Application Guide
How to Apply for Program Manager, Food is Health
at Life Science Cares
🏢 About Life Science Cares
Life Science Cares is a nonprofit uniquely positioned at the intersection of life sciences and social impact, launching a national Food is Health initiative to tackle food insecurity and health equity. Working here means joining a mission-driven team that leverages cross-sector collaboration to create systemic change, with the backing of a well-respected organization in the life sciences community.
About This Role
As Program Manager, you will be the operational backbone of the Food is Health initiative, building project plans, coordinating stakeholder outreach, and designing a pilot grant program from the ground up. This part-time, remote role offers a chance to shape a new national program, working directly with community leaders, healthcare systems, and funders to advance health equity.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve updating the initiative's project plan and timeline, scheduling calls with potential partners (e.g., a community health center or academic researcher), and drafting a request for proposals for the pilot grant program. You might also analyze grant data in Excel, create a simple Canva flyer for an upcoming convening, and touch base with the LSC team via Slack.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Life Science Cares Is Looking For
- A seasoned project manager with 5+ years in nonprofit program operations or grantmaking, who thrives on building processes from scratch and managing multiple moving parts.
- A skilled communicator and convener, comfortable reaching out to diverse stakeholders (community leaders, academics, funders) and positioning LSC as a credible partner.
- Tech-savvy and detail-oriented, with advanced proficiency in Google Suite and Excel for tracking grants, timelines, and outcomes; Canva skills a plus for creating simple communications.
- Passionate about food justice and health equity, with a collaborative, humble approach to working with communities and partners.
📝 Tips for Applying to Life Science Cares
In your resume and cover letter, explicitly connect your project management experience to the specific tasks listed (e.g., building integrated project plans, designing a pilot grant program).
Highlight any experience you have working with cross-sector stakeholders (healthcare, community orgs, academia) or in food insecurity/health equity spaces.
Showcase your Excel skills by mentioning specific functions (e.g., pivot tables, data tracking) or examples of how you've managed grant data or timelines.
If you have Canva experience, mention it; even basic design skills can set you apart for creating outreach materials.
Emphasize your ability to work independently in a remote, part-time role, with examples of self-directed project ownership.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your passion for the mission: explicitly connect your background to food insecurity and health equity, and why you want to help launch this initiative.', 'Your experience in program operations and grantmaking: describe a specific project where you built timelines, coordinated stakeholders, or managed a grant process from start to finish.', 'Your ability to convene diverse partners: give an example of successfully engaging community leaders, healthcare systems, or funders in a collaborative effort.', 'Your tech skills: mention Google Suite and Excel proficiency, and any experience with communication tools or design platforms like Canva.']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Review Life Science Cares' existing programs and impact areas to understand how Food is Health fits into their broader mission.
- → Familiarize yourself with key players in the food is health movement (e.g., Food as Medicine initiatives, healthcare-community partnerships) to show industry awareness.
- → Look up the company's leadership team and any recent news or press releases about the Food is Health initiative to understand its current stage and goals.
- → Explore any publicly available grantmaking frameworks or equity-focused approaches used by similar organizations to inform your ideas for the pilot program.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic application that doesn't mention Food is Health or health equity; this role requires genuine interest in the mission.
- Overlooking the part-time, remote nature and not addressing how you'll manage your time and stay connected with a distributed team.
- Failing to demonstrate concrete project management skills with specific examples; vague claims like 'I'm organized' won't stand out.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to Life Science Cares!