Senior Program Officer, Education (Special Initiatives)

Key Responsibilities and Duties

Portfolio Management: Manages a set of high-profile, special 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. 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 guidance and approval from Director of Education, utilizes their own demonstrated education content expertise, as well as engages youth, families, educators/practitioners, systems leaders, action researchers, and CCF leadership to design and implement special initiatives 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 education policy reform efforts, and initiatives that impact education 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 education 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 and special initiatives. Prepares and presents written and oral analyses of grant requests, issue briefs, and portfolio reports for CCF staff, Leadership, Board, committees and/or donors.

Designated Special Initiatives: Works in concert with donors and fundholders with the intent of assisting them to design and implement the mission, goals, and definition of successful fund impact for the California Thriving Youth Initiative, Community Foundations Teacher Workforce Project, and other designated special initiatives. This includes setting budgets, executing timelines, and providing financial reports to fund advisors and/or fund committees. Serves as the primary point of contact and coordinator of Los Angeles region special initiative activities, local grantees, and builds long term relationships in support of each respective fund’s objective. Collaborates with Program Operations, Development and Donor Relations, and Funder Relations team on special initiatives 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 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 education 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.