Join Our Team

Purpose of Position

Recognizing that community initiatives can benefit from the experience, knowledge, and expertise of retired professionals, and that retired professionals represent an under-utilized human resource, the Encore Fellows Initiative aims to create positive outcomes for the San Diego community by matching retired experts with high impact community projects. This role is a part-time, one-year position.

We are seeking a retired professional to lead the Encore Fellowship program, fulfilling its mission of engaging retired older adults in addressing significant community issues, leveraging the skills and experience of retired professionals as Fellows, and changing the conversation around aging and workforce engagement.

This initiative was made possible through support from the Del Mar Healthcare Fund and inspired by related work taking place in Dayton Ohio. Please see the Del Mar Encore Fellows Initiative page at The Dayton Foundation for more information.

In this role you’ll be responsible for, but not limited to:

The position will manage the operational and programmatic functions for the initiative, including engaging host organizations, recruiting, interviewing, and supporting the Fellow cohort, a group of approximately five retired professionals. The Lead Fellow will coordinate the Fellows’ participation in community programs/activities, regularly convene the Fellows, and act as advocate for the initiative and its mission.

1. Convene a group of retired professionals.
2. Develop the Fellows Initiative operational plan and provide project oversight.
3. Manage a public-facing RFP process to identify community projects that will receive a Fellow in an advisor role.
4. Manage the process of identifying Fellow candidates and matching them to appropriate community projects.
5. Ensure Fellows are supported through regular check-ins to facilitate planning and discussion.
6. Utilizing your community knowledge, experience, and communication skills, create documentation to support the communication of updates on program progress.

We are looking for:

The ideal candidate should be a retired professional who is skilled at inspiring and managing others and building relationships. This individual should possess operational acumen, comfort with public communication, and adaptability. A demonstrated interest in the San Diego community and a desire to work for the greater good are important to this role as well.

The Lead Fellow is responsible for overseeing the operational aspects of the program as well as the management and performance of the cohort of Fellows. It’s important that candidates are passionate about advancing the conversation around aging and promoting older adults as experts who can help solve critical community issues. The Lead Fellow will be responsible for mobilizing other Fellows in accomplishing their assigned goals and objectives.

Qualifications

• A minimum of 10 years job-related experience managing staff, leading community initiatives, leading an organization, or an equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.
• Preferred qualified candidate is a retired professional.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree required

Fellow positions are part-time engagement opportunities and are supported by a stipend made possible by the Del Mar Healthcare Fund. Starting hourly rate is $25.00 per hour.

Please apply at jobs@sdfoundation.org and place Lead Fellow in the subject line.

Attach your PDF Resume and a PDF cover letter.

The San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center is a 501(c)3 launched in September 2021 to serve the San Diego region. Our mission is to develop, test, and implement world-class research and policy-driven solutions to address San Diego’s most pressing challenges. Climate resilience, critical infrastructure, quality jobs, and housing affordability are challenges that require massive collective effort. We build partnerships to create cross-sector, multi-jurisdictional solutions. The San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center is a partnership between San Diego Foundation, the County of San Diego, and the world’s leading think tank, The Brookings Institution. Together with a network of national and regional partners, the Policy & Innovation Center engages government, corporations, and philanthropy to equitably enhance the long-term sustainability and prosperity of the San Diego region.

Purpose of the Position

The Economist is a core member of the Research team. Economists are responsible for developing, executing, and sharing actionable, equity-focused research.

Economists offer technical acumen, contextual awareness, theoretically and empirically grounded insight, and creative problem solving to the research team and to the organization. They call attention to and characterize regional challenges and help answer questions important to our partners and to the region’s residents. They provide actionable insights while recognizing and communicating potential sources of uncertainty and bias.

Economists will collaborate with researchers at the Brookings Institution to understand San Diego’s economy, communities, and environment in a national context.

Contributions and responsibilities of the Economist include but are not limited to:

