior to finalizing an offer, but we will use it in compliance with Illinois law – primarily to assess whether a candidate has one or more criminal convictions that would have a substantial relationship with the position. We will also require a pre-employment drug test after a conditional offer of employment has been extended, noting that we will only test for drugs that are not legal under Illinois law.

Application Process

Please contact careers@cosfoundation.org if you have difficulty submitting your application via JazzHR and/or have other technical concerns.