Program Officer At The ELMA Philanthropies Services

Program Officer, for The ELMA Philanthropies Services (U.S.) Inc.

The ELMA Philanthropies Services (U.S) Inc. seeks a Program Officer to join its dynamic team. The Program Officer will report to the Director, Health, to develop and manage grants and other investments primarily for The ELMA Foundation. The Program Officer will develop new strategies and grant investments, while tracking progress on existing strategies and grant investments in the area of health, with a particular focus on Neglected Tropical Diseases. The Program Officer will work closely with ELMA’s program, finance, legal, and measurement and evaluation teams across ELMA’s offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Kampala and New York. The ability to be an active, collaborative and collegial team member of a dynamic global team and to demonstrate flexibility to provide support across the ELMA portfolios is essential to success in this role.

About ELMA Philanthropies:
With offices in New York City, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Kampala, ELMA Philanthropies develops program strategies, identifies grant and other investment opportunities, monitors and evaluates investment performance, and manages strategic partnerships for The ELMA Group of Foundations. This Group includes The ELMA Foundation, The ELMA Relief Foundation, The ELMA Vaccines and Immunization Foundation, The ELMA Music Foundation, The ELMA Growth Foundation, The ELMA Caribbean Foundation and The ELMA South Africa Foundation. ELMA Philanthropies is largely focused on providing these services to the largest foundation within the group, The ELMA Foundation. A full description of the investment frameworks and activities of each Foundation can be found on our website: www.elmaphilanthropies.org.
The ELMA Foundation’s mission is to improve the lives of African children and youth through support of sustainable efforts to relieve poverty, advance education, and promote health. It is primarily active in eastern and southern Africa.
The ELMA Relief Foundation invests in relief efforts throughout the globe with special attention to Africa and the needs of children, who often suffer disproportionately in the aftermath of such tragedies.
The ELMA South Africa Foundation funds organizations and programs that support development and progress in South Africa.
The ELMA Music Foundation invests in organizations in USA and South Africa that support youth development through music, or provide assistance to members of the music community undergoing personal and financial hardship.
The ELMA Vaccines and Immunization Foundation’s mission is to expand vaccine and immunization coverage for children globally, with a special emphasis on Africa.
The ELMA Growth Foundation invests in the growth or expansion of initiatives that improve the lives of low-income communities in Africa.
The ELMA Caribbean Foundation supports efforts to advance health or combat the environmental and economic threats posed by climate change in the Caribbean.
Job Responsibilities:
Working closely with the Director, Health, and other members of ELMA’s executive and programs team, the Program Officer will expand the reach and impact of The ELMA Foundation’s investments in Neglected Tropical Diseases and other areas related to health. Specifically, the Program Officer will be expected to:
• Identify programs and organizations that fit within ELMA’s focus areas and ELMA’s broader approach to philanthropy
• Conduct thorough grantee due diligence, including critical analysis of proposals, budgets, work-plans, measurement and evaluation frameworks, organizational strengths and weaknesses, and external risk factors
• Review, and where appropriate, support the development of program designs and theories of change with potential grantees
• Develop, write, and present concise, high quality investment recommendations
• Critically monitor programmatic effectiveness and grantee’s financial management of grant funds through review of periodic reports and grantee site visits
• Diligently manage all relevant aspects of grants administration
• Analyze grantee reports and prepare documentation to facilitate timely grant payments and other grant actions
• Support the success of grantees in the portfolio, including connecting them to appropriate resources
• Assess performance of the relevant portfolios, and design solutions to improve performance and impact
• Manage and grow strategic relationships with grantees, co-funders, government, and other key stakeholders
• Contribute to cross-office learning and strategy development
• Other duties, as assigned
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the incumbent(s) of this job. They are not intended to form an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and activities required for the position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time
Alignment to Values:
All ELMA employees are expected to demonstrate fit with ELMA’s organizational values and culture. Specifically, all employees are expected to demonstrate a commitment to:
• ELMA’s core values of: humility and integrity; respect for human dignity, and diversity; pursuit of excellence; commitment to partnership; and a results-orientation informed by continuous learning; and
• Gender equity, social justice, and combatting white supremacy, patriarchy, homophobia, colonialism, and other intersecting systems of oppression.
Required Qualifications:
• Educational background and/or professional interest in at least one or more areas of the foundations’ focus areas
• A minimum of five years’ experience in managing health programs, grant making, or equivalent private sector experience, with a preference for experience in Neglected Tropical Diseases
• Demonstrated facility with analyzing budgets, financial statements and conducting thorough financial due diligence of potential grantees
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to strategize, plan, prioritize and identify/assess opportunities, risks, challenges in programming
• Ability to source analyze, synthesize and effectively present information and data for a variety of audiences
• A strong understanding of how to apply racial and gender analyses to programming so that ELMA’s philanthropy is directed to diverse, gender-equitable, BIPOC and African-led organizations
• A strong and critical understanding of international development
• Passion for social justice and improving the lives of children in Africa
• Ability to work in a dynamic organization; flexible and adaptable to rapid change; quick learner, comfortable with fast paced environment; a self-starter and team-player
• Strong work ethic and ability to prioritize and multi-task
• Excellent relationship-building skills and ability to collaborate on internal teams of diverse backgrounds as well as with external stakeholders and partners
• Experience developing and managing partnerships and complex programs
• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• Ability to work non-traditional hours and travel locally and internationally as needed
• Fluency in English and excellent oral and written communication skills
• Excellent Excel skills and ability to analyze and present data in a highly organized manner
• Bachelor’s degree is required
• Master’s degree in a relevant field is strongly preferred but not required
• Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship

Salary and Benefits
Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications with attractive benefits.