• Conceive, design, execute, and share the results of research projects that serve PIC’s mission. The Economist will support the Ideas and Impact pillars of PIC’s core work and collaborate with other research team members to provide research and analysis to support policy work, grant applications, and impact assessments on an as-needed basis.
• Support internal and external partners by providing demographic and economic data, synthesizing literature, and developing and implementing policy and program evaluation strategies.
• Manage research inquiries from internal and external partners; develop and propose project scopes; produce rigorous and timely research. Key external partners include governments, agencies, community benefit organizations, and other institutions. Includes contracting and working with external vendors and partners, prioritizing analyses that will give the most insight into research questions, providing regular updates to the team, collecting feedback, and writing and editing final reports and other deliverables. For both internally and externally produced analyses, understand and communicate potential sources of error and bias.
• Use research expertise to help attract and attain new grants or business-development opportunities.
• Recognize historic and present-day drivers of inequity and identify opportunities for PIC and its partners to improve economic, political, social, health, and climate equity. Devise innovative policy recommendations and project ideas based on sound research, especially for vulnerable and underserved populations.
• Work with the Chief Economist and other research team members to present research findings from reports and other publications through public speaking engagements, op-eds, briefs, data visualizations, talks at conferences, seminars, and other events
• Engage the policy, political, business, academic, media, and advocacy communities in San Diego to inform the regional and national conversation.
• Collaborate with regional government departments, officials, community leaders, and other agencies to obtain and understand data, handling any confidential information in compliance with data owners’ policies, with respect for data subjects’ privacy, and in line with ethical data practices.
• Work with the Chief Economist and President & CEO to support organizational growth, staff and consultant selection, and project development in alignment with the organization’s missions and goals.

Supervision Received

• Reports to the Chief Economist

Education and Experience

• PhD in economics or a relevant social science discipline, or a master’s and 7 years’ work experience in research
• Experience developing and executing research projects
• Prefer candidates who have published research in peer-reviewed journals or conferences and/or for lay audiences

 Skills and Qualifications

• Research:
  • Commitment to centering the voices of individuals in the communities and systems we study
  • Ability to articulate how our work improves the communities we serve
  • Ability to identify and collect relevant quantitative and qualitative data, and draw scientifically valid conclusions from that data
  • Experience using digital surveying tools such as Qualtrics
  • Outstanding critical-thinking skills, deep intellectual curiosity, creativity and ingenuity to solve problems
  • Mastery of economic principles, research design, and econometric methods
  • Command of statistical software such as R or Python
  • Passion for learning and relentless improvement
  • Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, Spreadsheet-based analysis
  • Familiarity with San Diego communities a plus
  • Bilingual a plus
• Collaboration
  • Exceptional communicator with the ability to present concepts and research results in a clear, concise, and actionable manner
  • Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communications skills
  • Proven ability to present, articulate, and defend analysis with key stakeholders
  • Excellent relationship building and negotiation skills
  • Ability to form collaborations and deliver recommendations and solutions
  • Cultural competency and emotional intelligence
  • Comfort engaging directly with community stakeholders

Start date: September 2023

Anticipated starting salary:  $117,000

The Policy & Innovation Center believes in pay equity. Salaries are commensurate with experience and responsibilities.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit your PDF resume and PDF cover letter to: sdfpicjobs@sdfoundation.org and please place Economist for the San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center in the subject line.

Purpose of Position

The Grant Writer & Resource Specialist is responsible for identifying, developing, drafting, and writing grant and/or service proposals to federal, state, and local governments, agencies, private foundations, corporations, and potential donors to bring resources to the region. The Specialist will also create and secure new verticals of revenue, develop operational best practices for revenue generation, grants, and service contracts.

This position works closely with the Director of Government Grants, and the Senior Director of Workforce Development.

Essential contributions and principal responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Write grant proposals in support of bringing funding into the San Diego region (focus is on non-San Diego funding, including federal and state).
• Expand Policy and Innovation Center’s traditional funding sources by developing and creating new and innovative funding sources and streams.
• Maintain high-level contacts with current and prospective
• Build federal, state, and local relationships to support development efforts.
• Engage external stakeholders that support internal funding goals and mission.
• Identify prospects through awards (including identifying new funding opportunities, partnership creation, budget preparation, drafting narratives, proposal preparation, and submission).
• Continually and proactively assess demographics, macroeconomics, and competitive market issues impacting the Policy & Innovation Center and develop
• Work with internal colleagues to build financial analyses and models to evaluate potential funding and impacts.
• Create a culture of positivity and success across the

Skills and Qualifications

• Critical thinker
• Proven ability to get and stay organized
• Detail oriented
• Ability to create processes to identify grants, track, and monitor through submission
• Ability to work autonomously
• Excellent writing skills
• Ability to digest and interpret complicated RFPs and respond accordingly.
• The ability to draw accurate conclusions from quantitative and qualitative data and programmatic goals and then identify and develop supporting grant proposals, MOUs, and
• Proven willingness to be accountable for the success of the organization’s vision through funding and resource development.
• Exceptional communicator with the ability to present concepts and strategic objectives in clear, concise, and fundable grant proposals.
• The ability to articulate how your work and grant funds improve and positively impact the communities and people we serve.
• Proven ability to present to prospective funders to support proposals.
• A communication style that emphasizes openness, collaboration, and
• Passion for learning and relentless
• Excellent relationship-building
• Exceptional knowledge of federal, state, and local government and philanthropic funding opportunities and proposal
• Ability to study and understand programs and funding requirements of organizations.
• Strong research skills and knowledge of information
• Multitasking, organizational, and time management
• Ability to handle confidential matters with the utmost
• Comfortable with Excel, and Microsoft
• Federal or state relationships preferred but not required 

