[Remote] Program Specialist

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Northwest Minnesota Foundation is a community foundation serving rural communities, nonprofits, small businesses, and individuals across northwest Minnesota. The Program Specialist supports program and project coordination, meetings and events, community and partner relations, communications, data and records management, grants and contracts administration, and organizational operations.

Responsibilities

• Assist and support implementation of program activities, projects, and initiatives across assigned program areas
• Assist Program Officers and Program Managers with planning, scheduling, tracking deliverables, and maintaining project timelines
• Coordinate follow-up activities to ensure projects remain organized, documented, and progressing toward established timelines
• Assist with coordination of logistics for meetings, trainings, convenings, and community engagement activities
• Prepare meeting materials, support virtual and in-person event administration, document meeting outcomes, and assist with follow-up activities and task tracking
• Serve as a professional and welcoming point of contact for community members, partners, advisory groups, vendors, consultants, and other stakeholders
• Respond to inquiries, provide information and referrals, and help connect partners with appropriate Foundation resources and opportunities
• Support program communications, outreach, and engagement efforts through maintenance of contact lists, preparation of communication materials, coordination of mailings, and assistance with surveys, events, and outreach campaigns
• Assist with creation, editing, and distribution of program and partner communications
• Maintain accurate program records, files, databases, and documentation in accordance with Foundation policies and funding requirements
• Assist with data collection, reporting, survey administration, record retention, and quality assurance activities
• Compile and maintain routine reports, tracking tools, and program data to support program management and decision-making
• Assist with administrative processes related to grants, contracts, consultant agreements, invoices, reimbursements, and other program transactions
• Support documentation collection, routing, approvals, and record maintenance to ensure compliance with Foundation procedures and funding requirements
• Contribute to Foundation-wide operations through shared administrative responsibilities, including reception coverage, mail processing, phone support, and other organizational support activities as assigned
• Responsibilities may vary based on assigned program area, organizational priorities, and Foundation initiatives. The Program Specialist is expected to adapt to changing needs and contribute to a wide range of programmatic, administrative, communication, and operational activities
• Provide administrative support to the Community Health & Wellness Senior Program Manager, including scheduling assistance, calendar coordination, meeting preparation, note-taking, follow-up tracking, and other administrative support activities necessary to support program operations and priorities
• Other duties as assigned

Skills

• Associate degree (A.A.) or higher or two years of relevant work experience
• Minimum two years of experience in administrative coordination, nonprofit, business, or community development
• Proficiency with Excel, CRM/data systems, and digital communication tools
• Strong organizational, communication, and relationship‑building skills
• Bachelor's degree in business, community development, economic development, or related field
• Knowledge of NMF programs or community development processes
• Experience collaborating with consultants or vendors
• Passion for NMF's mission and enthusiasm for community‑focused work

Benefits

• A flexible/hybrid option is available where the employee is expected to be physically at the headquarters for an agreed upon number of days and has the option to work from a remote work location in the region we serve (12 northwest counties and 2 Tribal Nations) the other days.

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