Program Officer, Education (Postsecondary)

Job Summary

Job Summary: Los Angeles County is a hub for world-class higher education. The region is home to top-ranked universities and a robust network of institutions, including local community colleges, state university campuses, and various private nonprofit colleges and universities. Despite this extensive higher education infrastructure and a full 25 percent of California’s school-age youth, increased postsecondary career training and degree attainment is needed to sustain and grow the livelihood of the Los Angeles region, now and in the future.

CCF’s postsecondary strategy advances an inclusive, well-resourced education system for Angelenos that improves the social and economic trajectories of individuals and contributes to the productivity, health, and well-being of the region. Our postsecondary priorities include a broad and inclusive range of pathways, with a focus on skills, certificates, and degrees issued by public and nonprofit institutions. We foster multi-sector partnerships that minimize cost, debt, and time to degree, while maximizing social and economic mobility opportunities for low-income, first-generation students of color.

Strategies and activities include, but are not limited to:

Grantmaking

Incorporate comprehensive student development approaches to advance postsecondary opportunities for underserved populations in higher education.
Focus on increasing postsecondary student outcomes with an intersectional, racial equity lens.
Focus on geographic areas with few postsecondary outreach services relative to other areas in Los Angeles County.

Evaluation and Communication

Share project activities, impact, and lessons learned through reports, briefs, and digital materials detailing the work of grant recipients and foundation partners to support systemic responsiveness.

Stakeholder and Community Engagement

Capture and share promising practices to inform and influence key stakeholders and policymakers for efforts and impacts at scale.

As an integral part of CCF’s Education portfolio, this position leads, consults, and collaborates with internal and external partners on postsecondary content areas with heavy emphasis on strategic grantmaking; policy and legislative analysis; fundraising and donor relations; and high impact communications. Most importantly, the position ensures the success of the Los Angeles Scholars Investment Fund (LASIF) and the Broadening the Dual Enrollment Narrative Initiative, the Los Angeles Postsecondary Funders Collaborative, and other aligned postsecondary networks, respectively.

About LASIF: Through multi-sector, multi-agency partnerships, the Los Angeles Scholars Investment Fund (LASIF) supports underrepresented Los Angeles County students in obtaining a postsecondary credential or degree, bolstering economic mobility and creating brighter futures for students and families in our region. Since the launch of LASIF in 2012, more than $25 million has been granted across forty-six nonprofit partners, sponsoring services for more than 38,000 students and awarding over 7,000 scholarships. LASIF Scholars are completing degrees far faster and at higher rates than local and national averages. Of those who enrolled in college in 2015 or before, 70% had earned a bachelor’s degree by 2021 and 25% are still enrolled in pursuit of their postsecondary goals.

Responsibilities

Portfolio Management: Manages postsecondary grantmaking, initiatives, and projects. Develops portfolio grantmaking guidelines and timelines, including Request for Proposal (RFP), Peer Review/Due Diligence, and Reporting protocols. Oversees executed grants and maintains ongoing communication with grant partners. Works to strengthen organizational capacity of grantees and sector. Evaluates portfolio investments and initiative outcomes to guide and advance related policy development and advocacy. Serves as a thought-partner and content expert to aligned practice networks, advocacy coalitions, community-based organizations, and local education systems.

Strategy Development and Implementation: With advisement from Director of Education, utilizes their own demonstrated postsecondary content expertise, as well as engages youth, families, educators/practitioners, systems leaders, action researchers, and CCF leadership to design and implement postsecondary strategy objectives. Collaborates with internal and external partners to achieve related activities and assumes primary responsibility for communicating results to multiple audiences. Maintains depth and expertise in the Foundation’s areas of interest, major policy reform efforts, and initiatives that impact postsecondary issues in Los Angeles County, the State of California, and the United States. Supports systems change and overall portfolio desire to catalyze cradle to career public education with equitable outcomes for communities impacted by racial and economic discrimination.