Supervision Received

•  VP, Chief Policy & Strategy Officer.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in English, communications, creative writing, or a related area (master’s degree preferred).
• A minimum of five years’ experience of successful progression in grant writing at the federal, state, and local government/agency level and expertise obtaining grants from large private foundations valued.
• A record of successful, significant grants.

Language Skills

• Ability to read, write and speak English
• Additional language proficiency

Judgment/Reasoning Ability

• Logical thought process
• Use of good judgment and own initiative

Anticipated starting salary: $80,000

If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit your PDF resume and PDF cover letter to sdfpicjobs@sdfoundation.org and place Grant Writer & Resource Specialist in the subject line.

About the Organization

The San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center (SDRPIC) is a 501(c)3 launched in September 2021 as a partnership between the San Diego Foundation, County of San Diego and the Brookings Institution to serve the San Diego region. Our mission is to develop, test, and implement world-class research and policy-driven solutions to address San Diego’s most pressing challenges. We build partnerships to create cross-sector, multi-jurisdictional solutions.

About The Role

The Intern will work for up to 16 hours per week to support projects, collaborate on grant applications, conduct desk research and coordinate outreach for the SDRPIC innovation team. The internship is expected to last 6 months.

The intern will support and report to SDRPIC’s Director of Innovation and join an interdisciplinary team, including a chief policy and strategy officer, director of government grants, officers of engagement and government relations, and an engineer.

SDRPIC projects are designed to be iterative, reacting to changing political, economic, and environmental opportunities. As an SDRPIC team member, on any given day, you should be comfortable engaging municipal staff and leaders, strategizing policy and research, and working independently as well as collaboratively.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Intern’s work includes areas described below and other duties as assigned and commensurate with the Intern’s expertise. Some of the role can be crafted based on learning and career development goals.

• Conducts desk research, reads, analyzes and summarizes regional news on select policy issues such as green infrastructure and decarbonization.
• Creates tables, graphs, and other data visualizations.
• Supports grant writing.
• Supports policy development.
• Edits and updates high-quality drafts of working papers and stakeholder presentations.
• Summarizes and analyzes material from conferences, government documents, publications, databases.
• Corresponds and schedules meetings with San Diego municipalities, community organizations, technology entrepreneurs, and internal SDRPIC team members.
• Other administrative duties as assigned. 

Qualifications and Skills

• Commitment to the mission of SDRPIC.
• Interest in working on critical regional problems and supporting underestimated communities.
• Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
• Ability to produce quality work both independently and collaboratively.
• A style that emphasizes openness, innovation, and communication.
• Comfort in an iterative, innovative, and fast-paced environment.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite and Asana (or similar project management tools).
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Cultural competency and emotional intelligence.
• Coursework or training in policy, business, environmental science or related.
• Work experience in government, business, community development, or related.

Physical Demands

• Able to work in a desk-based work environment and use a computer keyboard.
• Ability to safely lift twenty pounds.

Work Environment

• Non-smoking, professional office environment.
• Fast-paced start-up work environment.

The starting hourly rate is $25.00.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit your PDF resume and PDF cover letter to sdfpicjobs@sdfoundation.org and place Intern in the subject line.

Purpose of Position

The Operations Administrator & Compliance Specialist holds responsibility for managing activities related to government contract and/or grant  compliance, and service contracts,  as well as establishing operational systems to ensure subrecipient and vendor oversight per audit requirements.  The Specialist represents and supports the executive leaders consistently and professionally in all related internal and external engagements.  Responsibilities include facilitating compliance with contract and service deliverables, and internal policies and practices related to records, emails, and contract management, document retention, compliance reporting, and tracking and collecting information.

This position requires the ability to use good judgment, make independent decisions, and timely communications.  It will include meeting logistics, scheduling, agenda preparation, document retention, compliance reporting, and tracking information for management and contracts.  The Specialist will make interpretations and recommendations as appropriate. Duties are highly confidential and require comprehensive knowledge of PIC’s management policies, procedures, and operations. Responsibilities require discretion, judgment, tact, and poise. Incumbent has considerable latitude, authority, and flexibility in carrying out assigned tasks.

