Foundation Program Assistant - Bilingual skills desired but not required

Who we are: CCOF advances organic agriculture for a healthy world. We advocate on behalf of our members for organic policies, support the growth of organic through education and grants, and provide organic certification that is personal and accessible.

CCOF is a nonprofit organization governed by the people who grow and make our food. Founded in California 50 years ago, our roots now span the breadth of North America, and our presence is internationally recognized. We are supported by an organic family of farmers, ranchers, processors, retailers, consumers, and policymakers. Together, we work to realize a future where organic is the norm.

 

Position Summary:

Interested in helping farmers and ranchers go and stay organic? The CCOF Foundation is seeking a motivated, passionate, detail-oriented Program Assistant who provides administrative support to the Foundation programs and grant application processes by coordinating grants, maintaining grantee data, communicating and supporting applicants and grantees, and outreach for Foundation programs including, the Organic Transition Program, Bricmont Hardship Assistance, and Future Organic Farmers.  

You will be highly organized and enthusiastic about customer service. The Program Assistant works collaboratively with the entire CCOF Foundation team to further CCOF’s mission of advancing organic agriculture for a healthy world!    

 

This is a full-time, non-exempt position reporting to the CCOF Foundation Grant Manager. This is a California-based remote or in-office position. California Central Coast-based is preferred but not required.   

 

The initial application review date is January 6, 2025. 

 

Essential Responsibilities: 

• Contribute to all key aspects of the CCOF Foundation’s granting work, including but not limited to creating, updating, reviewing, evaluating, and scoring applications, payment administration, progress reporting, and data maintenance. 

• Assist applicants and grantees with clear, accessible, written and verbal communication for questions, inquiries, application process, follow-ups, annual and final reports. This support is provided through email, desktop texting apps, phone calls, video chats, and on occasion, in-person meetings.  

• Administer and maintain up-to-date grantee documentation, including but not limited to all application collateral and grant expenditure receipts.  

• Maintain grantee metrics, data gathering, and documentation.  

 

Specific Duties  

• Maintain updated grant award information in all systems (Foundant, Excel, Salesforce). 

• Maintain updated documents and templates for all grant processes. 

• Assist with gathering, updating, editing, and formatting grantee project descriptions, bios, and media.  

• Create and send grant-related mailings including welcome packets and checks.  

• Assist with the administration of granting software (Foundant and Salesforce), including setting up grant applications, reviewing submissions, selecting recipients, monitoring progress reports, and ensuring compliance with grant guidelines, all while utilizing the software's features to streamline the process and maintain accurate records.  

• Coordinate program application and promotion dates and CCOF Foundation website updates with Marketing and IT departments. 

• Support creating promotional content and communicate with the Marketing team for grant promotion. 

• Support grant program evaluations and recommendations. 

• Update work instructions for internal processes related to this position. 

• Assist with scheduling and managing the calendar for Foundation grant programs. 

• Support other Foundation programs as needed. 

• Provide support in the planning, execution, and follow-up of various program events organized by CCOF Foundation. 

• Support the Foundation in fostering positive relationships with applicants, grantees, and external partners. 

 

Required Qualifications:

• Highly organized and motivated.  Reliably completes high volume of work with efficiency and accuracy within assigned deadlines. Quickly responds to high priority requests and questions. Proactive, self-directed and driven to achieve goals.  

• Effective time and task management. Understands how to prioritize competing needs and tasks without sacrificing quality. Ask for help when needed. 

• Attention to detail. Notices and fixes errors that others might overlook. Acknowledges mistakes and turns them into learning opportunities. Has a track record of leaving things better than they found them. 

• Proficiency in computer skills including Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Adobe Acrobat, and other database programs. Effectively manage emails, create professional documents, navigate and edit spreadsheets, and maintain accurate database records.  

• Solid client and partner relationship building and communication skills. 

• Has experience communicating with and supporting clients and partners displaying a courteous, helpful attitude at all times when interacting with customers. This includes being patient and respectful and taking the time to listen to customers’ needs or concerns and address them accordingly. Ability to ease the concerns of upset or anxious customers and clients by de-escalating tense situations.   

• Actively understands and empathizes with the communities we serve, creating a comfortable environment even when there are significant differences in backgrounds or perspectives, effectively bridging gaps and fostering positive interactions. 

• Listens closely to understand needs or concerns and takes actions based on that input. 

• Takes pride in providing clear, helpful information. 

• Consistently replies to people’s messages, emails, or requests promptly. 

• Enthusiasm for meeting and engaging with people.
• Ability to operate as part of a team and independently. Can communicate and work with supervisors and colleagues as well as perform their role with minimal supervision 

 

Desired Qualifications 

• Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Ability. Independently navigate unfamiliar situations and use available resources to solve problems. Able to ask for assistance when needed.  

• Intermediate Spanish language skills to speak fluently, provide written and verbal applicant support, write and edit marketing/outreach or other relevant content in Spanish proficiently and accurately; can translate between English and Spanish; or  

• Proficiency in English and one language spoken by historically underserved producers in California including Spanish, Hmong, Lao, etc., with the ability to sufficiently communicate verbally and in writing. 

• 1-3 years of experience in an applicable field gained through work or volunteer positions. 

• Experience working with underserved communities and individuals with different technology comfort levels. 

• Proficiency in Salesforce. Understands the platform’s features, user management, data import/export, and basic automation. 

• Knowledge and commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles. Willing to engage in discussions about race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, class, ability, or gender and the ways our identities shape our workplace experiences. Understands the historical context for inequities and its present-day implications.  

• Experience working remotely with in-office and remote teams. 

 

Supervisory Responsibilities or Key Relationships: 

• This role does not have any supervisory responsibilities. 

 

Physical and Travel Requirements: 

• 8-hour regular workday schedule that falls within the 7:00 am to 7:00 pm timeframe in the employee’s time zone. This ensures client contact availability during most normal CCOF business hours (8:00 am – 5:00 pm Pacific Time).  

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.  

• This position may involve occasional opportunities to travel domestically for staff events, and/or to represent CCOF professionally at industry events in the US. Travel opportunities for this position are not expected to exceed approximately 7 days per year. 

 

Other duties: 

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

 

Compensation: CCOF takes pride in offering competitive pay and benefits such as superb health plans, 401(k) program, and generous sick/personal and vacation time. The Foundation Program Assistant’s starting salary range will be $49,000 – $51,000 and will depend on qualifications and experience.

 

Hiring Process: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Interested applicants, please submit the following documents:

• Cover letter summarizing your interest in CCOF and the position, and qualifications
• Current resume
• List of three professional references 

Incomplete applications will not be considered. No phone calls, please. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Thank you for your interest.

CCOF is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage people with diverse backgrounds and experience to apply.

Inclusivity is a core value at CCOF. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable work and learning environment for all employees. We believe every member of our team enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design and deliver solutions.