Job Title: Program Officer

Opening Date: December 9, 2024. Open until filled.

Salary: $57,000 - $64,000 a year (based on experience), comprehensive benefits and meaningful work in an environment that values excellence.

 

About OneStar
OneStar’s mission is to strengthen Texas communities by creating pathways for individuals and organizations to engage, connect, and accelerate their impact. For over four decades there has been an acknowledgment by the State of Texas of the critical importance of civic engagement and volunteering to the strength of our communities. From the creation of the Texas Center for Volunteer Action in 1976 to the formation of its eventual successor, OneStar Foundation in 2004, Texas has maintained its support of a strong nonprofit sector.

Today, OneStar carries out its mission for state government as a supporting nonprofit of the Office of the Governor. We serve as the state’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and the State Service Commission, managing a portfolio of approximately $32.7 million in federal grant funds for AmeriCorps Texas programs. OneStar focuses on strengthening the nonprofit sector, encouraging civic engagement through service and volunteering, and building disaster resiliency across Texas. We are One Texas, united in building resilient and thriving communities.

At OneStar, we are committed to being an exemplary employer, where our employees are our greatest asset. OneStar believes we should model the leadership we hope to see in our communities by embracing a culture and values based on adaptability & learning, partnerships & shared purpose, transparency & trust, celebrating Texas’ rich diversity, and always doing our best work for our fellow Texans.

 

General Description
This position supports the development and implementation of OneStar’s grants portfolio in the area of AmeriCorps. Primary functions are related to supporting OneStar’s role in administering the AmeriCorps Texas program, primarily providing support to a portfolio of AmeriCorps Texas grantees. The Program Officer position performs moderately complex professional work under general supervision with moderate latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. This position reports to the Managing Program Officer. This position is classified as non-exempt.

 

Primary Responsibilities
1. Provides programmatic and fiscal support and oversight to portfolio of AmeriCorps Texas grantees. Typical portfolio size for a Program Officer size is 8 – 12.
2. Program Officers provide sound programmatic and fiscal oversight of organizations receiving AmeriCorps Texas grants from OneStar through formal monitoring and day-to-day communication, including analysis of: grant narratives, pre-award risk assessment, grantee policies, procedures, and systems, national service criminal history checks, and programmatic policy reviews; as well as ensuring compliance with federal AmeriCorps regulations, provisions, and other guidance or funder directives.
3. Supports the development of high-quality AmeriCorps programs by continuously assessing and coaching programs toward excellence in service delivery, grant management, performance measurement, and overall grant performance.
4. Reviews and approves grantee reimbursement requests for consistency and allowability of costs in accordance with OneStar policies and procedures and grant terms and conditions and maintains accurate records of grantee expenditures and fiscal documentation, including fidelity bonds, related to compliance, deliverables, and other key performance benchmarks.
5. Provides high quality customer service and proactively provides written and verbal feedback to organizations in assigned portfolio to build relationships and foster continuous improvement.
6. Conducts grant award administration for assigned portfolio of grantees. Includes facilitation of the release of grant award, grant amendment documents and grant close out.
7. Maintains expert knowledge of AmeriCorps (Federal grant) statutes, regulations, Uniform Grant Guidance, and applicable policies and procedures. Ensures that knowledge is maintained despite changes to regulations, policies, and processes.
8. Plans, leads, and conducts on-site monitoring activities and site visits to ensure consistency with grant terms and conditions, timelines, budgets, and performance measures. Writes reports of monitoring findings, works with involved parties to resolve findings, and disallow costs if required.
9. Works with the AmeriCorps Texas team to identify non-compliance issues and may develop recommendations to management on steps to resolve non-compliance ranging from corrective action plans to termination of grant awards; develops and monitors corrective action plans for organizations in assigned portfolio. Keeps manager informed of all significant developments, and immediately alerts management of any possible signs of fraud or mismanagement of funds.
10. Reviews, verifies, analyzes and documents program performance, progress and impact via regular programmatic reports from grantees.
11. Reviews and recommends amendments or other revisions to the agreed upon grant deliverables, timelines, budgets, and/or other grant requirements for organizations in assigned portfolio.
12. Maintains accurate grant records for each grantee related to grant-specific performance data including grant-approved deliverables, performance benchmarks and other key performance measures.
13. Collects and analyzes data, communicates data to stakeholders, and assists with preparation of grant reports; and participates in ongoing grantee risk assessment and system improvement processes.
14. Supports the grant making process for AmeriCorps Texas, including pre-award risk assessment, grant review, clarification and resolution.
15. Assesses and analyzes training and technical assistance needs and continuous improvement issues specific to individual grantees and/or a larger portfolio to ensure high quality/high performing programs. Works with AmeriCorps Texas team to develop training that will provide value to grantees, improving their capabilities, scale and impact.
16. Assigned to develop expertise and manage special projects within a focus area: member recruitment, grantmaking, training, or member experience/AmeriCorps Alums.
17. Contributes to OneStar’s thought leadership efforts by helping to write content for publications, newsletters, website, social media, and online resources, and the design and presentation of workshops and/or other trainings on topics related to service and volunteerism.
18. Engages in research and general reading on issues and events related to OneStar’s mission, high quality AmeriCorps program designs and AmeriCorps program management in particular.
19. May represent OneStar at meetings, conferences, events and other functions, including making remarks or presentations.
20. May facilitate meetings, focus groups, training or other events with OneStar grantees.
21. May supervise and/or coordinate the project work of others.
22. Aligns work duties with the OneStar Mission and Vision.
23. Exemplifies OneStar Core Beliefs and adheres to the Code of Ethics.
24. May be assigned to cross-functional teams to support OneStar goals and initiatives.
25. May perform other duties as assigned consistent with current duties and responsibilities.

