Manager, Catalyst Fund

Department: Urban Forestry

Reports To: 

Location: Remote       

FLSA Category: Non-Exempt  
Application Deadline: February 7, 2025

ABOUT US

American Forests is a national non-profit organization committed to creating healthy and resilient forests from cities to wilderness, that deliver essential benefits for climate, people, water, and wildlife. We advance our mission through forestry innovation, place-based partnerships to plant and restore forests, and movement building. We envision a world in which the significant environmental, societal, and economic benefits of forests are fully realized and equitably available to all people. Established in 1875, American Forests is the oldest national non-profit conservation organization in the U.S. working to restoring urban forests and forested landscapes for nearly 150 years. 

American Forests is proud to be a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible (DEIA) workplace. These are our shared values. We welcome individuals who bring a variety of backgrounds and experiences to be a part of our team to help make a difference individually and collectively as we work toward achieving our mission. We are committed to fostering an environment that is welcoming and respectful and provides opportunities for advancement and professional growth for every team member. 

POSITION SUMMARY

The Program Manager, Catalyst Fund is responsible for supporting the effective, efficient and impactful management of grantmaking activities through the Catalyst Fund, federally funded pass-through grants in communities, as well as supporting the  coordination and operations of the broader Catalyst Initiative that is programmatically integrated and intersectional in its approach and will equitably accelerate action on Tree Equity with urgency and impact.   

The ideal candidate for this role is highly organized and detail oriented, adept in operating across different stakeholders, has an ability to work in an agile manner in a fast-paced environment, and is driven by a commitment to social justice and equitable outcomes.  Skills and/or interest in developing skills in quantitative and qualitative analysis and grantmaking and program evaluation is highly desired.  

Reporting to the Director of the Catalyst Fund, the Program Manager will support key Catalyst Fund grantmaking activities, working directly with internal leads from American Forests’ Finance and Program Operations units, an external team of grantmaking operations and accounting consultants, and their supporting vendors. The Program Manager, Catalyst Fund will also support the Catalyst Initiative more broadly, including collaborating closely with the Senior Manager, Environmental Justice & Frontline Engagement, and internal teams, including Tree Equity programs, Marketing & Communications, and Philanthropy, as needed.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

Reporting & Grants Management Support (40%)

• Coordinate programmatic reporting among grantees, intermediary funder (American Forests) and US Forest Service (funder), including providing technical guidance to grantees, collecting quantitative and qualitative reports, compiling and synthesizing data, and developing performance and impact reports for funders and other audiences.
• Support the Director in coordinating the administration of funds through monthly reimbursement processing, including collaborating with AF’s Finance team to monitor grantee budgets, ensure financial compliance, reconcile financial reports and resolve discrepancies.
• Support the Director in stewarding grantee relationships for both near-term project success and long-term partnership outcomes, proactively identifying grantee needs and barriers to success, identifying any technical assistance needs, and developing both near- and long-term programmatic solutions

Grantmaking Operations & Systems Management (40%)

• Support the Director in overseeing the entire lifecycle of grants and contracts, including proposal development, award negotiation, and post-award management, including monitor and help meet sub-grantee and contract timelines, reporting deadlines, and deliverables, and working closely with external consultants to help manage grantee due diligence, award approval, and reporting activity,
• Support the Director and collaborate with external consultants to further develop AF’s grants management portal (Fluxx), including data management and compliance  
• Serve as primary point of contact for technical support in AF’s grants management system, providing technical assistance to grantees and internal stakeholders as needed and additional administrative duties assigned
• Project manage grantmaking and programmatic activities of the fund, monitor implementation of grantmaking and fund performance to ensure ongoing compliance and progress toward program goals; identify and mitigate compliance risks and issues proactively.
• Coordinate meetings with internal and external stakeholders, including but not limited to scheduling, creating agendas, notetaking, and managing priority follow-ups with the guidance of the Director and Senior Director

Evaluation and Program Management Support (20%)

• Support Catalyst Initiative program management objectives, including program planning, management, record-keeping, and preparation of reports, presentations, and other materials, as needed.
• Support internal communications and cross-team coordination, including developing systems, practices and communications that promote visibility and knowledge sharing, and supports internal reporting, of the Catalyst Initiative & Fund across American Forests.
• Develop protocols for evaluation and learning and conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis to support the development of future grantmaking and programs strategy centered on ambitious impact and sustained, equitable outcomes.
• Coordinate logistics and execution of grantee related events, including site visits, conferences and convenings, both in-person and virtual.

QUALIFICATIONS

While we do not expect any one candidate to possess all of these qualifications, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal skills and qualities:

• 2-4 years of work experience in a similar position with program administration, logistics, operations, grantmaking.
• Bachelor’s degree desired.
• Strong project management skills, including experience managing complex projects across multiple teams, exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Skills in quantitative and qualitative data analysis and evaluation
• Skills in working with technical tools, platforms and business operations systems, including grants management system (Fluxx), project management tools (Airtable), and quantitative analysis (Excel).
• Strong writing and communications skills, including experience writing reports and proposals, and interpersonal skills among diverse stakeholders
• Familiarity with or ability to quickly grant and contract regulations and compliance requirements, particularly with Federal agency agreements preferred
• Comfort operating in a ‘startup’ high growth environment with high levels of ambiguity, combined with high potential for initiation, creativity and problem-solving.
• Experience successfully and independently working collaboratively in a remote team setting.
• Demonstrated commitment to American Forests values, which include advancing the interests of all people, embracing all perspectives, prioritizing work not by popularity but what is needed most and empowering people to take action.
• Demonstrated commitment to social and environmental justice, and an informed perspective in the role of philanthropy and grantmaking in achieving equitable and just outcomes.

AMERICAN FORESTS’ CORE COMPETENCIES:

• Attitude: Brings a positive outlook to the work and helps inspires others to achieve excellence. 
• Communication: Produces strong written documents, edits documents effectively, engages in effective verbal communication—1-on-1 and small group—and conducts effective large group presentations. 
• Organization: Prioritizes tasks effectively, accomplishes tasks efficiently, follows through on all commitments, breaks down large projects to make them manageable, and effectively manages complex projects involving multiple actors. 
• Problem-Solving & Creativity: Identifies issues, effectively structures problems, analyzes data to produce insights, and generates wise, actionable recommendations. Understands the limited resources available and produces creative solutions. 
• Representing the Organization: Serves as an effective ambassador, builds connections, and maintains relationships with outside partners, vendors and donors. Brings credibility to the organization in how they present themselves. 

LOCATION & WORKING CONDITIONS

This is a remote position. Up to 10% of travel to American Forests’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. or throughout the U.S. for key stakeholder meetings, events and projects may be required. 

Subject to applicable laws, American Forests requires all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. We will consider requests for accommodation to this vaccination requirement during the recruiting process. Any requested accommodation(s) must be reviewed and approved (if applicable) in advance of your start date. 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The individual must be comfortable with prolonged periods of sitting and/or standing at a desk and working on a computer. Reasonable accommodations may be made to provide access to all individuals along the continuum of human ability and experience. 

SUPERVISORY REQUIREMENTS

This position does not have any supervisory requirements. 

American Forests is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to provide access to all individuals along the continuum of human ability and experience. 

Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran/LGBTQ+

In accordance with federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible State or local Agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information is also available in languages other than English.