Grantmaking and Monitoring: Ensures that CCF’s grants are strategically aligned and invested to achieve maximum impact for underserved communities most proximate to needed postsecondary systems change and supports. Conducts due diligence including review and analysis of grant proposals, written materials, financial information, site visits and interviews with other funders and relevant agencies. Makes funding recommendations to CCF executive leadership and board of directors (Board). Produces grant agreement data, reviews progress reports and payment requests, and maintains ongoing communications with grantees. Works with grant partners to report results by using effective outcome measures to assist CCF to better assess the impact of its grants. Prepares and presents written and oral analyses of grant requests, issue briefs, and portfolio reports for CCF staff, Leadership, Board, committees and/or donors.

Los Angeles Scholars Investment Fund (LASIF): Works in concert with donors and fundholders with the intent of assisting them to design and implement LASIF mission, goals, and definition of successful fund impact. This includes setting fund budget, executing timeline, and providing financial reports to fund advisors and/or fund committees. Serves as the primary point of contact for fund grantees and builds long term relationships in support of each respective fund’s mission. Collaborates with Education Program Associate on LASIF administrative tasks and other duties as assigned.

Resource Development and Fundraising: With advisement from Director of Education, pursues and brings in additional funding resources, prepares funding proposals, and completes required reports as appropriate. Develops and maintains relationships with local/national funders and seeks opportunities to leverage additional resources in the form of gifts, awards, scholarships and/or job opportunities for youth. In partnership with Development and Donor Relations (DDR), prepares information for donors and/or meets with donors to discuss related giving preferences and appeal for support for postsecondary opportunities for underserved youth. Presents donor fundholders with grant recommendations through written communications and presentations.

Research and Special Projects: Conducts, proposes, and monitors research in support of postsecondary education strategy learning and advocacy. Uses research process and products to guide strategies and inform advocacy partners. Builds on research projects to identify systems change issues and solutions related to educational improvement. Ensures that research is disseminated and presented to appropriate stakeholders. Designs, manages, and facilitates special projects for CCF by ensuring timely preparation and coordination of key activities and materials.

Community Engagement and Partner Relations: Works directly with foundation partners, consultants, and various constituency groups, including community-based service providers, policy and advocacy organizations, government agencies, local and state-level elected policymakers, civic and business leaders. Represents CCF at special events and on relevant committees, commissions, and boards. Works directly with community members and prospective grant seekers to provide clarification of CCF priorities, direction regarding application procedures, and feedback on proposals.

Communications: Communicates (e.g., in-person updates, e-blasts, blogs, annual reports) with Foundation partners and stakeholder groups to provide information about postsecondary priorities, activities, and progress. Responds to external requests for information. Works in partnership with Education team, DDR, Marketing and Communications, and Presidents’ Office staff to produce relevant materials for distribution to key stakeholders. Manages key activities including organizing and speaking at outreach meetings, preparing written materials for the CCF Board, grant partners, and other audiences. Collaborates with Development, Donor Relations, and Communications staff to strategize on messaging, fund development and impact analysis for discretionary funds. Prepares information for donors and/or meets with donors to refine their giving preferences. May also staff one-time, periodic, or ongoing grantmaking processes associated with donor-advised funds and supporting organizations.

Convening: Strategically convenes stakeholders to develop and accomplish a shared agenda that moves work towards CCF goals. Plans and coordinates meetings with stakeholders and uses opportunities to engage CCF donors, grantees, staff, board, and community. Develops CCF brand as a cross-sector convener and collaborator. As necessary, represents the donor fundholders and stakeholders at community events and meetings with foundation partners, constituencies, and stakeholder groups. Plans and supports events as needed with Presidents’ Office, DDR, and Programs staff.

Integration of Work: Integrates the functions and skills of civic engagement, marketing and communications, and development/donor relations into portfolio to increase opportunity for systemic change. Contracts and coordinates work of external vendors and/or consultants, as necessary. Identifies and pursues opportunities for internal integration of work across functions and departments to leverage strengths and efforts across CCF

General: Assists other Education team members, supports SCPI departments, and serves on interdepartmental teams across the organization to ensure the effective and efficient CCF operations. At all times, demonstrates cooperative behavior with supervisors and coworkers. Other duties as assigned, dependent on organizational needs and employee skills.

