Program Assistant, Equality for Women and Girls Program

This is a hybrid, full-time position with 2-3 days per week in Summit’s Washington, DC office.

About the Foundation

The Summit Foundation is a private family foundation founded in 1991 and located in Washington, DC. Summit advances its mission to create a world where people can thrive and nature can flourish by making grants in three main program areas: Equality for Women and Girls (EWG), Ocean, and Sustainable Cities.

Position Summary

The EWG Program provides grants, strategic capacity, and other support to primarily Central America- and US-based organizations working to transform harmful, gender-based social norms so that girls and women from all backgrounds are healthy, educated, empowered, and able to reach their full potential. As part of the program’s two-person team, the Program Assistant’s (PA) core role is to provide support for the program’s grantmaking process, program administration and implementation, and external representation under the Program Director’s supervision. The PA should be eager for an “all hands-on deck” position, with a wide variety of responsibilities, as well as the opportunity to learn about philanthropy’s contribution to realizing Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality and women’s and girls’ empowerment. An ideal candidate for this role is a thoughtful, clear writer and communicator with a commitment to social and gender justice, and excellent organizational skills.

The PA is an integral member of Summit’s small and collegial staff. In addition to working with and reporting to the EWG Program Director, the PA will coordinate closely with Summit’s grants management and administrative staff and the other two programs’ staff.

Qualifications and Attributes

• Deep commitment to the principle that gender rights are human rights and that all women, girls, and gender diverse people, particularly BIPOC and low-income people, deserve full and equal standing.
• Bachelor’s degree and at least two years of administrative/programmatic support experience, preferably in the nonprofit gender equality or sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice sector; experience working at a grantmaking organization or in a grantseeking role at a nonprofit is a plus. Note: each additional year of work experience could replace a year of college.
• High-level proficiency in spoken and written Spanish required, including demonstrated expertise with professional communication; native Spanish speakers are especially encouraged to apply.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills, including experience drafting reports and analysis for diverse audiences; editing, proofreading and note-taking; experience writing for external audiences a plus.
• Attention to detail in writing and handling data, and commitment to excellence in all products (content and appearance).
• Excellent organizational and project management skills, including the ability to handle multiple concurrent tasks and deadlines; comfort with executing administrative and grantmaking tasks.
• High proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite or Google Workspace, including email, word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software; prior experience with grants management and project management software like Giving Data, Sales Force or Asana a plus.
• Ability to represent Summit with professionalism, discretion, and diplomacy.
• Humility, experience, and sensitivity working with diverse partners and audiences, and an understanding of how privilege and power play out in the philanthropic, gender justice, and nonprofit sectors.
• A self-starter who seeks autonomy and agency in their work but knows when to consult with leadership and ask questions; a “pitch-in” attitude and desire to contribute to the success of both the EWG Program and Summit as a whole; a sense of humor, and a spirit of inquiry and growth.
• Curiosity about how philanthropy can contribute to the human rights, including sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls, women, and gender diverse individuals.
• Demonstrated understanding of, and commitment to, Summit’s core values and mission, including commitment to social justice, racial equity, environmental sustainability, and the urgent fight against climate change.

Primary Responsibilities

Equality for Women and Girls grantmaking process: Assist with the grants management cycle.

This will comprise more than half of the PA’s time. They will develop expertise in GivingData, Summit’s grants management platform, and work alongside the Program Director, as well as grants management and other staff, to drive the grantmaking process from start to finish. This includes: timely communication with grantees on proposal development, feedback, approval, and reporting; assistance in preparing grant approval materials for Summit’s leadership and board; development of grant application materials and contracts; and management of the program’s grants calendar and budget.

Program implementation: Support high performance of the Equality for Women and Girls Program.

As requested by the Program Director, the PA will help identify and assess opportunities for the program, our grantee partners, and other colleagues to accelerate efforts toward meeting our program goals. The PA will contribute to writing and editing for internal and external audiences, Summit’s website and other purposes. As workload allows, the PA also will conduct program area-related research, as well as identify and participate in select meetings/events that enable the team to remain up to date on field developments, evidence, and best practices in various sectors.

Program administration: Ensure the program’s smooth operation.

The PA will manage their own and help manage the Program Director’s workflow and calendar. The PA will also handle often complex travel logistics, scheduling and hosting meetings, note-taking for meetings, and program correspondence. The PA will assist with other program administration functions (e.g., budget tracking, expenses). In the absence of other assigned staff, the PA also will support Summit by assisting staff with urgent needs, answering phones, greeting guests, interacting with vendors, and other essential office oversight, as requested.

External representation: Engage with colleagues and share Summit’s vision.

The PA will provide support for meetings with external partners, including agenda development, scheduling, logistics, materials and note-taking. As requested, the PA will participate in webinars and virtual meetings, and vet and support the Program Director’s participation in external events. As the PA gains experience and understanding of the EWG Program, the individual will represent the foundation, including with grantee partners, funders, and other colleagues, alongside or in place of the Program Director. Occasional domestic or international travel is possible and potentially required over time.

Benefits and Compensation

Salary: $72,000 – $82,000. The Summit Foundation provides health benefits and paid vacation time, has 403b and SEP IRA plans, and provides commuter benefits and a flexible spending account for health and dependent care.

Summit is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. We strongly encourage individuals of all cultures, backgrounds, communities, and experiences to apply. Summit considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, family responsibilities, political affiliation, disability, matriculation, genetic information, credit information, military/veteran status, or any other status protected by federal or District of Columbia law.