Program Assistant, Policy and Innovation

Program Assistant, Policy & Innovation

Location : San Francisco, CA

Type : Regular, Full-Time, Non-Exempt, Limited-Term

Min. Experience : Entry-Intermediate

The hourly compensation for this position in FY26 is : $37.77 per hour

Organizational Result : All people living in the San Francisco Bay Area are economically secure, rooted in vibrant communities and engaged in civic life.

We Value : Anti-racism, Boldness, Equity, Racial Justice, and being Rooted in Community

Position Summary

The Program Assistant provides overall administrative, operational, process, and ad hoc support for the Policy and Innovation Division within the Foundation's Community Impact Department. The Assistant is responsible for assisting staff with semi-routine and complex administrative or functional activities, including : drafting correspondence, calendaring, project management, note taking, invoice processing, budget management, organizing events and ensuring overall efficiency of departmental operations.

Boundaries

The Program Assistant provides overall administrative, operational, process, and ad hoc support for the Policy and Innovation Division, primarily for the Housing Advocacy & Policy (HAP) team and in coordination with Foundation Initiatives such as the Great Community Collaborative (GCC), Partnership for the Bay's Future (PBF), and other teams within the organization.

Authority

The Program Assistant oversees overall administrative, operational, process, and ad hoc support for the Policy and Innovation Division, primarily for the Housing Advocacy & Policy team. The role regularly engages with GCC, PBF, and other teams within the Community Impact Department. The role also engages with Marketing and Communications, Finance, and the Philanthropy and Gift Planning Departments.

Role

Administrative support through payment and expense processing, contract processing, note taking, technical support, sending acknowledgement letters, communications, etc. (25%)

Scheduling meetings and convenings for the HAP team and the Vice President of Policy and Innovation, including internal and external meetings, working group meetings, and team / division meetings (20%)

Supporting team's grantmaking through scheduling, note taking, technical support, grants analysis, grantee support, and leading grant applications (20%)

Planning and support for the P&I division's events and convenings (15%)

Ad hoc support at the direction of the VPPI, including strategic planning and implementation, impact planning, intern and project management, graphic design, etc. (20%)

Tasks

Schedules meetings and convenings for the Vice President of Policy and Innovation and the Housing Advocacy and Policy team.

Processes team expenses, payments, and reimbursements.

Processes contracts and helps manage consultant / vendor relationships.

Assists with meeting logistics, planning, materials, note taking, food, and technical support.

Processes and sends acknowledgement letters.

Assists with budget tracking and management

Sends communications at the direction of the VPPI.

Assists VPPI and HAP team's grantmaking through scheduling, note taking, technical support, grants analysis, grantee support, and leading grant applications.

Plans and executes events and convenings, including division retreats, statewide housing advocacy retreats, round table events, etc.

Assists with projects on an ad hoc basis, including strategic planning and implementation, impact planning, intern and project management, graphic design, etc.

Acts as a first point of contact and information source for those outside of the P&I division, both internally at the foundation and external partners / audiences

Competencies & Qualifications

2-5 years of relevant experience

Tech savvy, ability to learn and navigate new technology, applications, platforms, and systems for communication, project management, grants management, budgeting, and customer relationship management amongst others.

Ability to work independently, proactively, and in ambiguous situations.

Ability to stay organized and manage multiple priorities and workstreams at a time.

Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills and customer service mindset.

Experience in community engagement or organizing preferred.

Knowledge of basic finance and accounting

Intermediate to advanced computer / software skills, including Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, & Teams) and zoom.

Ability to learn, navigate and manage online platforms, including Fluxx, Qlik sense, grant making and CRM systems, Smartsheet, and Salesforce

Application Deadline : 11 : 59pm PST on November 5, 2025

We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align exactly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Compensation : The San Francisco Foundation offers a very competitive total compensation package including base compensation in alignment with our organizational budget size and rich medical and fringe benefits offerings. This position pays $37.77 per hour. You may read more about our compensation philosophy and benefits on the career page.

Remote Work Policy : The Foundation has adopted a long-term hybrid in-person and remote work policy. Dedicated to its employee health and safety, The Foundation will continue to make decisions in accordance with San Francisco County and California mandates. Employees must reside or plan to relocate to California if hired.

Requesting Accommodations : The Foundation is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, The Foundation will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and / or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact hr@sff.org.

The San Francisco Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and encourages people of diverse backgrounds to apply.