​​ Program Assistant, Programs | Job Description​  

About the Raikes Foundation 

At the Raikes Foundation, we believe the future of our country depends on young people—and that lasting change happens when they are at the center of shaping it. When youth have what they need, they don’t just succeed, they lead the way toward a stronger future for all of us. 

For more than 15 years, we have worked with young people and community leaders to remove barriers and expand opportunity. Our work began with youth homelessness and education, and now also includes strengthening democracy—because a strong democracy ensures youth have the voice and power to influence the systems that shape their lives. 

Today, our work centers on three areas: 

1. Housing Stability for Youth: Ensuring every young person has a safe, stable place to call home. 
2. Education: Building a fair and future ready public education system that enables all young people to thrive.  
3. Resourcing Democracy: Working towards a democracy where those most impacted by our nation’s biggest challenges have the voice, choice, and power to change the conditions that shape their lives.   

Our work is guided by three principles: 

1. Ask who is least well served to identify and address barriers to opportunity. 
2. Think and act with a systems mindset to drive lasting change. 
3. Build trusted partnerships that align around shared outcomes. 

As a spend-down foundation, we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to act boldly and with urgency. We are committed to using our resources and influence to create lasting change, while planning for the impact to continue well beyond our capital’s sunset in 2040. 

When young people thrive, our country thrives. 

Role Description 

Department: Programs | Reports To: Program Administrator 

About the Role 

At the Raikes Foundation, great work happens because of people who care deeply about the details and about each other. The Program Assistant is one of those people. 

We're looking for someone who is energized by supporting people and keeping teams running at their best. This role is all about strong execution, proactive coordination, and thoughtful follow-through, the kind of behind-the-scenes work that makes a real difference in what a team can accomplish. 

You'll provide dedicated administrative support to two teams within our Programs department, which spans Housing Stability for Youth (HSY), National Education Strategy (NES), Resourcing Equity and Democracy (RED), and Communications. Day-to-day, you'll manage calendars, travel, and a range of projects to help your team members stay focused and effective. 

You’ll sit close to the work—gaining insight into how strategies are developed, funded, and executed. 

This role works in close partnership with the Program Administrator and other Program Assistants and is central to how the full Program team stays connected, organized, and moving forward together. 

What You'll Do 

Calendar & Scheduling Management (~50%) Provide strategic calendar management for up to five team members across time zones. You'll maintain accurate calendars, proactively surface and resolve conflicts, and coordinate scheduling with internal and external stakeholders — always keeping an eye on priorities and helping leadership make the most of their time and relationships. 

Travel & Logistics (~20%) Book travel and provide end-to-end logistical support for trips and business meetings. 

Event Coordination (~10%) Support event planning and execution, including space arrangements, A/V, catering, attendee management, preparation of materials, and capturing notes and action items. 

Grants & Reporting Coordination (~5%) Work closely with the Grants and Programs teams to support grant reporting for active portfolios and the program team's award docket approval process — tracking deadlines, sending reminders, collecting materials, and uploading documentation to the grants management system. As the foundation's contact management system grows, support the maintenance and upkeep of the CRM, ensuring data is accurate, current, and useful for the team. 

Team Meeting & Communications Support (~5%) Support weekly team meetings by developing agendas, preparing materials, and capturing notes and action items. Provide light internal and external communications support, including correspondence on behalf of staff and preparation of presentation materials. 

Expense Reporting & Budget Tracking (~5%) Manage monthly expense reporting by processing credit card transactions, reconciling and documenting charges, and preparing reimbursement requests. Support team budget tracking by monitoring spend against budget lines, flagging variances, and helping team members stay organized around financial deadlines and decisions. 

Admin Team Coordination (included in overall scope) Coordinate with the Admin team to support program team and foundation-wide priorities, ensuring work moves forward effectively. Work in close partnership with the Program Administrator, other Program Assistants, and Chief of Staff to execute and maintain the team operations, systems, and processes that keep the Program team running. This includes contributing to a positive team culture by helping create moments that foster connection and belonging across the team. 

Other duties as assigned (~5%) 

What Success Looks Like  

1. Team members are consistently prepared, organized, and able to focus on their highest-value programmatic work and relationships. 
2. Follow-through is a given: tasks have clear owners, progress is visible, and the team can count on commitments being kept. 
3. The Program team feels well-supported, connected, and coordinated, with requests routed quickly and resolved thoughtfully 

What You'll Gain 

In addition to a strong administrative foundation, this role is a genuine entry point into the world of philanthropy, systems change, and social impact, and we are committed to investing in your growth along the way. 

1. Exposure to philanthropy and systems change. You will sit inside a foundation doing ambitious, field-shaping work across youth homelessness, education, and democracy, seeing firsthand how strategic grantmaking and systems-level thinking drive lasting change. 
2. Proximity to leaders at all levels. You will work closely with leaders across the organization, from program directors and operations leads to the Chief of Staff and Executive Director, gaining a rich, multidimensional view of how complex organizations operate and make decisions. 
3. Understanding of how funding, partnerships, and policy intersect. You will be part of work streams that sit at the intersection of grantmaking, partner relationships, and policy advocacy, building a nuanced understanding of how change actually happens. 
4. Skill-building in project management, coordination, and operations. You will develop real, transferable skills in managing priorities, coordinating across teams, and keeping complex work organized and moving forward. 

What You Bring 

Required 

1. 3+ years of experience in an administrative assistant, executive assistant, or similar support role 
2. Strong executive judgment and organizational skills. You can manage multiple competing priorities, meet deadlines, and anticipate needs before they arise. You quickly develop a working understanding of your team's goals, relationships, and context, and use that knowledge to make smart scheduling decisions, close gaps, and keep work aligned and moving forward 
3. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. You write clearly, communicate proactively, and build trust easily across all levels of an organization. You thrive in a highly collaborative, team-oriented environment and bring a genuine commitment to continuous learning and growth