The Mellon Foundation (“Foundation”) believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity, and we believe that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom to be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. It makes grants in four core program areas (Higher Learning, Arts and Culture, Public Knowledge, and Humanities in Place). The Foundation seeks a Program Associate for the Arts & Culture program.

The position reports to the Arts and Culture Program Officer and will have responsibility for supporting the Foundation’s work on the current and emerging infrastructure and field-wide needs of artists and arts organizations including those working outside traditional disciplinary boundaries and institutional walls and requires demonstrated experience with some dimensions of this grant portfolio. The position requires close collaboration with the program director, program officers, AC program staff, and other Foundation staff, particularly with grants management associates in the general counsel’s office. The successful candidate will be thoughtful, highly motivated, solutions-oriented, collaborative, and congenial, with well-developed writing, communication, and organizational skills. This position combines independent work on grantmaking activities (such as corresponding with grantees about proposals, reviewing reports, and assisting with preparing recommendations and other materials for trustee meetings and convenings), research, and work with colleagues around the Foundation. The work is highly detail-oriented and requires consistent accuracy, the ability to anticipate outcomes, multi-tasking, flexibility, cool-headedness, precision, patience, efficiency, and discretion.

Responsibilities may include, but will not be limited to the following:

• Actively participate in the formulation of major new strategic initiatives as well as new and renewal funding proposals, including offering new ideas for program officers to consider and advising grantees in preparation and revision of the narrative and financial components of proposals.
• Participate in meetings with current and potential grantees; take notes and maintain notes and records on grant and potential grant activities.
• Assist in drafting quarterly dockets of grant recommendations and other program-related materials.
• Work with program assistants on routine grant management, including grant reports and requests for modifications, extensions, and transfers, execute appropriate follow up and alert program leaders to unresolved challenges.
• Gather information and conduct research regarding the development of new grant initiatives and the review of existing programs.
• Attend regular program and administrative staff meetings.
• Contribute to the maintenance of files pertaining to all program inquiries and activities; resolve inconsistencies and prepare reports.
• Conduct occasional site visits with the program officer and/or program director, and attend events at grantee and non-grantee institutions or online, as directed by supervisors and as appropriate to the program’s mission and priorities.
• Help plan and coordinate on- and off-site meetings or larger convenings.
• Represent the Foundation at public meetings, peer gatherings, and conferences as assigned.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate would hold formal training in a performing arts-related discipline, arts administration; plus three-to-five years of experience working in an arts-related institution and/or foundation. Experience championing the work of individual artists will be particularly valued. Applicants should possess:

• Strong financial literacy and understanding of nonprofit financials.  Ability to read and decipher budgets, spreadsheets, and balance sheets.
• Demonstrated knowledge of organizational practices and field-wide trends in the performing arts.
• Superior written communication skills; excellent analytical, critical thinking, and organizational skills with precise attention to detail.
• Ability to work autonomously in a team-centered workplace and manage multiple competing priorities in a fast-paced environment while meeting timelines.
• Relentless curiosity.
• Adaptive work style.
• Commitment to life-long learning, including learning from mistakes.
• Ability to anticipate and solve problems proactively.
• A high degree of competency in the MS Office suite, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Commitment to social justice and cultural equity.
• Keen understanding of and interest in disciplines in the arts, humanities, and humanistic social sciences.
• Commitment to promoting and maintaining a collegial, collaborative work environment.

Other Information

The Mellon Foundation is committed to providing compensation that is competitive and equitable within the philanthropic sector.  The estimated salary range for this role is $92,000-110,000.  The amount of pay offered will be determined by a number of factors, including but not limited to qualifications, unique skills, credentials or experience that is expected to impact the candidate’s contribution to the role. We will also consider market data as well as the Foundation’s internal pay equity framework.  Mellon is an equal opportunity employer and offers a generous total reward package that provides base salary as well as a comprehensive benefits program, and an excellent working environment.

Please note that Mellon maintains a hybrid work schedule, with three days/week in person at the Foundation’s Manhattan offices.

Candidates should apply by submitting a thoughtful cover letter describing fit for the position together with a resume and cover letter. Apply via ADP here.

The Foundation will consider each response carefully, but only contact those individuals it believes are most qualified for the position.