About the Barr Foundation
The Barr Foundation’s mission is to invest in human, natural, and creative potential, serving as thoughtful stewards and catalysts. As stewards, Barr nurtures vital community assets. As catalysts, the Foundation advances breakthrough ideas to shape our collective future. We work in partnership with nonprofits, foundations, the public sector, and civic and business leaders to elevate the arts and creative expression, advance solutions for climate change, and connect all students to success in high school and beyond. Based in Boston, Barr focuses regionally and selectively engages nationally.
Founded in 1997, Barr has grown to become one of the largest private foundations in New England and has contributed over $1 billion to charitable causes. With assets over $2.5 billion, Barr’s 2024 grantmaking budget is $130 million. We focus our grantmaking on arts and creativity, climate, and education – complemented by grants to strengthen New England’s social sector and targeted special initiatives.
A set of core values defined by our founding trustees express our beliefs about what constitutes effective philanthropy and guide how the Barr Foundation carries out its mission. Barr is committed to strive for impact, act with humility, invest in leaders, take the long view, center racial equity, embrace risk, and demonstrate curiosity. These values also guide our hiring process and the workplace culture that we shape together. We aim to make Barr an inclusive workplace where all team members can bring their full and authentic selves and be supported to learn and grow. For more information about Barr, visit barrfoundation.org and follow us on LinkedIn.
About the Grants Management and Operations Team
The Grants Management team is part of the larger Operations team at Barr. The Operations team is responsible for the administration of business practices to maximize collaboration, efficiency, and effectiveness within the organization. This team leads organizational planning, grants management, contracts administration, and oversees and coordinates various operational processes and facilities management and workplace experience activities. Within the Operations team, Grants Management supports the Foundation's grantmaking and strategic efforts through administration of grants and contracts, and related activities. Grants Management incorporates various IT/business systems and tools to develop, track and evaluate work across teams. By blending field-wide resources with internal collaboration and practices, the Grants Management function serves as the backbone for program operations enabling Barr to advance its mission.
About the Position
The Manager, Grants Management and Contracts Administration is a new position reporting to the Director of Grants Management. This individual will join the Grants Management and Operations team and is responsible for enhancing strategic and administrative activities as programmatic operations continue to evolve and scale. By closely collaborating with the Director of Grants Management in support of overall operations team objectives, the Manager role, among other areas described below, will implement streamlined, effective contracts management practices aimed at driving efficiencies and impact. As Barr grantmaking and programs advance their impact, the Grants Management team plays a critical role in ensuring operations can continue to facilitate results. Through the cultivation of trusted relationships across the organization and engagement in collaborative projects, the Manager, Grants Management and Contracts Administration will serve as an internal connector for this team’s activities that ultimately enhances Barr’s efforts.
Key Responsibilities
Contracts Administration & Grants Management
Coordination:
- Oversee and manage Barr contracts by developing and maintaining a seamless, consistent workflow, including process design, template implementation, compliance, efficient tracking.
- Serve as the liaison between Grants Management and Programs to ensure coordination and alignment of functional activities and synergy of approaches.
- Understand all Grants Management functions and fill team gaps during times of large volume or during staff absences.
- Continuously refine and improve core templates to enhance team efficiency and ensure clarity of communication and cohesion across documents.
Compliance:
- Stay current with understanding of relevant rules, policies, and requirements and provide guidance to leadership to ensure compliance across all contracts through project activities, documents, and designs.
- Expertise in interpreting and ensuring adherence to relevant regulations, policies, and legal requirements governing grants management and contracts administration in the philanthropic sector
Process:
- Assist Barr leadership with the grant and contract approval process, offering expertise in reviewing documents.
- Oversee documentation within grants and contracts management, ensuring comprehensive and standardized record-keeping.
Programmatic and Operational Effectiveness
Systems:
- Guided by innovation, identify opportunities, make recommendations, and implement process and systems improvements across Grants Management and other Operations functions.
- Implement practices to ensure data integrity, including establishing clear reporting procedures, defining roles and responsibilities, and ensuring adherence to data management protocols.
- Maintain collaborative platforms (i.e., Asana, Box, etc.) and related trainings to foster the exchange of insights, lessons, and best grants management practices.
Internal Communication:
- Work closely with the Director of Grants Management to promote and sustain clear and transparent communication of grants and contracts management practices across functions and programs, by developing tools, practices and norms to ensure more seamless flow of information.
