Program Associate - Healthy Children and Families

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation • Princeton, NJ

8d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is a leading national philanthropy dedicated to transforming health. The Healthy Children and Families (HCF) strategic portfolio focuses on RWJF’s Generational Goals, particularly Economic Inclusion for Family Wellbeing. This role supports the execution of operational, programmatic, team coordination, and strategic grantmaking, with a strong emphasis on equity and dismantling structural racism. The Program Associate will assist portfolio leadership, conduct research, coordinate grantmaking processes, and support the development and implementation of program initiatives. This position is crucial for both the operations and programming of the HCF portfolio, working closely with grantees and promoting the team’s commitment to health equity.

Requirements

• Demonstrated deep social justice values and commitment to the practice of racial justice, equitable philanthropic practices, and the Foundation’s vision, values, and Guiding Principles.
• Professional commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including commitment to and experience working with individuals of diverse backgrounds.
• Strong understanding of structural barriers to health, including working knowledge of structural racism and commitment to building equitable and antiracist practices, with demonstrated competencies that align with HCF’s equity principles and RWJF’s equitable philanthropic practice.
• Two years of experience working in a relevant field or a master’s degree in a relevant field.
• Proactive, solution-oriented, and demonstrated ability to successfully manage timelines and projects.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously and deliver on time.
• Ability to work proactively and adaptively in a flexible, outcome-driven environment, where the focus is on delivering quality results.
• Strong secondary research and desk research skills, including the ability to quickly develop knowledge across topics related to health, health equity, systems change, structural barriers to health, and the social determinants of health.
• Ability to synthesize complex information and concepts into clear, concise summaries and insights.
• Demonstrated project management skills and ability to successfully manage timelines, priorities, and deliverables.
• Proactive, adaptive, and solutions-oriented approach to the work with strong organizational and execution skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to synthesize long, complex topics into simple summaries.
• Collaborative, curious, and learning-oriented approach, with an interest in understanding how the Foundation develops and implements strategies.
• Strong aptitude with Microsoft products: Office 365, PowerPoint, Excel, Teams, Word, as well as Salesforce, and demonstrated capability to learn online grants management systems.

Nice To Haves

• Four (4) years of related programmatic experience in a foundation or nonprofit organization related to children and families.
• Six (6) years of related programmatic experience in a foundation or nonprofit organization related to children and families.

Responsibilities

• Assist in coordinating processes and program-focused activities (administrative, operational, and facilitation tasks) as needed.
• Develop agendas, plan and support execution of portfolio meetings (virtual and in-person).
• Prepare reports, materials, and internal communications for portfolio and departmental staff, RWJF senior leadership, and others.
• Plan and execute annual meetings, gatherings, and other externally facing meetings.
• Maintain and support internal meeting processes.
• Support grantee and partner engagement, including event and meeting development, webinars, and other activities.
• Maintain RWJF’s platforms, including MS Team sites, shared documents, folders, and virtual workspaces.
• Center the promotion of equity, dismantling structural racism and intersectional forms of oppression in personal learning, program development, program management, and strategy development.
• Assist programmatic staff by gathering, synthesizing, and analyzing background information relevant to HCF strategy.
• Assist in developing individual program research from the literature, the field, and other partners, including synthesizing learnings from past and current grantmaking.
• Assist in coordinating team grantmaking and funding processes, including participating in site visits, reviewing proposals, and coordinating internal and external reviews for proposals and concept papers.
• Support portfolio members in program and project development and occasionally conduct individual development of programs.
• Manage and track grants through monthly reports and quarterly assessment activities.
• Report on initiatives and programs, as assigned.
• Actively participate in the engagement of key experts, including those with lived experience, and grantees to develop strategies and action plans.
• Work with team and Grants Management staff to implement grantmaking processes, including developing calls for proposals, evaluating proposals from applicants, and grant summary writing.
• Represent the Foundation publicly.
• Respond to public inquiries.
• Build and maintain trusting relationships with grantees and field leaders.
• Contribute to team, department, and cross-Foundation committees.
• Other duties as assigned by managing director or associate managing director.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health and retirement benefits
• Generous paid time off
• Transition stipend provided to all new hires to aid in costs related to transitioning to a new job

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level