Quality Assurance Program Officer

JOB OVERVIEW

Philanthropy Northwest is seeking a Quality Assurance Program Officer (QA PO) to join our team and contribute to the successful execution of the EPA Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program. In this role, you will play a pivotal part in supporting community-based organizations with their identification, development and execution of environmental information operation (EIO) activities as they manage federal grant funds.

We are seeking an experienced, dedicated and detail-oriented Quality Assurance Program Officer for the duration of the program, to lead the oversight and continuous improvement of our organization’s Environmental Informational Operations (EIO) as we implement our Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program (EJ TCGP). In this role, you will manage the Quality Management Plan (QMP) - our strategic document that articulates a management system of the collection, production and evaluation or use of environmental data by our subgrantees. This position will be overseeing an external firm that will be supporting QA activities, as well as managing our internal processes to ensure quality assurance expectations are in accordance with EPA requirements by all internal team members and sub-awardees. This position will also work closely with three PNW program officers to support them and subgrantees identifying, developing and managing their quality assurance plans.

As a QA PO, you will conduct annual internal assessments, revise the QMP as needed, and serve as main liaison with the EPA regional quality assurance team. You will be responsible for reviewing and supporting subgrantee projects, ensuring compliance with QA policies, and providing final determinations on Environmental Information Operations (EIO).

About the EPA Thriving Communities Environmental Program

EPA’s Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking program, created by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment in climate action in history. This new grant program, which will make it easier for small community-based organizations to access federal environmental justice funding, responds to community feedback about the need to reduce barriers to federal funds and improve the efficiency of the awards process to ensure communities that have long faced underinvestment can access the benefits of the largest climate investment in history. Communities will be able to apply to a Grantmaker for a subgrant to fund a range of different environmental project activities. Philanthropy Northwest has been selected as the Region 10 grantmaker, serving Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington; and will collaborate with regional philanthropic partners to ensure the equitable distribution of funding to support community-led environmental justice work.

FLSA classification – Exempt

Role Type- Full-time (33-month LTE)

Reports to – Director, Grantmaking

Location- Hybrid position based in Seattle or anywhere in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, or Washington state, with periodic in-person presence at HQ in Seattle.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead annual internal assessment, reviews the QMP annually and revises accordingly, and provides revised QMP to EPA for approval as needed.
• Serve as primary liaison between PNW and the EPA Regional Quality Assurance team and other related departments for EIO (e.g., EPA construction team).
• Supervise external QA firm
• Review all subgrantee projects as identified by program officers and/or director of grantmaking to ensure EIO are identified within tight timelines for each grantmaking cycle.
• Identify training on QA policies and practices for program officers, grant administrators, and subgrantees
• Identify, assess, and support subgrantees with QAPP needs.
• Collaborate with the National-West Grantmakers to design training priorities and technical assistance needs for QMPs/QAPPs to share with subgrantees, as needed.
• Sources technical support for subgrantee to develop QAPPs, with support from both EPA and the National-West Grantmakers QAPP contractors.
• Conducts and/or sources QAPP training and QAPP development guidance
• Reviews all subgrantee QAPP deliverables to ensure all elements are addressed and complete prior to submitting QAPP deliverables to the EPA for review and approval
• In collaboration with Program Officers, ensures adherence to QAPP when implementing EIO
• Serve as a key resource for subgranteess, providing information and connections to aid in the successful execution of environmental justice projects.
• Administer user-friendly data collection systems to streamline reporting processes for grant recipients, ensuring accuracy and efficiency.
• Assist grantee partners in the accurate and timely submission of required QA documents and reports.
• Support PNW team with reporting to EPA on QA related activities

