Posted on August 2, 2012

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Program Officer

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation is seeking an experienced program officer for the Preschool, After-school, and Summer Enrichment grant portfolio.

We are a family foundation located in Los Altos, California. The Foundation is guided by the enduring business philosophy and personal values of Lucile and David Packard, who helped found one of the world’s leading technology companies. Their approach to business and community participation has guided our philanthropy for nearly 50 years. Today, their children and grandchildren continue to help guide the work of the Foundation. The Foundation makes grants at the local, state, national, and international level.

The Foundation works on the issues its founders cared about most, which are:

• Improving the lives of children
  
• Enabling the creative pursuit of science
  
• Advancing reproductive health
  
• Conserving and restoring the earth’s natural systems

The Foundation expects to make grantmaking awards of up to $234 million in 2012. A staff of 100 conducts the day-to-day operations of the Foundation and a Board of Trustees oversees the work of the Foundation. David and Lucile Packard passed on to the Foundation the following core set of values: integrity; respect for all people; belief in individual leadership; commitment to effectiveness; and the capacity to think big. More information about the Foundation can be found at www.packard.org.

Overview of the Children, Families, and Communities Program

Since 2003, CFC’s preschool program has maintained a central goal for its grantmaking: to achieve and implement voluntary preschool for all three- and four-year-olds in California, starting with children who need it most. CFC seeks to create public policy momentum by making grants to qualifying nonprofit organizations for coalition building, public outreach, policy research and development, and issue advocacy efforts to generate public will for increased investments in early learning. The preschool program also supports the development of quality practice in target communities to demonstrate to state lawmakers the value of investing in early learning programs, and to model quality practice on the ground. Since 2010, the preschool program, along with its lead grantees, has been instrumental in helping to develop and scale quality Transitional Kindergarten programs in California, and in building a system to support technical assistance to programs across the state.

CFC also invests in after-school and summer enrichment. The central goal of its grantmaking strategy is to ensure that quality after-school and summer enrichment programs in California become integral to a system of learning that supports the development of 21st century skills and success in school.

Finally, the CFC’s children’s health insurance program works to ensure that all children have access to appropriate health care. Its grantmaking strategy, Insuring America’s Children: Getting to the Finish Line, includes support for state-based groups advocating for children’s health insurance efforts in their states, technical assistance for state program directors and policy makers, as well as an evaluation component.

In the coming years, CFC will continue to advocate on behalf of children and their families, will continue to shape and support efforts which place a focus on increasing the voice for children in California and the United States, especially those who come from disadvantaged communities, and will continue to invest in special initiatives which create meaningful practice and public policy efforts which insure access to resources and services for all children.

Program Officer, Preschool, After-school, and Summer Enrichment (PAS)

The Program Officer will:

• Work with the preschool, after-school and summer enrichment team, in implementing the grantmaking strategy for PAS.
  
• Follow a focused and thoughtful strategy to attain its short, intermediate, and long-term goals, and ensure that each and every grant makes progress toward those goals.
  
• Serve as Program Officer for key grants within the PAS portfolio and make funding recommendations.
  
• Monitor implementation and evaluation of the subprogram strategy through site visits, meetings with grantees, timely review of project reports, and regular communications with consultants, colleagues, and others.
  
• Work with the team in the development of a cohesive birth through third grade practice and policy framework that informs grant making in preschool, after-school and summer.
  
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of the field, including current issues and resources and how they fit with Foundation’s priorities.
  
• Communicate complex public policy, academic and research findings and issues in straightforward language to different audiences.
  
• Develop written materials for Board of Trustees review, and keep Trustees updated on the work of the subprogram.
  
• Work with the team and the Program Operations Manager to manage the grants and administrative budgets.
  
• Support and implement a strategy to promote ongoing learning within and across all subprograms.
  
• Collaborate with other teams in the Foundation, including Communications, Evaluation and Learning, Organizational Effectiveness, and Legal, to enhance the work of the PAS team.
  
• Develop collaborative working relationships with philanthropies in California and nationwide.
  
• Represent the Foundation at meetings, forums, and public presentations, as appropriate.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• A passionate commitment to children’s well-being, and an interest in understanding how education and health support the healthy development of children
  
• Experience with policy development and advocacy campaigns in California
  
• Strong analytical skills, creative problem-solving ability, and broad intellectual interests
  
• Experience developing and implementing projects, strategic initiatives and program budgets
  
• Understanding of evaluation and strategic communications techniques
  
• Experience working on teams of people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives
  
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including a sense of humor, respectful attitude for the work of grantees, and the ability to foster collaboration between different interests or organizations
  
• Strong oral and written communications skills
  
• Effective and engaging presentation skills
  
• Ability to perform effectively under pressure and to practice strong organizational skills when faced with multiple time-sensitive priorities
  
• A “can do” spirit and the ability to think strategically and act tactically
  
• Ability to travel as needed, balancing time in the field with internal Foundation needs
  
• Grantmaking experience a plus

Physical Requirements

Education and Experience

Benefits and Compensation

Application Instructions

Please email your resume and one-page cover letter explaining your interest in the position referring to job number 12-20-4500R in the subject line to jobs@packard.org.

No phone inquiries, please.

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes a diverse candidate pool.

The Foundation uses an outside firm to check the accuracy of information supplied by applicants.

Principal applicants only.