About the Position

Reporting to the Director of Institutional Giving, the Senior Associate's primary responsibility is to capture meaningful programmatic data, complete grant deliverables, and support efforts to refine and communicate the impact of programmatic activities to funders. The incumbent will be a vital partner of program teams across the Institute's Pillars-Health, Finance, and Strategic Philanthropy-and will focus on strengthening impact measurement to drive program improvement and inform strategy. In addition to facilitating the collection and analysis of data, a successful candidate will have familiarity with translating broad goals into measurable outcomes and experience building systems that are responsive to program capabilities. Partnering with project management colleagues and finding efficiencies to streamline workflows across internal teams is another important aspect of the role.

The Milken Institute is seeking candidates that are self-motivated and entrepreneurial, with the ability to handle complex projects in a fast-paced environment while maintaining positive interactions with those at all levels of the organization. Individuals with a passion for and experience in programmatic data analysis, assessment, fundraising, and project management are encouraged to apply. Experience using new tools and platforms, including AI, to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of data reporting and grants processes is desired.

Responsibilities

Research, monitoring and evaluation (70%)

• Lead the collection, storage, cleaning, explanation, and analysis of programmatic data.
• Synthesize findings to contribute to reports, proposals, and other materials for institutional donors.
• Lead efforts to coordinate and synthesize relevant landscape research to benchmark programs and guide grants strategy.
• Support the development and implementation of evaluation and measurement frameworks.
• Ensure reporting requirements are met and make recommendations to program teams and partners.
• Develop ways to communicate programmatic impact in narrative and/or visual form.
• Occasionally conduct site visits or attend events relevant to program activities.

Process improvement and internal coordination (30%)

• Maintain systems to ensure accurate tracking and execution of grant deliverables.
• Contribute to a culture of evaluation and learning, leading efforts to identify and collect meaningful quantitative data to drive fundraising and program strategy.
• Support inter- and intradepartmental communications to ensure smooth collaboration, effective processes.
• Duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree required.
• Three to five years of relevant work experience evaluating donor-funded programs.
• Excellent organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently, meet deadlines, and be proactive.
• Excellent analytical and synthesis skills; able to translate complex issues into plain, easily digestible messages for stakeholders across different settings.
• Experience using software such as Tableau and Airtable as well as familiarity with Python or other tools for making use of large federal datasets is a plus.
• Comfortable working in a demanding, fast-paced organization with evolving processes; flexible and able to adapt to new situations.
• Creative problem-solver who can design and implement workable solutions.
• A proactive and enthusiastic approach to work, with the ability to build and maintain relationships at all levels, including program leaders.

Working Conditions & Travel Requirements

This position will work in a professional office environment on a hybrid schedule consisting of three (3) days per week reporting in-person to the Santa Monica office location (Tuesday - Thursday), with the remaining two (2) days working remotely. Please understand, this schedule is subject to change at the Institute's sole discretion.

This person will also be required to travel occasionally to other offices and/or venues to assist with events as needed, requiring occasional work outside of traditional hours. Additionally, this position requires interacting virtually on a regular basis with Milken Institute staff based in other locations in the United States and around the world.

Note

The statements herein are intended to describe the overall nature and level of work being performed by employees and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.

We are interested in qualified candidates who are eligible to work in the United States. Please note, we are not sponsoring visas at this time, being authorized to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment.

Please submit resume and cover letter illustrating how your experience and skills will contribute to the department and any unique qualities you bring to the position. If applying via Indeed, please upload your resume and any supporting documentation as one attachment. Any application that does not include both a resume and cover letter will be rejected. If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact our Human Resources department to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan - 403b (5% match)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Personal, Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity & Paternity)
• Fertility Support
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Account (FSAs)
• Pet Insurance Discount
• Training & Development:
• LinkedIn Learning - over 15,000 self-guided classes offered
• Annual Mentor Program
• Wellness Resources:
• Employee Assistance Program
• CALM app membership