Essential Duties and Principal Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Oversight of multiple and large scale contracts, working with external partners and internal employees to ensure compliance with project timelines and deliverables.
• Coordinate workflow of the executive leaders to ensure contract obligations, reporting, and oversight of subrecipients, and vendors is met.
• Create and implement systems to monitor and track deliverables, and compliance involving coordinating the usage of multiple software and applications.
• Manage and triage executive leaders’ correspondence and emails, as needed, to ensure best practices, and that all requirements are addressed.
• Prepare or review agendas for meetings or otherwise ensure that agendas and meetings reflect contract and/or grant requirements per best practices and audit requirements
• Coordinate with the executive leaders and other team members on scheduling and planning of government, agency, and partner convenings, meetings, and symposiums
• Establish processes and provide a range of support and oversight, including data and document storage, and report generation, contract compliance documentation, correspondence, word processing, expense tracking, meeting logistics, and event coordination.
• Maintain communications and serve as the central point of contact with government and agencies and partners related to compliance, and service delivery.
• Attend meetings and ensure accurate minutes.
• Serve as needed to support the CEO and Executive Assistant & Board Liaison with Board, partner, and Committee relations.
• Other duties as assigned.

 The Specialist will demonstrate:

• Working knowledge of nonprofit board structure and responsibilities, and the role of the Specialist.
• An understanding of contracts and reporting structures
• Competence in adhering to guidelines and principles that govern protocol when communicating with government, agencies, and elected officials.
• Highest degree of integrity and trustworthiness with absolute commitment to confidentiality and discretion when processing sensitive and privileged information.
• A high degree of professionalism and diplomacy.
• High-level reasoning under frequent time constraints.
• Ability to distill multiple streams of information and exercise sound judgment to make smart decisions quickly.
• Steady competence and focus when facing rapid rates of changing demands.
• Initiative and resourcefulness when managing ambiguity.
• Motivation to learn new online technology and other efficient working methods.
• Sensitivity to and respect for people representing a variety of cultures.
• Aptitude and experience for project management.
• Organizational agility and flexibility.
• Passion for maintaining a high bar for quality with a critical eye for detail.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Clear and concise communications.
• Knowledge and experience with process improvement.
• Effective collaboration and influence with stakeholders from a variety of functions and businesses at every level.
• Prioritization and management of multiple responsibilities simultaneously.
• Demonstrates assertiveness, compassion, congeniality, empathy, and foresight.

Supervision Received

• VP, Chief Policy & Strategy Officer

Contacts

Internal:

• All employees
• Board members
• Committee members

External:

• Donors, potential donors, associates, affiliates and volunteers
• Partners organizations within and outside the region
• Nonprofits and foundations
• Elected representatives and appointed officials
• Community, business and civic leaders
• Public and private agencies
• Vendors/Consultants
• General public

Qualification Requirements

• Prior work and relationships with elected officials, government agencies, and other critical San Diego regional stakeholders
• Minimum of seven years administrator/project manager experience in professional office environment, with government experience
• Experience with contract or government reporting and document retention
• Experience supporting executives
• Strong diplomatic and communication skills, with the ability to develop buy-in across a wide range of stakeholders; ability to develop effective working relationships with all colleagues, external constituencies and decision makers
• Work with and effectively manage information of a confidential nature requiring considerable discretion, judgment, tact and diplomacy
• Excellent customer service skills
• Proven track record in developing and using administrative systems
• Experience with developing and maintaining budgets
• Teamwork, self-motivation, a proactive approach to work, flexibility and strong interpersonal skills are essential
• Strong initiative and ability to work with minimal supervision
• Ability to successfully organize, prioritize and implement multiple projects
• Initiative to recognize and anticipate problems, then solve them
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Meticulous writing and editing skills
• Computer skills: Expert proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel, and database entry and management as well as exporting and report generation
• Expertise in Blackbaud, Salesforce, and BoardEffect preferred – or willingness to learn
• Proven track record in Project Management and related documentation/reporting

Education and Experience

• Education and professional training beyond the high school level; business administration helpful; Associates or Bachelor’s degree preferred; government experience required

Language Skills

• Ability to read, write and speak English fluently
• Other languages preferred

Judgment/Reasoning Ability

• Use of good judgment and own initiative
• Logical thought process

Other Skills and Abilities

• Professional attitude and demeanor
• Highly detail-oriented
• Strong organizational skills
• Innovative

Special Conditions

• Ability to work extended hours, as needed

Anticipated starting salary: $114,000

If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit your PDF resume and PDF cover letter to sdfpicjobs@sdfoundation.org and place Operations Administrator and Compliance Specialist in the subject line.