Program Manager

Organizational Overview

Resources Legacy Fund (RLF) builds alliances that advance bold solutions to secure a just and resilient world for people and nature. We partner with philanthropy, community-based organizations, government, and academia to promote smart policies and robust public funding for the environment, climate resilience, and healthy neighborhoods. We manage complex, multi-year campaigns, grantmaking programs, and fiscally sponsor projects that accelerate positive change. We subscribe to the belief that strategic philanthropy and thoughtful partnerships can achieve enduring equitable outcomes.

Since RLF’s founding 20+ years ago, we have partnered with philanthropies to protect more than five million acres of lands and waters and helped generate more than $30 billion in public funding for land and ocean conservation, climate resilience and equitable outdoor access. Our work has taught us that environmental success is fundamentally tied to social equity, community health, economic opportunity, and a strong democracy.

We are a multi-disciplinary team of political strategists’, coalition builders, fundraisers, grant makers, communicators, and administrative professionals intently focused on delivering results. We are headquartered in Sacramento California with staff distributed across the country. To learn more about Resources Legacy Fund, visit https://resourceslegacyfund.org.

Position Summary

Under the guidance of senior staff, the Environmental Equity and Justice (EEJ) Program Manager supports public policy and grant making initiatives aimed at building community capacity, ensuring equitable implementation of public funding, supporting coalitions, and facilitating community-led environmental equity and justice projects. The Program Manager will also work closely with RLF staff, community groups, public agencies, policy makers, contractors, and funders to deliver EEJ program priorities.  

We are seeking a candidate with excellent organization and project management skills, public policy experience and a deep commitment to environmental equity and frontline communities. This position is based in California (Bay Area or Los Angeles) and requires routine travel throughout the state with limited domestic travel to fulfill job duties. This is an exempt position, and its duties are as follows:

• Assist in crafting and implementing EEJ strategies, tactics, and approaches.
• Ensure program administration, reporting, monitoring, and evaluation is conducted in a manner that meets program criteria.
• Perform research and analysis, and prepare documents as requested. Ensure the accuracy and quality of written products.
• Assist in refining grantmaking strategies, designing grants and contracts, conducting due diligence, and working with potential grantees and contractors to develop proposals and scopes of work.
• Work with program staff on project management, budget oversight, and reporting for grants and contracts.
• Play lead role in preparing dockets and appropriate materials for reports, proposals, and presentations (including reports, maps, tables, graphs, database reports, and PowerPoint presentations) to staff, the Board, partners, and funders.
• Convene meetings of staff and consultants to track progress and address program issues. Work with staff to research, prepare, and assemble materials for meetings. Conduct meetings where appropriate. Ensure that meetings have clear agendas, timelines, and outcomes. Ensure that necessary materials are circulated in advance of meetings.
• Ensure program administration, reporting, monitoring, and evaluation is conducted in a manner that meets program criteria.
• Coordinate assignments with team to ensure timely completion.
• Work with philanthropic staff to ensure grant- and contract-making policies and procedures are followed consistently across projects and programs.
• Coordinate assignments with team to ensure timely completion.
• Undertake special projects as assigned.

Qualifications

Note: These qualifications are guidelines, not hard and fast rules, so if you have 75% of the qualifications listed, we encourage you to apply. Experience can include paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work and lived experiences that helped you to build the competencies, knowledge, and skills needed for this position. Applying gives you the opportunity to be considered.

• A bachelor’s degree and expertise (5+ years) in public policy, environmental justice, natural resources, climate change or related fields.
• Strong work ethic, attention to detail, and a consistent commitment to thoroughness and quality.
• Exceptional project management and organizational skills and the ability to manage extensive documentation and written information.
• Ability to synthesize extensive information from multiple sources into a lucid, cohesive written product. With an understanding of tone, style, and audience, compose written information that effectively communicates the desired message.
• Outstanding editing skills. Critical eye for grammar, punctuation, and syntax.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, collaborate well with others, and can represent and speak on behalf of RLF with audiences including policymakers, donors, grantees, and consultants.
• Creative and flexible self-starter who can anticipate and respond rapidly to changing priorities, objectives, and situations.
• Ability to perform responsibilities with a high degree of judgment, accuracy, and attention to detail.
• Ability to work effectively on teams and across program matrices.

RLF Values

Every team member is expected to embody our values.

• Collaboration – We believe the key to achieving meaningful results and a productive workplace is rooted in humility —our ability to build effective relationships, listen deeply, respect different perspectives, and elevate new leaders.
• Equity – We value the insight, energy, and innovation of inclusive decision making. Our work seeks to elevate voices and build power within underrepresented communities to help advance a just and equitable future in which leadership reflects the diversity of the world we live in.
• Integrity – We are dedicated to our cause, genuine in our approach, and strive to cultivate a foundation of trust within our organization and with our partners. We believe humility and commitment to ongoing learning keeps us effective in our work.
• Creativity – We embrace a thoughtful, entrepreneurial spirit, seeking innovative ways to solve problems new and old. We are willing to take risks that the times and issues require to achieve lasting results.
• Excellence – We aspire to high standards of quality in everything we do—from internal operations to strategic program implementation. We are attentive to detail and persevere to deliver results on goals we share with funders, partners, and colleagues.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

RLF is committed to creating and maintaining a work environment free from discrimination, where all team members feel valued, respected, and included. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all qualified candidates, whatever their race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability status, religious or political affiliation, marital status, or any other dimension of diversity. We know that our work is enriched by the varied voices and perspectives of every staff and board member, so we are committed to making an earnest effort to recruit, welcome, train, develop, and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds. We believe that a diverse and inclusive culture expands our creative capacity to do our work and achieve greater outcomes for people and the natural world. We invite you to learn more about RLF’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion on our website.

Compensation and Benefits

Program Manager starting salary range is $87,000 - $107,000. Salary commensurate with related work experience and qualifications.

We have an alternate Fridays off work schedule and offer a comprehensive benefit package including medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401k plan with a 5% match, and generous paid time off. RLF also offers a technology allowance, student loan repayment assistance, the Calm app, mental health benefits and approximately 16 paid holidays per year.

To Apply

Please provide a resume and cover letter explaining how your skills fit this position.

Recruitment Schedule

June 10 – Recruitment launches

June 24  – Application deadline (applications received after this date may still be considered)

RLF participates in E-Verify, you can review the information here and here.