- Build trust and buy-in for Grants Administration and Operations’ efforts across the organization.
- Work with Grants Management Associate to develop and implement training programs for new and existing Barr staff to ensure a consistent understanding of grants and contracts management processes and best practices.
Project Management:
- Collaborate with Operations and Program teams to prioritize grants administration-related projects and partner with individuals to adjust efforts and communication strategies as needed.
- Integrate and maintain a robust project management system to track grants management team projects.
Management of Complex Projects
Process Improvement Feedback:
- Manage routine systems for gathering and analyzing process improvement feedback and feedback from Barr grantees and staff through efforts such as Barr’s Grantee Perception Report, including project management of cross-functional efforts, report design, communication with participants, and evaluation of results and team actions in response to learnings.
Special Projects:
- Work with Director of Grants Management on additional initiatives, including but not limited to human-centered grantmaking and Program Related Investments pilot, implementing new strategies once ongoing pilots are complete.
Desired Qualities, Experiences, and Competencies
The Manager, Grants and Contracts will be a highly motivated team-player committed to carrying out Barr’s mission and values. The ideal candidate will be action-oriented and a strong communicator, who is proactive, analytical and detail-oriented. This self-starter will think strategically across functions with an understanding of when to step in and out of a lead role on critical projects. A successful candidate will have a proven track record of building trust with teammates and overcoming challenges to carry work across the finish line.
While no single candidate may embody all the qualifications listed, an ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences.
- 5 to 7 years of progressive experience in grants management and contracts administration roles within the philanthropic sector.
- In-depth understanding of compliance principles and best practices, including familiarity with relevant laws, regulations, and industy standards.
- Familiarity for how fast-paced, dynamic philanthropic organizations function.
- Ability to navigate different individual and team dynamics and build trusted and collaborative partnerships across all functions and levels.
- Ability to foster an atmosphere which recognizes and respects cultural and individual differences.
- Proficiency in grants management strategies for private foundations, with a strong understanding and competency of related systems.
- Ability to manage projects, develop timelines, and anticipate and plan for unforeseen circumstances.
- Ability to communicate clearly and provide updates for colleagues and key partners to ensure continuous project alignment.
- Comfort with current technological solutions, with an ability to learn new technologies appropriate for a hybrid office work environment.
- Ability to innovate and bring solutions-focused approach to projects.
- Demonstrated ability to effectively support and lead projects, with a keen understanding of when and how to transition between support and leadership roles as needed.
- Ability to analyze and prioritize initiatives and adjust effort when necessary.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and work flexibly and adapt to changing requirements within a complex environment.
- Enthusiasm and commitment to operational success in partnership with others.
- Ability to develop processes in order to streamline team effort and effectiveness.
- Alignment with and commitment to Barr’s mission and values.
- Possess data management and analysis skills (data visualization skills a plus).
- Strong independent judgment.
- Comfort with ambiguity and uncertainty.
- Track record of executing high-caliber work while exhibiting diplomacy and grace under time pressure.
Compensation and Benefits
Barr is an equal opportunity employer, with a commitment to building and fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We welcome candidates who would both contribute to and value working in such an environment.
The starting salary range for this role is $95,000 to $105,000 and will be determined by factors including experience, readiness for the role, and organizational equity. The Barr Foundation offers an attractive benefits package including generous health, dental, vision, and life insurance; strong retirement savings program; 15 vacation days to start and a parental leave and health leave policies.
Barr is a Compact Signer for the 100% Talent Compact, which is administered by the Boston Women’s Workforce Council, a unique public-private partnership between the Boston Mayor’s Office and Greater Boston employers dedicated to eliminating the gender and racial wage gap. We are proud to be part of this first-in-the-nation approach to reaching pay equity for women and people of color across our region.
Flexible Work Environment
The Barr Foundation embraces a hybrid workplace that seeks to balance time in the office with colleagues, time in the community, and remote work. Located along the waterfront in Boston’s North End, Barr’s offices are in the historic Pilot House and adjacent Two Atlantic Avenue building. Our walls and halls feature the work of living, contemporary artists, and the office space is designed to provide bright, open, flexible spaces for collaboration and independent work, and to host meetings and events. With expansive views of Boston Harbor, Barr is steps away from Boston’s “Freedom Trail” and bike share and near to restaurants, shops, museums, and parks.
How to Apply
Please visit https://boards.greenhouse.io/barrfoundation to apply for this position. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with applications encouraged by March 22, 2024.