Department-Specific Responsibilities

Travel: Travel to external appointments, and attend meetings outside of the office

Transportation: Driving is an essential responsibility of this position

Availability: The person in this role may need to speak to clients and/or others outside of CCF hours

Attendance: Punctuality & satisfactory attendance

Hours: May be required to work weekends and/or extended workdays

Teamwork/Customer Relations Responsibilities

Establishes effective working relations with cross functional team(s).
Contributes to a high performing/positive team culture.
Shares knowledge, time, and expertise to assist other members of team.
Timely and accurately responds to requests and inquiries from across Foundation.
Demonstrates “can do” attitude as priorities shift.

Qualifications

Education

Bachelor's degree required
Master’s level degree in a field related to the primary funding areas of the Foundation is preferred.

Work Experience

At least five years of demonstrated postsecondary content expertise, related program design and implementation, grantmaking and/or management experience required with a minimum of three years working in the nonprofit, public and/or philanthropic sector required.
Experience in managing consultants and project working teams to achieve results is essential.

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities

Technical Knowledge: Existing knowledge of and experience in postsecondary policy and practice, particularly in the context of Los Angeles and California. Existing knowledge of the field’s research, leadership, and opportunities ripe for impact and/or leverage. Demonstrated analytical capabilities and substantive knowledge of best practices in fields of interest to the Foundation, including human development, teaching and learning, postsecondary governance and accountability, student access and success, non-profit finance, public policy and legislative process, public and private funding streams related to the Foundation’s domains of work, and a working understanding of outcome measures and evaluation methodologies aimed at assessing program effectiveness.
Community Knowledge: Knowledge of the Los Angeles County public education and nonprofit community, familiarity with the geography and diverse neighborhoods throughout the region, and experience in working effectively with diverse and broad-based community constituencies.
Convening & Facilitation Skills: Able to facilitate meetings and group processes for the purposes of fact-finding, decision-making, peer learning and problem solving.
Fundraising Skills: Working knowledge of raising funds from individual donors, foundations and/or the public sector. Solid grant writing skills are essential. Background in prospecting and solicitation preferred.
Communication Skills: Excellent writing skills with the ability to write clear, concise analyses and narratives. Superior interpersonal and proven client services skills, including experience in writing clear policy and procedure documents. Ability to prepare and give presentations, and to comfortably interact with diverse audiences including donors, Board members, civic leaders, and nonprofit and community groups. Multilingual competency desired.
Leadership Skills: Ability to make well-reasoned decisions in the best interests of the organization for the present and future, and the ability to work collaboratively and effectively with individuals of diverse backgrounds. Good meeting management skills and understanding of political processes.
Technology Skills: Internet competency and strong computer proficiency, including mastery of the Microsoft Office software suite and a familiarity with database software, is required.
Project Management Skills: Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail. Ability to lead and manage projects, prioritize work effectively and adjust to multiple demands, with consistent attention to timelines. Experience managing large-scale government grants and/or public-private partnerships preferred.
Team & General Skills: Ability to work well independently and as team member. Ability to take initiative and follow tasks through to completion. Ability to lead a team toward CCF's goals, leveraging each team member's skill set.

Salary & Benefits

Starting salary range: $103,000 - $116,000/annually

Employee Benefits: The California Community Foundation (CCF) is proud to offer a generous benefits package. Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans are provided at no cost for all full-time staff. CCF contributes 10% of all full-time employee's salaries into our 403b retirement plan. CCF subsidizes monthly transit passes for staff who commute via public transportation. CCF also offers an assortment of snacks available to all staff in our breakrooms, and an on-site fitness center.

After one year of service, all full-time employees are eligible for tuition reimbursement of up to $15,000 for higher education. CCF also offers a student loan repayment program of $100/month for all full-time employees after one year of service.

Equal Opportunity Hiring Statement

The California Community Foundation (CCF) provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

How to Apply

Please apply via the link included on this job ad. A cover letter is required for consideration.