Other

• Engage in enterprise-wide activities and team building, including staff meetings, peer coaching, learning and development, annual conference, staff committees and other enterprise events throughout the year.
• This is not a comprehensive list of duties and may be asked to take on other administrative and operational tasks, as needed.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree, or equivalent experience in environmental science, information technology, data management, or a related field.
• Direct work experience at an environmental firm or related organization
• Technical Proficiency: Possess a range of technical skills to effectively manage and utilize environmental information.
• Compliance Standards: Knowledge of national and international standards for environmental data management and reporting.
• Familiarity with key EPA regulations, guidelines, and reporting requirements related to environmental data.
• Demonstrated success in working in a diverse and inclusive work environment that values racial equity and inclusion.
• Familiarity with environmental justice principles and related areas, demonstrating a commitment to equity.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships across diverse groups.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, capable of handling multiple tasks and deadlines effectively.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Suite for documentation and communication purposes.
• Possession of a valid driver's license and a clean driving record for business travel.
• Ability to travel frequently and drive long distances, adhering to safety regulations and maintaining composure.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced degrees (Masters or Ph.D.) in relevant fields, which may include environmental engineering, computer science, or geospatial science.
• Demonstrated experience with database management systems, geographic information systems (GIS), and data visualization tools.
• Data Management: Proficiency in managing large datasets, ensuring data quality, and maintaining data integrity.
• Data Visualization: Skills in creating clear and informative data visualizations using tools such as Tableau or Power BI.
• Experience in the philanthropic, nonprofit, or public sector, with a strong understanding of community dynamics.
• A capacity for self-reflection, humility, and curiosity, fostering a collaborative and learning-oriented approach.
• Familiarity with federal grant processes, including knowledge of grant requirements and reporting procedures, to support effective project implementation.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The annual compensation for a full-time position includes a package of benefits consisting of medical, dental, retirement contribution by employer (6% of salary and additional up to 2% dollar to dollar match (up to $1,800/year) to employee contribution), professional development paid holidays and generous vacation policy, and flexible schedule.

Annual salary range is $95,000-$105,000 depending on experience.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please submit a resume and cover letter indicating what value you would bring to Philanthropy Northwest, by clicking on the Apply button. The applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and priority will be given to those received before Wednesday, January 22, 2025. This position will remain open until we find our ideal candidate.

ABOUT US

Philanthropy Northwest is a network of philanthropic organizations of all types working in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. We bring together a thriving community of grantmakers dedicated to supporting strong communities through collective learning, centering equity and racial justice and investing in innovation. We believe philanthropy is at its best when it is collaborative and inclusive.

We are also home to The Giving Practice, a national consultancy committed to advancing equity-centered philanthropy. As a division of Philanthropy Northwest, The Giving Practice’s consulting team brings customized solutions, deep regional relationships and national expertise to support organizations navigating philanthropy’s changing landscape.

Philanthropy Northwest’s mission is to grow philanthropy’s capacity to do transformative work toward redistributing resources and power to underinvested communities in the Northwest. We serve equity-committed philanthropic funders and practitioners serving communities on our six-state region and consulting clients across the nation.

We work with philanthropic partners who share a commitment to transforming philanthropic practices to advance greater equity & racial justice for communities by:

(1) Cultivating learning, connections & relationships, professional development and thought partnership for practitioners in the field.

(2) Providing value-aligned & equity-centered consultative support and thought leadership for philanthropic organizations.

(3) Pooling, managing and equitably distributing resources to the field on behalf of philanthropic and public sector funders.

(4) Advocating for structural shifts through public policy and advocacy.

Our values

EQUITY - We promote systems and practices that support just outcomes for people regardless of race, ethnicity and intersectional identities, including gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, disability, religion and immigration status.

RACIAL JUSTICE - We stand for a society where Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities have the dignity, resources, power and self-determination to fully thrive.

PLACE - We are inspired and grounded in the diversity of our region’s people and cultures, and we honor its lands as the traditional and present home of Northwest Indigenous peoples.

INTEGRITY - We hold ourselves accountable for acting in alignment with our values and maintaining high standards of transparency, honesty and openness.

COURAGE - We aspire to catalyze change in the philanthropic sector by being bold with our actions and our voice.

JOY - We create space for creativity, connection and fun in our work.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Philanthropy Northwest is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create an inclusive and equitable workplace and encourage people from underrepresented communities to apply. We value and celebrate our employees’ differences in age, ability, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender expression, language, national origin, political affiliation, socio-economic status and veteran status.

Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodation. It is our commitment to assess our current systems and create more opportunities for access and inclusion.

*COVID-19 vaccinations are mandated at Philanthropy Northwest. We will reasonably accommodate those individuals with medical conditions and/or religious beliefs that prevent them from obtaining the vaccine.