The Program Officer, Grants is responsible for creating, executing, and managing innovative and equitable funding opportunities to support public humanities programs that advance the mission of Maryland Humanities and the goals of our Strategic Plan.
The Program Officer reports to the Director of Programs, supervises assigned Program Coordinators and/or Assistants, and collaborates closely with other program staff, all Maryland Humanities staff, and the Grants Committee of the Board.
Salary Range: $61,000-$67,000
FLSA Status: Exempt; Permanent; Full-time (35 hours/week)
Reports to: Director of Programs
Working Conditions: Hybrid
Supervisory Responsibilities: This position oversees and manages the Program Coordinator, Grants position.
Duties/Responsibilities:
Program Management (95%)
• The management and overall administration of the Grants Program, including personnel, budget and reporting; special initiative RFPs; and new grant-making strategies
• In collaboration with the Grants Committee and Director of Programs, the continued development of revised goals, criteria, funding allocations, guidelines, and an implementation schedule for the Grants Program that support the Strategic Plan
• Developing partnership and outreach opportunities to organizations that broaden the pool of applicants and deepen the relationships with grant partners and participants from broad and diverse constituencies throughout Maryland
• Leading grants workshops and providing feedback to humanities partners that connect them to Maryland Humanities’ grant program and other grant opportunities from other sources
• Providing guidance and support to applicants in proposal development and implementation
• Managing the Grants Committee review and award process
• Monitoring and aligning grants policy and procedures to adapt to changing priorities, equity needs, best practices, and grantee/applicant feedback
• Helping to identify funding opportunities and assisting with the preparation of proposals and reports to funders
• Maintaining evaluation and other data and reporting on program results each year
• Managing the Program Coordinator for Grants
• Performing additional job-related duties as assigned by the Director of Programs
External Relations (5%)
• Representing Maryland Humanities at appropriate events, serving as a liaison with cultural, educational, and community groups across Maryland and the general public
• Representing Maryland Humanities at state and national meetings and conferences, as well as on committees and task forces as they relate to Maryland Humanities’ programming
Required Skills/Abilities:
• An interest in learning and enhancing skills that promote equity, inclusion, and cultural responsiveness, and an understanding of systems of oppression and their impact on community
• Demonstrated commitment to and passion for the creation of inclusive spaces and to the equitable treatment of all—including participants, audiences, supporters, staff, and board—at every level of the organization
• Attention to detail, accuracy, and consistency in executing tasks for internal as well as external audiences
• Ability to hold accountability and shared ownership of projects and tasks
Education and Experience:
• Demonstrated experience in the development, management, implementation, evaluation, and promotion of innovative grant-making
• Experience with deliberative and strategic grant making
• Knowledge of the nonprofit sector, including trends and best practices specifically as they relate to increasing equity in grant-making
Preferred Attributes and Qualities:
• Skilled in examining and re-engineering program operations and procedures
• Adaptable to change
• Creativity
• Strong communication and active listening skills with coworkers and a wide range of stakeholders
• Dependability and timeliness
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple deadlines
• Experience with some database and/or application software experience preferred, Foundant and eTapestry experience a plus
• Ability to anticipate needs and align resources
Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:
• Maryland Humanities offices are located in Baltimore, MD. The office is open for staff to work from as needed. Each staff person is expected to join on-site team meetings at least 1 day per month.
• This position will be required to travel statewide as well as work some evenings and weekends (accommodations can be made for applicants without a vehicle)
• Prolonged periods of sitting and working on a computer
Additional Details:
No one candidate will be perfect for this job. The skills and experience needed to be successful in this job exist on a spectrum. Frequently cited statistics show that candidates with disabilities, BIPOC candidates, women, and members of marginalized and/or systematically excluded groups apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. Maryland Humanities is happy to leave that statistic in the past. No one ever meets 100% of the qualifications. Please just apply.
What we are offering
• The annual salary for this position is $61,000-$67,000.
• Employees are eligible for employer-provided health and dental insurance coverage (two plans offered, including one 100% employer paid), flex benefits, retirement (including a 4% employer contribution), monthly stipend to offset parking and/or work-from-home expenses, and annual funding for professional development.
• We have 21 days of vacation per year and 12 days of sick leave per year as well as access to advance and donated leave if needed
• 15 paid holidays and 2 floating holidays prorated for part time. Access to holiday exchange (i.e. observing Eid Al-Adha instead of Christmas)
• We offer a sabbatical with up to 6 weeks after five years of service and up to 10 weeks after 10 or more years of service.
• We offer Extended Family and Medical Leave of 12 weeks with additional eligibility for 4 weeks of a gradual return to work
• We traditionally close the offices at the end of the year, Dec 24–Jan 1.
Maryland Humanities’ staff have established shared working values, linked here.
What to expect
Step one: All submissions will be initially reviewed after May 1 and the initial candidate pool will be formed. Not all submissions will make it into the candidate pool. Once the pool of candidates is established, a brief phone interview will be set up with the Director of Programs.
Step two: Remaining candidates will take part in an interview with members of the Maryland Humanities Team via Zoom or in-person depending on the state of the pandemic, and the comfort level of everyone involved. The final candidate will be selected after this interview.
Step Three: Selection and placement of the final candidate. Placement for this position is anticipated to occur in May 2023. Once the final candidate has accepted their offer of employment, all other applicants will be notified of their status.
To Apply: To be considered for the role, we request that you submit your résumé along with responses to the following 3 prompts:
• Provide a summary of your experience with grant management. If you do not have prior experience, please share which skills and/or education you possess that are applicable to this position. (3-5 sentences)
• Describe your experience working with a diverse range of stakeholders and partners. (3-5 sentences)
• Provide your definition of racial equity and describe any experience you have incorporating it into your work. (3-5 sentences)
We believe that the responses to these questions will give us a better understanding of your qualifications for the role, as well as your alignment with our organization’s values. We appreciate your time and effort in providing this information.
Please email materials to hr@mdhumanities.org with the subject line as “Program Officer, Grants;” no phone calls please. For best consideration, applications are due by May 1, 2023. Search will remain open until filled.
Maryland Humanities is an equal opportunity employer. It is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. Accordingly, all terms and conditions of employment will be carried out without regard to race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, marital status, age, or disability. Maryland Humanities will not tolerate acts deemed to constitute discrimination or harassment based on gender, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, religion, national origin, marital status, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.