Director of Programs Administration

The Director of Programs Administration leads process improvement efforts that support the standardized grant monitoring and related responsibilities of Program Officers. This role strengthens organizational excellence by developing training, providing resources, and managing internal operations related to Programs team workflows and processes.

The Director of Programs Administration also manages a portfolio of active projects and takes on new applications in areas including public infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, and other projects aligned with Golden LEAF priority areas. The majority of projects are expected to be related to public infrastructure in the context of economic development.

This role reports to the Senior Vice President/General Counsel and collaborates closely with programs leadership. This role will have shared oversight of six program officers and direct oversight of the Program Associate. This role participates as a member of the President’s management team.

Golden LEAF Programs Team Overview

From application, all projects are assigned a Primary Staff and Program Lead. The Senior Program Officer, Director of Programs, Vice President/Chief of Staff, Senior Vice President/General Counsel, and the Director of Programs Administration serve as Program Leads. Program Officers typically serve as Primary Staff. The Programs team also includes a Director of Grant Systems and Data who collaborates closely with this role. 

In their role as Primary Staff, Program Officers may work with different Program Leads, depending on the project and their area of focus. Golden LEAF has a team of eight Program Officers. 

This role differs from the roles of other Program Leads because it includes responsibility for implementation, oversight, and improvement of the Foundation’s policies and practices in Programs administration. This role reflects a new reorganization of responsibilities within the Programs team to dedicate staff resources to these functions. The Foundation anticipates that this position may spend more time on Programs administration in an average week than on reviewing applications and monitoring individual awards.

Primary Functions

Programs Administration

• Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of program guidelines for applicants, grantees, and staff.
• Provide training, guidance, and feedback to Program Officers, reinforcing established processes for communication and decision-making.
• Conduct workload reviews for Program Officers, including scheduling, analyzing reports, and identifying issues that need attention from leadership (in collaboration with other Program Leads).
• Maintain and update Program Officer desk review expectations and related materials to ensure alignment with Golden LEAF’s Grant Monitoring Policy.
• Review data regarding programs trends (project and reporting timelines and timeliness) and develop and implement processes to address bottlenecks or other challenges, including compliance issues.
• Ensure Programs team compliance with internal organizational requirements (leave tracking, professional development, etc.).

Grant Application Review and Monitoring Funded Projects

• Evaluate proposals for alignment with the Foundation’s funding priorities, and, with the Senior Vice President and other programs staff, develop recommendations to the Programs Committee and Board.
• Review and approve items completed by Program Officers, including reports, requests for payments, modifications, extensions, and budget revisions, and provide appropriate feedback to Program Officers.
• Respond to inquiries from potential applicants interested in applying for Golden LEAF funding.

Sample day-to-day activities

In this role, you may: 

• Pull a report of overdue reports and work with a Program Officer to prioritize and strategize follow up with grantees
• Update guidelines for grantees related to submitting payment requests to address frequently asked questions (in collaboration with the Director of Grant Systems and Data)
• Prepare for a site visit to conduct due diligence on an application ahead of a Board meeting
• Plan for and lead a training session with Program Officers regarding required components for financial review
• Meet with a grantee and Program Officer to discuss implementation of a grant
• Respond to an inquiry from a potential applicant 

Preferred Attributes

• Effective communication skills, including written communications, and the ability to interact with individuals from diverse backgrounds
• Strong research, analytical, investigative, and organizational capabilities as well as the ability to distill ideas and clarify issues
• A strong work ethic, including ability to work independently, plan, set goals and objectives, organize, follow through, and meet deadlines
• Capacity to manage multiple responsibilities at once and to prioritize projects to align with organizational needs
• Knowledge of the nonprofit, educational, and/or governmental sectors
• Understanding and appreciation for economic challenges and opportunities of North Carolina’s rural communities
• Attraction to the mission of the Golden LEAF Foundation and a desire to be part of a mission-driven team are highly desired
• Exceptional standards of professionalism, integrity and honesty, and commitment to quality in all aspects of work

Minimum Qualifications

• A minimum of five years experience relevant to the Primary Functions of the Director of Programs Administration position listed above including experience with governmental, educational, and/or nonprofit sector entities and with grant reporting or grant management
• Interest in learning concepts regarding public infrastructure including water, sewer, and buildings, especially in the context of economic development, healthcare job creation, agriculture job creation, applied agricultural research, and strategies and programs to support rural economic development
• Project management experience, including developing necessary steps for implementation, assigning responsibility for activities, providing updates to team members, and setting and managing deadlines
• Experience supervising staff including evaluating performance, providing feedback, and managing or conducting staff training
• Demonstrated proficiency in the use of common software programs including Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel, and the ability to learn to use a grants management system (Golden LEAF uses Fluxx)

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with concepts regarding public infrastructure, especially in the context of economic development, and with strategies and programs to support rural economic development
• Knowledge of purchasing, billing, and financial reporting practices in the not-for-profit and governmental sectors will be helpful
• Demonstrated experience developing project management strategies and implementing applications to track and manage tasks (Golden LEAF uses Asana and Airtable)
• Familiarity with strategies and processes for organizational improvement or development