Associate Program Officer, Type 1 Diabetes (Drug Discovery & Development)

Organization

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust (“Helmsley”) is a global philanthropy driven by a vision of a world where everyone has the resources they need to thrive by increasing access to healthcare, advancing new research and ideas, and improving people’s quality of life no matter where they call home. Helmsley strives to make a meaningful impact in its focus areas, matching its significant financial assets with a rigorous and results-oriented approach. Helmsley is committed to close and productive partnerships with its grantees, as well as with other funders and impact players in government, academia, and the private sector who share its interests and goals. Above all, Helmsley endeavors to be forward-thinking in every aspect of its work and will take risks that others cannot or will not take when the risk/reward trade-off warrants.

Since 2008, when Helmsley began its active grantmaking, it has committed more than $4.5 billion. For more information on Helmsley, please visit www.helmsleytrust.org.

The Type 1 Diabetes Program

The Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) Program began grantmaking in 2009 and is committed to improving the lives of all people with T1D by identifying interventions to prevent and delay the disease, and through investing in novel approaches to improving outcomes. We partner with key players across the T1D ecosystem – people with T1D, health care providers, researchers, caregivers, other funders, government agencies, pharmaceutical companies, device makers, insurers, and grassroots and community organizations – to accelerate the development of devices, therapies, and services that ease the burden of living with T1D globally. To date, the program, which has rapidly become the largest private foundation funder in T1D, has made over 700 grants totaling more than $900 million. We are now increasing our efforts to ensure that proven treatments, management techniques, and therapies are available to all who need them wherever they live in the world.

Position Summary

The Helmsley Charitable Trust seeks an Associate Program Officer who will work closely with the T1D Program Officer within an evolving grant portfolio that aims to identify biomedical interventions to delay the disease.

The Associate Program Officer will be responsible for substantive programmatic support of the following: review and response to scientific proposals, writing grant recommendations, monitoring progress of existing grants, keeping up to date on relevant scientific and clinical developments, supporting new strategy development, and maintaining positive and proactive communication with grantees. The Associate Program Officer will help manage all administrative components of the grantmaking process, especially tasks associated with managing grant lifecycles, monitoring progress of grantees, tracking program budgets, ensuring accurate payment and accounting of grants. Some travel, both domestic and international, is required for meetings with potential and current grantees, as well as to relevant conferences.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Support the design and implementation of new initiatives.
• Assist with the grantmaking process, which includes sourcing potential projects, working with applicants to prepare proposals and budgets, conducting due diligence for potential grants, and preparing analyses of proposed and ongoing projects for review by Program Officers, Program Director, and the Board of Trustees.
• Collaborate with grantees and internal departments to track grant progress, ensure timely reporting and payments, and serve as a point of contact internally and externally for grant-related issues.
• Meet with members of the nonprofit and for-profit communities about prospective projects and initiatives.
• Research and report on selected areas of scientific, clinical, and strategic interest to the Program.
• Organize, attend, and report on internal or grantee meetings, as well as attend relevant scientific conferences.
• Administrative responsibilities related to the above and to other areas as needed.
• Participate in travel related to the above; anticipated to be about four trips of one to five days per year, some international.

Desired Qualifications

• Ideal candidates would have completed a PhD, MD, or postdoctoral training in a biological, medical, or related field within the last few years.
• Experience in T1D research, clinical research, immunology, drug development, bioinformatics, biostatistics, and/or grantmaking preferred but not required.
• Organized, detail-orientated, and strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment and initiative, prioritize and accurately complete multiple tasks in parallel, and work under deadlines and changing priorities.
• Excellent writing capacity and oral presentation experience.
• Experience and desire to work in a team-oriented environment.
• Able to maintain confidentiality of information.
• Conduct oneself in a professional and diplomatic manner.

Salary, Health, Well-being, and Living Our Mission

Helmsley is dedicated to creating stronger, healthier futures for communities in the U.S. and around the world. Our staff are subject matter experts from a range of backgrounds in basic science, global health, and precision medicine, as well as the private sector and public policy.

Helmsley colleagues are intelligent, creative, forward thinking, and strongly committed to working productively with our grantee partners. Each was drawn to Helmsley by the same opportunity: to help build this young organization into a leading global charitable institution that will drive meaningful and measurable positive change in lives throughout the U.S. and around the world for years to come.

Helmsley is committed to offering competitive and equitable compensation commensurate with experience. The targeted starting salary range for this position is $92,000 - $100,000.

Comprehensive benefits currently offered to employees (subject to change) include:

• Employer-paid medical, dental, and vision for employees and their families
• Generous 401(k) employer contribution
• Hybrid work schedule (up to two remote days a week)
• 23+ paid vacation and sick days
• 13+ paid holidays
• End of year office closure
• Summer Fridays
• Tuition reimbursement
• Personal and team professional development opportunities

Application Information

To apply for this position, please submit a cover letter and resume (in Word or PDF format), via the link https://helmsleytrust.org/about/#careers-section. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact HR@helmsleytrust.org.

The position is based at Helmsley’s main office in New York City. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

Except when working remotely as permitted by Helmsley’s temporary hybrid work policy, the ability to work and collaborate in person with colleagues at Helmsley’s office is an essential function of this job.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the incumbent(s) of this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and activities required for the position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Helmsley provides equal employment and promotional opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as established under law.