The Organization
PEAK Grantmaking is a vibrant, member-led community of more than 7,000 professionals who specialize in grants management for funding organizations. We elevate the expertise of grants management professionals and foster their collaboration to strengthen the practice of grantmaking. We enable philanthropy to achieve its full potential to fuel change for good. We are the only organization dedicated solely to advancing the “how” of grantmaking.
PEAK improves how grants get made by building experts in grants management and equipping them with the most effective practices to implement in their grantmaking organizations. When grantmaking practices are at their “peak,” more resources are focused on mission over administration for both grantmakers and grantseekers, leading to greater impact for the causes and communities served.
PEAK’s Programs Team works to advance the Principles for Peak Grantmaking and ensure that the organization’s programming and resources encourage funders to adopt improved grantmaking practices and advocate for sector transformation. The Programs Team assures the strategy and execution of the organization’s events and sector convenings to elevate effective, efficient, and equitable philanthropic practices.
Position Overview
The Programs and Events Specialist plays a vital role in ensuring that PEAK’s mission and values of transforming philanthropy in operationalizing equity-centered, values-driven grantmaking practices are clearly expressed to our audiences, stakeholders, and community members. As PEAK’s online member community grows, the Programs and Events Specialist supports the management and expansion of PEAK’s menu of programming, content, and events. The Programs and Events Specialist supports the planning and execution of several events throughout the year that will nurture an emergent learning network among PEAK members, including the PEAK annual convening, chapter events, and other external engagements. The Programs and Events Specialist collaborates with staff across the organization to effectively build and maintain educational resources that meet member needs and deliver inspiring thought leadership through PEAK’s programs and events.
The Programs and Events Specialist reports to the Programs and Knowledge Director.
Duties, Responsibilities, and Authority
Key duties and responsibilities:
Community Engagement and Knowledge-Sharing
● Partner with the Programs and Knowledge Manager to support the PEAK member online discussion forum and curate trends and gather qualitative data, resources, and samples from discussions for sense-making and sharing with the broader membership
● Highlight and share conversations that demonstrate peer-to-peer sharing and problemsolving
● Utilize community data to support member engagement efforts and educational content
development
Content Development
● In collaboration with members of the Programs Team, support the design of publicfacing
workshops and webinars to support the adoption of Principles for Peak
Grantmaking
● Provide support for emergent learning through listening, surveying, and researching the
current and changing state of grants management practices in the field
● Provide logistical support for volunteer advisory committees, volunteers, speakers, and
consultants tasked with assisting in the development of educational content
● Manage the content creation and design process of essential publications for PEAK
including the annual Salary Survey and accompanying report and updates to the
Principles for Peak Grantmaking
Annual Convening and Event Planning
● Partner with members of the Programs Team to plan and execute PEAK’s annual
convening, which will have more than 1,000 attendees and include more than 50
sessions, multiple keynotes, pre- and post-conference workshops, exhibitors, and
networking activities
● Support the Convening and Events Manager in managing all aspects of event
coordination and management for the annual convening
● Assist with the recruitment and coordination of event volunteers, speakers, and subject
matter experts
● Support the coordination of convening and event logistics, including managing
contractors and vendors, organizing lodging and travel details, organizing audiovisual
and other communications needs, proactively managing postage and shipping needs,
and overseeing event setup and takedown
● Collaborate with the Convening and Events Manager to develop and adhere to event
plans, timelines, and budgets
● Partner with the Communications Team to develop promotional and supplemental
materials for events and conferences
● Collaborate with the Membership & Community Engagement Team to understand
member needs and deliver member value at all events and conferences
● Support with the planning and development of webinars and workshops that support PEAK’s educational offerings and partnership strategies
Programs Planning and Execution
● Approach work assignments with an equity lens, and work to build personal knowledge and experience in this area
● Promote organizational innovation and change by facilitating discussion and collaboration amongst team members
● Collaborate regularly with internal teams to develop, manage, and promote content and engage with members
● Ensure that program deliverables are on time, within budget, and of the highest quality
● Provide management support for ongoing projects, including project setup, organization, and tracking
Requirements and Qualifications
● A minimum of 5 years proven experience within philanthropy, grantmaking practice, and/or the grantmaking profession
● Understanding of and strong commitment to racial equity and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles
● Commitment to PEAK’s goals and strategy, and the ability and willingness to adapt as those goals evolve
● Excellent written and public-speaking communication skills
● Excellent time management, project organization, project management, problem-solving, volunteer management, relationship building, and team-building skills
● Skilled at defining scope, communicating with stakeholders, and utilizing project management tools like Asana
● Advanced proficiency using M365 applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Teams)
● Experience and proficiency using collaboration apps like Dropbox, Zoom, and Slack
● Ability to independently and collaboratively author engaging materials that encourage funders to adopt improved grantmaking practices
● Experience in developing and delivering educational content
● Experience with event, workshop, and webinar planning, preferably for a nonprofit or philanthropy-serving organization
● A self-starter who knows how to design and implement processes, and create opportunities for valuable community engagement
● Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize and adjust timetables based on demand and other factors, as well as handle new or unplanned projects with agility and flexibility
● Strong attention to detail
● Ability to effectively work independently, as well as part of a team, in a remote environment
● Ability to travel is required. Travel for this position could include attending the annual national convening, staff retreats, and member events
Compensation
A comprehensive salary and benefits package will be offered. The starting salary range for this position is $80,000 – $85,000, commensurate with experience.
How To Apply