Minimum Qualifications
1. 2 to 5 years of relevant work experience; at least 3 years of relevant work experience is preferred.
2. Personal AmeriCorps or national service experience is preferred.
3. Understanding and commitment to OneStar’s mission and strategies and to all its programs and initiatives.
4. Understanding and commitment to OneStar’s Core Beliefs and Code of Ethics.
5. AmeriCorps program and member management experience is strongly preferred.
6. Federal financial grant management experience is preferred.
7. Experience working with nonprofit organizations is preferred, including faith-based and other grassroots community organizations, and/or other social service sector organizations.
8. Must thrive in a work environment of significant growth, development, and change.
9. Willing to travel in Texas, and occasionally to other states, for grantee monitoring visits, training, and special events (approximately 20% time).
10. Graduation from an accredited university with major coursework in a relevant field (equivalent work experience may be substituted for this requirement).

 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required
1. Knowledge of best practices in AmeriCorps program and member management.
2. Knowledge of best practices in federal grants management, federal regulations, OMB Uniform Grant Guidance is preferred.
3. Knowledge of best practices in program evaluation and performance measurement.
4. Knowledge of AmeriCorps federal regulations, Terms and Conditions, and other AmeriCorps-specific grant directives.
5. Ability to coach grantees and/or other organizations, particularly related to program design and programmatic and fiscal compliance issues.
6. Ability to research, interpret, apply, and communicate complex regulations, provisions, policies and procedures.
7. Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing; to exercise sound judgment in making critical decisions; to analyze complex information and develop plans to address identified issues; and to effectively demonstrate negotiation and facilitation skills.
8. Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, draw valid conclusions and provide recommendations.
9. Ability to manage and prioritize work in an environment of change.
10. Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
11. A strong passion for supporting a portfolio of organizations with diverse community driven missions, and an ability to work with a variety of organization types (faith-based and community organizations, state/local governments, colleges/universities).
12. Intellectual curiosity, creativity, high-energy, persistent, quick study, positive attitude.
13. Excellent time management and organizational skills, detail oriented, and the ability to work both independently with general supervision and as part of a project team.
14. Strong verbal and written communication skills.
15. Excellent customer service skills.
16. Ability to think strategically in relationship building and partnership development.
17. Ability to lead teams where appropriate.
18. Comfort in working respectfully with persons of diverse faith backgrounds.
19. Ability to relate to, and engender trust with people of different ages, races, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
20. Thorough knowledge of Microsoft Office products.
21. Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and meet multiple deadlines.
22. Ability to exercise sound judgment in making critical decisions; to analyze complex information and effectively communicate it to others.
23. Strong interpersonal skills to develop and maintain cooperative, professional and productive work relationships with others.

 

EOE. OneStar Foundation is an equal employment opportunity employer. OneStar prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. OneStar conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.

It is the policy of OneStar Foundation to comply with all the relevant and applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). OneStar will not discriminate against any qualified employee or job applicant with respect to any terms, privileges, or conditions of employment, because of a person's physical or mental disability. OneStar will also make reasonable accommodation wherever necessary for all employees or applicants with disabilities, provided that the individual is otherwise qualified to safely perform the essential duties and assignments connected with the job and provided that any accommodations made do not impose an undue hardship on OneStar.