Program Manager

ABOUT US 

Inatai Foundation is a growing 501(c)(4) philanthropic organization committed to working with communities to shift the balance of power to ensure racial justice and equity across Washington and beyond. We are hiring a Program Manager to join our expanding team. 

Cultivating a staff team that embodies the diverse experiences of Washington communities is essential to these aspirations. We strongly and sincerely encourage applications from people of color; individuals who are immigrants, bilingual, and multicultural; d/Deaf people and people with disabilities; members of LGBTQIA+ and gender non-conforming communities; and people with other diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. 

Visit our About Us page to learn more about our work, approaches, and values. You may also browse our Join Inatai page to understand our hiring process, work culture, and benefits.  

POSITION SUMMARY

The Program Manager (PM) is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of Inatai Foundation’s grantmaking activities, ensuring that program officers and grantmakers across the organization are well-supported in building strong, effective relationships with leaders of community-based organizations throughout Washington state. This role ensures the quality, consistency, and timeliness of grantmaking by managing projects, delegating program responsibilities, and developing and documenting policies, processes, and practices that reflect Inatai’s values and commitments. 

The PM supervises a team of Program Associates and fosters a collaborative and supportive team culture that enables internal staff—and the grant-funded organizations to whom Inatai is accountable—to have clear, joyful, and successful experiences with the foundation. The PM also supports the management of contractors and vendors related to grantmaking operations and is responsible for ensuring responsive, thoughtful communication with external partners, including managing general email and phone inquiries. This role significantly impacts Inatai’s ability to advance its grantmaking efforts, ensuring alignment with the Foundation's 50-Year Vision focused on racial justice, equity, and a statewide power building approach. 

The Program Manager oversees day-to-day operations and administration across the Grantmaking division, ensuring consistent and efficient processes that support Inatai’s mission. They provide strategic and operational support to the Vice President of Grantmaking, the Grantmaking Operations Director, Portfolio Directors, and Program Officers through project planning, forecasting, and coordination. The PM also leads process improvements and documentation efforts to strengthen grantmaking systems and practices. Their work enhances internal collaboration and ensures a smooth, equitable experience for community partners. 

This is a full-time, exempt position. Inatai is proud to be a statewide organization, and we know there are talented leaders everywhere in our state. As we grow and learn, we know that we are better partners to communities and more strategic grantmakers when we have team members rooted in place and bringing their lived and learned experiences to our work. We are prioritizing the following geographies to ensure we are fully living up to our commitments to geographic equity.  

• The Olympic Peninsula, with special attention to Jefferson, Clallam, and Grays Harbor counties 

• North Central Washington, with special attention to Douglas, Chelan, Okanogan, and Kittitas counties 

• Northeastern Washington, with special attention to Pend Oreille, Stevens, Ferry and Lincoln counties 

In addition to these regions, we would like to give priority to candidates based in Adams, Asotin, Cowlitz, Lewis, Mason, Skagit, Skamania, and Whitman counties.  

We currently have offices in Seattle and Pasco. Team members connected to an office are expected to work in the office. Team members may be permitted – with supervisor approval – to work remotely up to two days per week. Periodic early morning, evening, and weekend hours will be required, and statewide and regional travel should be expected. 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Standardization and Process Implementation

• Collaborate with the stakeholders across the Grantmaking division to document, communicate, and implement standardized grantmaking processes that reflect Inatai Foundation’s values and priorities 

• Ensure grantmaking operations align with internal accountability standards and support organizational transparency and consistency 

• Training and Customer Service: 

• Develop and coordinate training for team members on grantmaking systems and protocols, and maintain a high standard of customer service that centers Inatai’s accountability to grantee organizations in a way that builds internal trust in our tools, workflows, and the Grantmaking Operations team 

Process Improvement and Strategic Guidance

• Lead continuous improvements in grantmaking processes, incorporating feedback to streamline operations and increase impact 

• Serve as a strategic advisor on operational enhancements that support equitable, responsive, and transparent grantmaking 

Team Oversight and Support

• Supervise and guide the daily work of Program Associates, ensuring high-quality support for all grantmakers across multiple grant portfolios 

• Provide coaching, mentorship, and clarity of expectations to support team development and excellence 

Organizational Culture and Leadership

• Act as a culture bearer of Inatai’s philanthropic approach and grantmaking values, reinforcing equity-driven practices within the grantmaking division and across the organization 

• Be a model for Inatai’s values in decision-making, fostering collaboration and mission alignment, in both internal and external interactions.  

Information Management

• Oversee grantmaking file management, ensuring accurate record-keeping, secure access, and appropriate confidentiality within Microsoft Teams and SharePoint environments 

• Promote practices that uphold compliance, accessibility, and transparency in data management 

Budget and Policy Input

• Contribute to the development and oversight of the grantmaking operations budget, identifying operational needs and supporting effective use of resources 

• Review and revise grantmaking policies, systems, and procedures to reflect evolving best practices and team needs 

Team Leadership and Division-Wide Support 

• Foster a collaborative environment where all Inatai grantmakers understand their roles and responsibilities in the grantmaking process 

• Lead, mentor, and support a team of program associates, modeling a culture of care, accountability, and continuous learning rooted in community power and racial justice 

• Develop and execute great practices for onboarding new team members to the grantmaking division at Inatai, partnering with Human Resources to strengthen and organize onboarding materials 

