Hiring Organization Information
Position Information
The Organization
Ballmer Group Philanthropy is committed to improving economic mobility for children and families in the United States, funding leaders and organizations that have demonstrated the ability to reshape opportunity and reduce systemic inequities.
Ballmer Group Philanthropy is both a national and regional funder – we have a presence and invest deeply in southeast Michigan, Washington state, and Los Angeles County. Our organization was co-founded by philanthropist Connie Ballmer and her husband Steve Ballmer, former CEO of Microsoft, founder of USAFacts, and chairman of the Los Angeles Clippers. Learn more at ballmergroup.org and on LinkedIn.
Our Approach
Since our founding in 2015, our focus and impact areas have continued to expand, informed by our grantees' work and by data that shows where the deepest inequities lie. We invest in multiple impact areas and systems that can impact economic mobility - such as early learning, K-12 education, college and career pathways, housing, behavioral health, and criminal justice - and we support leaders and organizations that focus on undoing systemic racism and the barriers it has created. In addition, we make grants in “Levers” that can improve outcomes across these issue areas and in the priority regions, such as improving data/tech infrastructure for data collection and reporting, achieving community impact through rigorous local Place Based Partnerships, and partnering with Government to invest in what works.
The Opportunity
Ballmer Group seeks a proactive, collaborative, and detail-oriented Grants Manager as part of their Philanthropy Team. Reporting to the Director, Grants Management and Operations, the Grants Manager will support the breadth of Ballmer Group’s grantmaking processes. This includes ensuring accurate grantmaking data, timely processing of grantmaking documentation, providing responsive support for colleagues, grantees, and prospective grantees, and project management of grants management team initiatives. The person hired for this position will be one of two Grants Managers, part of a highly collaborative six-person Grants Management Team within Ballmer Group’s Strategy & Operations Team.
This role does not include direct people management. It is a collaborative, individual contributor role.
Key Priorities & Responsibilities
- Support staff and leadership grant review and decision-making through timely and accurate processing and dissemination of grantmaking documentation, including application processing, internal review coordination, and timely support for Sr. Grants Managers’ management of grant decision processes as requested.
- Review and suggest proactive resolution of issues that could delay or impact grantmaking through completion of key due diligence steps and escalation of follow up needs to appropriate staff members.
- Contribute to timely and accurate set up of gifts and grants through reporting and payment set up on approved grants, processing ad hoc funding requests and grant amendments, and intake of employee match requests.
- Contribute to completing timely payment to grantees through management of reporting reminders, internal and external report processing, accurate payment release and reconciliation, and similar grant life cycle responsibilities.
- Assist with improving team-wide fluency in grantmaking policies and procedures.
- Contribute to delivering on-time completion of grants management team deliverables through effective project management of team initiatives, including project tracking, meeting coordination, and action item followup.
- Maintain information flow to all staff by producing regular and ad hoc data needs, reporting, grants management system dashboards, and other information products as requested.
- Deliver timely resolution of external and internal inbound technical support requests by collaboratively managing the grants management team's shared communication channels and protocols, providing direct support to stakeholders, and escalating requests to other team members as appropriate.
- Maintain clean and accurate data for use in internal and external reporting by performing regular database maintenance, proactively identifying data cleanup needs, and following data management protocols.
- Adhere to protocols and workflows that maintain integrity and compliance with all internal policies and procedures and applicable laws, regulations, and ethical standards of grantmaking.
- Provide coverage for the other Grants Manager in the event of vacation, sick days, etc.
Qualifications
Required Experience, Skills, Education:
- 5+ years’ experience working in a professional office environment
- 3+ years learning and using database solutions
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
- Committed to supporting and driving Ballmer Group’s mission and core values of respect, collaboration, agility, and accountability
- Collaborative mindset with an orientation toward teamwork
- Ability to operate effectively, even where there is uncertainty
- Affinity for learning, continuous improvement, and knowledge sharing
- Excellent communication skills, including both written and verbal communication
- Outstanding interpersonal skills; ability to build trust and rapport with both colleagues in a hybrid work environment and external stakeholders
- Attention to detail and exceptional data entry and accuracy skills
- Excellent time management and task prioritization skills, with the ability to adapt and take on a variety of projects and tasks
- Strong comfort level with numbers and data, including experience producing data-driven reports, pivot tables, and/or dashboards
- Technology-oriented with strong troubleshooting skills, adaptability to new technologies, and fluent in the MS Office suite, particularly Excel and PowerPoint
- Ability to handle highly confidential information
Preferred Experience, Skills, Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in business, nonprofit management, or philanthropy
- Experience in philanthropy, grantmaking, and grantmaking databases
- Project management skills, training, and/or experience
- Production of data-driven reports, pivot tables, and dashboards, including use of reporting tools such as Power BI
Compensation & Benefits
The starting cash compensation range for the Grants Manager role in Bellevue, WA includes an annual base salary hiring range of $76,000 to $95,000, plus a 10% annual performance bonus target opportunity.
The annual base salary maximum for the role is $114,000. We aim to hire new employees within the hiring range to allow future compensation growth. Individual pay increases are assessed annually based on multiple factors such as demonstrated skill in the role and context, progress and performance against goals, and increased experience.
Featured Benefits & Perks
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance with employee and dependent premiums entirely paid for by Ballmer Group
- 3 weeks of paid vacation annually
- 11 paid holidays, plus paid days off for the weekdays between Christmas and New Year
- 80 hours of paid sick leaveannually
- 401(k) with 12% employer contribution
- 2:1 Ballmer Family Giving Match for charitable contributions, and $50 donation per volunteer hour
- Professional development reimbursement up to $2,000per year
- Employer-paid life insurance of 3x salary up to $1,000,000
- Fertility and family building benefits, including back-up childcare reimbursement
- Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
- Parking or transportation (Orca card) up to $250 monthly
- Cash stipend of $300/month (for cell phone, wellness expenses, etc.)Identity theft protection
Location & Hybrid Work
The position is based in Bellevue, WA. Our organization practices intentional hybrid work. All Ballmer Group Philanthropy employees are expected to work on-site Tuesdays and Thursdays during overlapping core hours of 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays remain flexible work-from-home or office workdays.
Ballmer Group is an equal opportunity employer and is dedicated to building an inclusive workforce where diversity is valued. Individuals seeking employment at Ballmer Group are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, or sexual orientation.