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Viking Global Investors

POSITION: Program Officer – Viking Global Foundation

LOCATION: Greenwich, CT with flexibility to work from NYC office. Hybrid work environment with both remote and in person work schedule.

HOURS: Approximately 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Viking Global Investors LP is a global investment firm founded in 1999, with offices in Greenwich, New York City, San Francisco, Hong Kong, and London. The Firm manages approximately $50 billion in capital through long-short, long-only, and hybrid liquid-illiquid strategies.

The Viking Global Foundation was established in 2009. Our mission is to support and promote effective employee philanthropy through grantmaking, volunteerism and education. We make grants to organizations and initiatives that aim to break the cycle of poverty by promoting early childhood development. Foundation staff actively engage a 20+ person grants committee in all aspects of the grantmaking. Our volunteerism and matching gift programs span all our offices and a variety of issues areas, with an aim to support and educate employees about philanthropy in ways that are meaningful to them. As the firm continues to grow and evolve, so does the Foundation; there are new opportunities to contribute to the firm’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work.

JOB FUNCTION

The Program Officer is a highly visible role across the firm and is responsible for overseeing the Foundation’s grantmaking process and outcomes. The program officer leads the engagement of a 20–30-person volunteer employee committee. The individual will be part of a 4-person Foundation team and report to the Executive Director of the Foundation. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

GRANTS

  • Manage administration of the grantmaking process (program research, application support, first-round proposal evaluation, grant activity tracking, contracts, post-grant evaluation).
  • Support creation of meaningful, high quality analytics, business intelligence, reporting and management presentations. Develop outcomes reports and comparison memos for grantees.
  • Analyze and track grantee audits and financial metrics.
  • Help source and maintain deep familiarity and strong relationships with grantees.
  • Identify opportunities for collaboration, coalition-building and networking among grantees, partner foundations and consultants; vet and support technical assistance opportunities for grantees.

GRANTS COMMITTEE

  • Liaise with grants committee members to ensure each person’s positive, impactful experience.
  • Lead preparations for grants committee site visits, grant decision and board meetings, including agenda creation, document drafting and portfolio overviews.
  • Summarize and distill information from nonprofits to grants committee members.
  • Contribute to small group board presentations as well as overarching board meetings.

OPERATIONS

  • Develop written materials including quarterly newsletters, reports, PowerPoints, memos, and additional materials.
  • Maintain grants management online system, which includes existing proposals, active grants and robust pipeline of future grant opportunities.
  • Maintain Foundation budgets, conduct financial record keeping and analysis; serve as primary auditor liaison.
  • Contribute to employee engagement events including volunteerism, drives, matching gifts and educational events, including annual 200-person Service Day events.

QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will have:

  • A completed 4-year degree with a good GPA is required.
  • 5+ years of work (or related training) experience, prior early childhood grantmaking experience strongly preferred.
    • Experience working with grants management systems, financials analysis and nonprofit/philanthropy preferred.
  • Strong skills and experience in collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and using data and research findings; experience with a range of methodologies including RCTs, developmental evaluation, methods appropriate for advocacy and policy change efforts and work to shift social norms.
  • Strong computer skills (MS Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, and Word).
  • Willingness to participate in occasional weekend and evening volunteer events; must be willing to travel between offices 3-5 times per month.

The ideal candidate possesses the following traits:

  • Strong interpersonal skills: Ability to cultivate trusting working relationships. Ability to manage multiple stakeholders and interests and a range of work styles; able to productively shape dialogues, convene, and manage differences.
  • Excellent communication skills: strong written and verbal communication.
  • Efficiency: an ability to stay organized, manage tight timelines and communicate clearly.
  • Adaptability: a willingness to be open-minded.
  • Accountability: strong ownership of individual responsibilities and willingness to hold team members accountable.
  • Discretion: consistently exercise sound judgement, particularly around confidential information.