• Oversee the training of the program management team 

Communications with Internal and External Stakeholders 

• Maintain a high quality of customer service that prioritizes Inatai’s accountability to grant-funded organizations and strengthens internal team members’ trust in Inatai’s processes, tools, and that of Grantmaking Operations as a whole 

• Ensure external communications from grant applicants, grant-funded organizations, and other community members are routed appropriately and responded to quickly, with kindness and clarity 

• Maintain accountability for the [email protected] and [email protected] email addresses, and any other communications channels that may be required to support the organizations that Inatai is accountable to 

• Document and update responses to frequently asked questions and common topics that Inatai receives from internal and external stakeholders 

• Lead internal communications about grantmaking processes and the status of grantmaking efforts with internal stakeholders including executive team members, leaders of various grantmaking funds, and other teams throughout the foundation 

Project Management and Coordination 

• Partner across departments to ensure scheduling, planning, and communication are aligned, transparent, and supportive of Grantmaking goals. 

• Build and oversee cross-training across teams on grantmaking processes and workflows 

• Stay aware of trends in program and project management, and apply this knowledge to changes in policy and practices 

Other Responsibilities 

• Support team gatherings and meetings for the Grantmaking Operations and Program Management team. 

• Perform other duties as assigned. 

• Prepare memos, briefs, reports, and research presentations for Vice Presidents, Grantmaking staff, and cross departmental team members   

• Optimize the functionality of the project management processes and systems through regular check-ins for improvements  

• In partnership with the Vice Presidents of Programs and other directors on the Program team, help shape, improve, and perpetuate the culture of the team  

• Develop strategies to bring Inatai’s strategic Approaches to life through daily action and through processes that ensure the Programs team’s planning and work remains rooted in the Foundation’s Approaches and grantmaking philosophy  

• Use data analysis and visualization tools to support the grants team  

• Contribute one’s own ideas, perspectives, and lived experiences to the emerging culture of the Foundation  

• Assume other responsibilities and explore new opportunities that arise with the evolving needs and aspirations   

Work Experience 

• Required: Minimum of 6 years of program management experience, with some experience in grantmaking or philanthropic settings.  

• Preferred: Background in project management methodologies and team culture development. PMP Certification 

Specialized Knowledge

• Extensive knowledge of project management tools, building systems and customer service   

• Experience with and knowledge of grantmaking processes  

• Demonstrated ability to manage teams and build leadership  

• At least 3 years’ experience supporting equity or racial justice strategies with communities, non-profit organizations and/or philanthropy  

• A deep commitment to equity and social justice, and strong alignment with Inatai’s organizational values  

• Ability to authentically connect the Foundation’s mission and aspirations with one’s own personal experiences  

• Demonstrated ability to cultivate relationships and work effectively and respectfully with politically, ideologically, culturally, and geographically diverse people and communities  

• Experience creating and updating workflows, policies, and procedures  

• Ability to create and implement manual processes to meet accessibility needs of the grants team  

•  Technologically proficient (preferably project management systems such as Monday.com) with an enthusiasm for discovering how to leverage technology in accessible and practical ways into grantmaking practices 

• A strong desire to learn about the needs of communities across the state who are most impacted by structural inequities  

• An understanding of the foundational role that racism, ableism, sexism, and other forms of bias and oppression play in perpetuating inequity  

• Humility and curiosity, and an understanding of how these qualities are connected to success in this role  

• Demonstrated capacity for self-reflection  

•  Excellent verbal, non-verbal, and written communication skills combined with the ability to listen deeply and authentically  

• Advanced Excel skills, proficiency with other Microsoft Office products and Adobe (Acrobat DC), and the ability to embrace new technologies  

• Willingness to take part in occasional meetings and events outside of core business hours  

• Enthusiasm for traveling throughout Washington and engaging with communities that may be different from your own (travel is estimated at 25-30% or this position) 

Other Skills  

• Strong cross-collaboration skills and an ability to partner with different teams throughout the organization 

• Ability to juggle multiple priorities and deadlines, and work with team members to problem solve  

• Excitement for grantmaking processes, with a strong focus on customer service 

• A deep commitment to equity and racial justice and strong alignment with our organizational values and 50-year vision 

• Ability to authentically connect the Foundation’s mission and aspirations with one’s own personal experiences 

COMPENSATION

In addition to a positive and flexible work culture, we attract, retain, and motivate exceptional people with an equitable and competitive compensation package. Salary ranges are set according to an explicit compensation policy, and relevant data are reviewed when setting ranges for each position. The salary range for this position is $98,000 to $120,000. A compensation enhancement is provided to employees with indigenous or advanced language proficiency in more than one language that they utilize to advance the Foundation’s work across Washington.  

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes fully paid medical/dental/vision coverage for employees and dependent children (and partial coverage for partners and spouses), a 10% retirement contribution, generous time off (29 days of flexible paid time off, eight paid holidays, and a year-end office closure from December 25 to January 1), paid family and medical leave (12 to 18 weeks), a transit pass (where available), and support for ongoing professional development.  

TO APPLY

Please submit your resume and a cover letter expressing your specific interests through our online application portal. Priority will be given to applications submitted by Monday, September 15th, 2025. You will receive an automatic acknowledgment of your application once you submit your materials, and you can expect updates from the Foundation every two to three weeks once the priority deadline has passed. 

We are committed to creating conditions where all candidates are able to fully express their talents and potential and invite you to let us know if there are any accommodations that we can provide to support you in your pursuit of this role. 

Thank you for your interest in joining Inatai Foundation!