Program Officer - Environment Program

THE KRESGE FOUNDATION
POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

The Kresge Foundation is a $3.9 billion foundation with programs that are local, national, and international in scope. In 2007, the foundation awarded 442 grants throughout the United States and overseas totaling $178 million.

The Kresge Foundation has as the centerpiece of its grantmaking nine values that focus its decision making and reflect its strategic priorities. We apply our values criteria to the six fields of interest within which we work – health, environment, arts and culture, education, human services, and community development. In partnership with our grantees, we seek to influence the quality of life for future generations by creating access and opportunity in underserved communities and by advancing environmental sustainability.

In Michigan, we are deeply committed to the revitalization of the City of Detroit and the surrounding region and expect this work to lead to the development of models that can be replicated successfully in other challenged communities. Internationally, we support efforts to strengthen higher education in South Africa.

For more information on our fields of interest, grantmaking, and the nine values that guide our work, please visit our website, www.kresge.org.

Available Position: Program Officer – Environment Program

The Kresge Foundation’s Environment Program has an immediate opening for a program officer to assist in the design and implementation of a grantmaking program addressing the critical challenge of climate change. Grantmaking within the program is aimed at reducing greenhouse gases from the built environment; accelerating the adoption of alternative energy technologies, with a preliminary interest in the Midwest; and developing strategies for adapting to climate change.

In the Environment Program, the foundation uses the full array of tools available to a grantmaker. These include challenge grants; planning grants; program-related investments; project grants for efforts such as policy work, applied research, communications and advocacy; and general operating support for organizations whose work directly corresponds with our grantmaking priorities.

The individual filling this position will work in close partnership with the program director and a small team of program staff, as well as with the foundation’s grants management staff. Primary responsibilities of the program officer position include:

working with the program director and other members of the Environment Team to design grantmaking strategies for the program;
investigating grant requests and developing funding recommendations;
monitoring and evaluating individual grants and clusters of grants;
preparing, individually and with other team members, strategy papers and other written materials for the foundation’s management and Board of Trustees; and interacting with other environmental grantmakers, nonprofit organization leaders, and public and private sector stakeholders active on climate change issues to assess developments in the field and strategic points for philanthropic engagement.

Qualifications:

Excellent analytical, writing, verbal, and interpersonal skills.
Experience in the development of strategies to affect change.
Minimum of five years of experience and leadership on relevant environmental issues, seven or more years preferred.
Familiarity with the nonprofit sector.
Commitment to advancing the strategic involvement of nonprofit organizations on climate change issues.
Interest in working collaboratively across the nonprofit, private, and public sectors.
Skill in working effectively as a member of a team.
Ability to master a diverse and often demanding workload.
Willingness to conduct extensive travel.
Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree desirable.
Previous grantmaking experience, or experience with foundations, is desirable.

Please send resume and cover letter to info@kresge.org or mail to:

Crystal Coleman
Director, Human Resources
3215 W. Big Beaver
Troy, Michigan 48084


Closing Date: June 30, 2008