Manager, Compliance & Finance (Government Climate Projects)

At San Diego Foundation, we value our diverse and experienced staff who are committed to our mission of improving the quality of life within all of San Diego’s communities. We strive to be an employer of choice, offering a competitive compensation package, and a professional and vibrant work environment for those who have a passion for our mission that is carried out every day by providing leadership for effective philanthropy and promoting community solutions.  

San Diego Foundation is seeking an experienced, mission driven Compliance & Finance Manager with a focus in Government Climate Projects to join the Environment Initiative Team. The Manager will commit to supporting RICCE specific task outlined in the essential responsibilities as they advance RICCE in alignment with EI’s priorities and SDF’s greater Strategic Plan. The ideal candidate will drive grant administration, financial reporting and payment processing and compliance for the RICCE project and community partners. This is a hybrid role with weekly onsite requirements at our San Diego Headquarter Office in Liberty Station. 

Note: This role is structured as a five-year term, contingent on the continuation of external funding.

About The RICCE Opportunity 

Rooted in Comunidad, Cultivating Equity (RICCE) is a set of 14 projects and plans, led by 14 community partners, in the central historic barrios of San Diego. In 2023, San Diego Foundation (SDF) along with all 14 partners applied for and was awarded $22 million in Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) funding from the State of California’s Strategic Growth Council. In 2024, SDF and select RICCE partners applied for and were selected to receive an additional $20 million in Community Change Grant (CCG) funding from the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Between both government grants, the RICCE projects will result in ~$42 million in grant investment in the project area plus additional leveraged dollars, totaling over $70 million in investment.  

The RICCE projects will transform the underinvested communities of San Diego’s central historic barrios. These projects will reduce emissions, improve public health and environment and expand economic opportunity for people in communities who have endured years of systematic racism through unfair land use policies and industrialization. RICCE has the potential to improve the quality of life in communities affected by years of injustice and change the way San Diego approaches community investment.  

Area of Focus:   
The 8 communities of Barrio Logan, Logan Heights, Stockton, Grant Hill, Mt. Hope, Sherman, Southcrest and Shelltown are some of San Diego’s oldest communities and are included in California's 14 Cultural Districts. Residents in these communities have long suffered disproportionately from air pollution sources including surrounding port terminals, large shipyards, San Diego Naval Station, the I-5 and 1-15 freeways, the Coronado Bridge, the BNSF railyard, as well as smaller industries within the residential community itself. The neighborhoods are in the 95th percentile across California for housing burden (paying greater than 50% of their income for housing) and have high numbers of renters (over 70%) which limits the ability of residents to build equity.   

RICCE Project Description:  

For more information on the projects within the RICCE partnership, please visit:  Historic Barrios Application (environmentalhealth.org)  

Requirements

Essential Responsibilities: 

Grant Administration  

• Manage all operational and administrative aspects of government grants.  

• Manage government grant funds, supporting state and federal funding processes such as reimbursements and advanced pay requests, compliance and reporting.  

• Manage and coordinate with SDF internal financial, grants and compliance teams for government grants during the entirety of the grant term.  

• Develop and maintain electronic filing system for grant documents, including contracts, payment requests and supporting documentation, and communications.   

• Train partners on invoicing and reporting procedures and assist partners with preparation of invoices and supporting documentation for each invoicing period.  

Payment Requests  

• Manage all receivables and payables for government grants and associated tracking processes.  

• Collect all documentation and prepare and submit payment requests, including reimbursement requests and advance pay requests.   

• Ensure that all expenses charged to government grants are reasonable, allocable and allowable and meet all grant eligibility requirements.  

• Man