January 2026

ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND

At the Better Way Foundation, we focus on early education and positive child development because they are cornerstones of educational success, lifelong health, strong families and communities, and the well-being of the next generation.

We are especially committed to Indigenous early childhood development—investing in collaborative, systemic approaches, including leaders and organizations that create culturally grounded learning environments—and to the American Indian Catholic Schools Network, a group of former boarding schools advancing Truth and Healing while providing culturally dynamic education for Native youth.

We build authentic, long-term partnerships rooted in mutual respect and shared learning. By walking alongside organizations, we help create conditions for children, families, and communities to thrive.

At a glance:

• Private family foundation rooted in Catholic social teaching
• 100% of grantmaking supports Indigenous communities
• Long-term commitment: Nine-year partnerships with grantees
• 40% of assets in values-aligned impact investments (and growing)
• Active in mobilizing other funders to invest in Indigenous communities
• Board of Directors includes both family and community representation

Learn more at www.betterwayfoundation.org.

Position summary

The Organizational Assistant is a highly organized administrative professional who supports the organization’s core operations. This role requires strong attention to detail, comfort handling a wide range of administrative tasks, and the ability to manage multiple priorities at once. It’s well-suited for a collaborative team player who is eager to learn about philanthropy and nonprofit partnerships.

This position may be full-time or 0.75 FTE, offering flexibility for the right candidate.

REPORTING & COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS

This position reports to the Executive Director and works closely with all team members, as well as colleagues at our sister organization, GHR Foundation. (GHR provides Better Way with various supports, including IT and technology, accounting, human resources, and grants management), and the Adler investment office.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Team & administration (70%)

• Support the planning and coordination of meetings and events, including scheduling, logistics, travel, and associated communications
• Manage the Executive Director’s calendar, including, but not limited to, scheduling internal and external meetings
• Process invoices
• Support the facilitation of compliance with organizational policies
• Manage the organization’s project management platform (Wrike)
• Manage organizational e-mail account
• Support CRM maintenance and management (HubSpot)
• Maintain and organize the foundation’s network drive, maintain filing and record of contracts
• Participate in team meetings and contribute to a culture of continuous learning and collaboration

Board support (20%)

• Assist in planning logistics for Board meetings and retreats
• Support preparation of Board and committee materials (e.g., editing, formatting), including spreadsheets, reports, and presentations; liaises with other team members on assignments; produce high-quality materials with consistent formatting and careful editing
• Write minutes for Board and committee meetings
• Support addressing follow-up items or open questions that stem from Board and committee meetings
• Provide support in tracking and reporting strategic plan progress, with a focus on ensuring the Truth and Healing learning initiatives are accurately documented, regularly updated, and aligned with ongoing organizational learning efforts
• Manage Board discretionary grants=

Programs & partnerships (10%)

• Support scheduling of and preparation for partner meetings, site visits, and events
• Support updating various frameworks and materials that guide and support partnerships (e.g., nine-year Partnership Lifecycle framework)
• Coordinate quarterly “office hours” for grantee partners
• Other duties, as assigned

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

We are seeking a candidate with strong organizational skills, a collaborative mindset, and a commitment to supporting high-quality philanthropic work grounded in strong partnerships. This role focuses on administrative support and is ideal for someone who thrives as the behind-the-scenes engine that keeps a team running smoothly. This is a new role for the foundation.

• Experience—professional or lived—working with Indigenous communities and/or historically divested or marginalized communities
• At least 3 years of relevant professional experience, ideally with exposure to philanthropy and/or nonprofit work (direct experience in philanthropy is not required—transferable skills are highly valued)
• Demonstrated ability to manage administrative tasks with calm, flexibility, and strong attention to detail
• Excellent organizational, scheduling, and time-management skills, including the ability to anticipate workflow, juggle multiple tasks, take initiative within a collaborative team, and meet deadlines
• A team-oriented mindset and the ability to thrive in collaborative, client-centered environments
• Cultural competence and interpersonal skills to build trust and work across differences
• Strong research, analytical, written, and verbal skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Outlook, project management/CRM software
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion

Personal characteristics

We’re looking for a self-starter who can work independently and as part of a team, with a:

• Strong commitment to Better Way’s mission and values
• Deep commitment to racial equity and justice (e.g., an ability to apply an equity lens in all aspects of work)
• A collaborative spirit and strong listening skills, and cultural competence and interpersonal skills
• Results orientation paired with positive energy
• Entrepreneurial mindset and adaptability

If you don’t meet every qualification, we still encourage you to apply.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & LOCATION

Better Way fosters a respectful, inclusive, and collaborative culture. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the foundation offers a flexible hybrid work model. For this role, in-person work from the foundation’s office is expected approximately 4–6 days per month. This is not a remote position, and we are seeking Twin Cities–based candidates. Occasional domestic travel is required.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Salary range: $56,135-$63,139, commensurate with qualifications. This range will be prorated for a part-time appointment.
• Comprehensive benefits: health, dental, vision (self, partner, and children), short- and long-term disability, retirement match, PTO (starting at 20 days/year, or 15 days/year for a part-time employee), nine paid holidays, office closure from December 25–January 1, educational assistance, pre-tax health and transportation accounts

HOW TO APPLY

Please e-mail your resume and cover letter to info@betterwayfoundation.org. We highly encourage application submission by Feb. 13, 2026. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis.

Better Way is an equal opportunity employer. We value diverse cultures, perspectives, and experiences, and encourage all to apply.