Responsibilities:

The Programme and Research Manager supports the Managing Director in implementing the work programme agreed by the Board of the Toni Piëch Foundation and is responsible for the day-to-day grant management of all projects. Working closely with the Managing Director, the position prepares decisions and makes sure they are carried out. In a small team, the role is broad: it combines project management, board reporting, administration, communications, research, and representation, based on well-established processes and templates. With this entry-level position, the foundation invests in the next generation of climate and environmental professionals.

The responsibilities involve:

• Reviewing invited funding proposals and preparing recommendations; drafting grant agreements from existing templates
• Operational contact for grantees: monitoring work plans and deliverables, checking that payment conditions are met, and preparing payment releases and project closure for approval
• Preparing reports, budget overviews and presentations for the biannual board meetings, including drafting the annual report and the proposed work programme and budget
• Monthly budget monitoring, including flagging deviations, and preparing the annual accounts together with the accountants and the secretariat
• Coordinating the foundation’s external communication, including the website (MODX CMS), project articles and the public annual report
• Research on topics and current developments; depending on the candidate’s profile, larger research pieces and substantive support to projects
• Joining network meetings with partners and other foundations to scan new topics and identify potential partners
• Representing the foundation at project events and conferences (e.g. UN events, Climate Weeks), alongside or on behalf of the Managing Director
• Supporting the Managing Director in daily operations

Required qualifications and skills:

• University degree in a relevant field and a strong interest in the future of cities, clean construction, renewable energy, climate change, and sustainability
• Ability to deliver on time and under pressure and to look at projects from the communication lens
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and German
• Flexible to work within sometimes tight schedules
• Strong relationship management skills with the ability to manage various stakeholders with potentially competing priorities
• A structured and thorough way of working, and a good sense for working within the foundations and philanthropy sector
• Ability to work both independently, in a self-reliant spirit, and as part of a small, remote team
• Confident use of MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
• Flexible working hours, i.e. able to attend occasional evening/weekend meetings and undertake regular international travel

What we offer:

• Remote position, with co-working spaces explicitly supported
• Structured onboarding with established processes and close collaboration with the Managing Director
• Part-time arrangement possible
• Competitive NGO salary