October 11, 2024

Program Officer (Full-Time)

The Damascus Road Foundation

The Damascus Road Foundation is a registered Canadian charity and private foundation (registration number 706656329RR0001). Established in 2017, having current assets of over $200 million, and over $32 million in grant commitments made to date, the Foundation is focused on supporting Christian evangelistic efforts, particularly among those who have never had an opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus Christ.

Purpose

To accelerate the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the least-reached people groups of the world.

Vision

In every people group in the world, there would exist:

Bible: A translation in their heart language,
Blueprint: A clear, indigenous strategy for proclaiming the life-changing message of Jesus; and
Body: A praying, thriving, and multiplying church.

Mission

With God’s help and guidance, and for His glory, The Damascus Road Foundation propels efforts to evangelize unreached people groups.

Core Values

Being Spirit-led, being wise risk-takers, pursuing continuous improvement, and being a catalyst for the Great Commission

Position Description

Reporting to the Foundation’s Executive Director, the Program Officer will work with the Program Team to achieve the grantmaking goals as set by the Foundation’s Board of Directors. The Program Officer’s responsibilities will include:

Grant Acquisition, Review, and Management

Working with the Executive Director to develop and execute granting strategies that further the Foundation’s mission
Developing relationships with current and prospective grantee partners
Identifying strategic grant opportunities and supporting applicants through the application process
Conducting due diligence on grant applications, including reviews of applicants’ organizational leadership, finances, operations, and project plans
Summarizing grant applications and making recommendations for the Board of Directors
Monitoring and assessing the implementation of funded projects by reviewing, analyzing, and summarizing annual reports from grantee partners
Coordinating with the Program Team and presenting to the Board an annual summary and analysis of past granting activity and relevant learnings to date
Reviewing literature and meeting with representatives of peer foundations and sector leaders to stay abreast of developments in relevant fields of work and geographic regions

Board Meetings and Presentations

Presenting grant applications and recommendations to the Foundation’s Board of Directors
Preparing and delivering other Board reports and projects as required

Grant Administration

Maintaining comprehensive and up-to-date data on applications, grants, reports, and grantee partners
Working with the Program Team to develop and execute annual and ongoing grantmaking plans, including cash flow planning
Proactively identifying, implementing, and enhancing operational processes and tools for administration and planning, with an eye towards improving efficiency for the Foundation and service to applicants and grantees
Communicating the Foundation’s granting decisions to applicants
Developing and tracking the execution of grant MOUs
Sending grants and supporting documents to grantee partners

Other Responsibilities

Representing the Foundation at philanthropic and sector-specific conferences and partner events.
Travelling, sometimes internationally to remote regions of the world, to visit with existing and prospective implementing partners
Developing expertise on matters related to missions among unreached, unengaged, and frontier people groups
Working with the Program Team to develop and track timelines for content creation, editing materials, maintaining the Board portal, and coordinating feedback from the Board

Qualifications and Experience

A successful candidate will bring the following:

Strong familiarity with the Canadian charitable sector and, specifically, those organizations working in areas of the Foundation’s granting interest
A deep understanding of various mission strategies employed among the least-reached
A proven ability to work with and support collaboration among diverse stakeholders
Familiarity with reading budgets and assessing organizational financial statements
More than 5 years’ experience holding a senior position in a work environment relevant to the mission of the Foundation
A graduate degree in a relevant field (preferred)
Fluency in a second language spoken in the majority world (preferred)
Ability to travel domestically and internationally
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Familiarity with Grant Management or CRM Systems (preferred)

Personal Characteristics

A vibrant, prayerful, and growing personal relationship with Jesus Christ
Demonstrated commitment to the Foundation’s purpose, mission, and values
Ability to annually affirm the Damascus Road Foundation Statement of Faith
Excellent interpersonal, oral, listening, and written communications skills
A curious and inquiring disposition balanced with a commitment to empowering the Foundation’s partners
Humble, servant leader

Passion for learning about a breadth of topics, geographies, and cultures
Respectful in building cross-cultural relationships
Disciplined and self-motivated
Ability to work independently and in a team

Compensation and benefits will be competitive and commensurate with previous experience.

The Foundation is located in Guelph, Ontario and, ideally, would see the Program Officer working within the Foundation’s office at least three days per work week.

Qualified candidates are invited to send a cover letter and resume to Leanne Ferris, Executive Director, at info@damascusroadfoundation.ca. The search will remain open until a suitable candidate is appointed.