Reporting to the Chief Program Officer, the Program Officer is part of the Ms. Foundation’s Grantmaking and Capacity Building Team, working to carry out a unified programmatic strategy centering women, girls, and nonbinary people of color to advance the mission of Ms. Foundation. In this role, they will manage grantmaking for several portfolios including Ms. South and others; identify strategic opportunities and priorities in the field; determine potential grantees and partner organizations; manage grantmaking RFP processes; and collaborate with grantees, funders, colleagues and other partners to advance programmatic goals and outcomes. They will also work closely with the Senior Program Officer to implement and evaluate the Foundation’s capacity building program, which provides small grants and a range of leadership development, coaching, organizational development, and training programs to Ms. Foundation grantee partners.

The Program Officer brings a broad understanding of racial and gender justice, with a particular focus on the issues and challenges facing women, girls, and nonbinary people of color.  They have knowledge and understanding of movement building, grassroots advocacy, policy advocacy or community organizing within communities of color, and some knowledge and experience in social justice philanthropy. The Program Officer has expertise in feminism, gender justice, racial justice and LGBTQ justice movements, and an intersectional, cross-movement analysis.

Specific Responsibilities/Duties

Grantmaking

• Identify strategic priorities, gaps and opportunities to advance safety, health and economic justice for women and girls of color;
• Build and manage grant portfolios, including identifying new grantees and making recommendations regarding renewals to advance Ms.’ program strategy;
• Manage grantmaking for areas including Ms. South and several other portfolios; write requests for proposals, review proposals, docket write-ups, and facilitate review meetings;
• Monitor grantee progress and outcomes;
• Cultivate relationships with grantees, funders, and other movement partners;
• Conduct site visits;
• Stay abreast of trends and new developments in philanthropy and social justice movements.

Philanthropic Advocacy

• Plan, facilitate and participate in external meetings and follow-up as appropriate;
• Actively engage in external philanthropic organizations and networks to promote a gender and racial justice lens in the philanthropic sector, highlight grantees, and increase resources for work led by and for women and girls of color;
• Organize or assist in the organization of donor and external stakeholder activities to create connections across related issues and fields;
• Represent the Foundation at external program-related meetings and conferences;
• Present at conference panels and workshops.

Capacity Building

• Lead program coordination functions, including executing contracts between Foundation and capacity building partners, managing the grantee selection process for certain programs, and working with capacity building partners to implement accessibility supports;
• Manage and track participation and outcome data and generate evaluation reports;
• Manage the capacity building grant program (award and review grants);
• Interface with grantee partners to field questions and solicit feedback regarding capacity building programming;
• Manage the creation and ongoing maintenance of grantee-partner facing documentation (capacity building overview document).

Learning and Collaboration

• Participate as active member in cross-department and foundation wide activities;
• Collaborate across various teams as needed;
• Special projects or research on key issues related to position as directed.

Qualifications

Technical and Functional Requirements

• Minimum 5-7 years’ work experience in grantmaking, capacity building, program management, community organizing or advocacy.

• Demonstrated understanding of intersectional feminism and movement building, gender justice, racial justice and LGBTQ justice movements, grassroots advocacy, and community organizing.
• Strong gender and racial justice or equity lens, with an understanding of historic and systemic oppression.
• Ability to design and implement; familiarity with program evaluation.
• Highly proficient and comfortable engaging with technology, Windows-based software (i.e. MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), and team collaboration tools, such as Slack, Asana, and Google Workplace.
• Experience with grassroots organizations and grassroots leadership development.
• Ability to travel as needed.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong planning, administrative, and project management skills, ability to manage time efficiently, problem-solve, meet deadlines, work autonomously, and ask questions and seek assistance as needed.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, and able to quickly gather, synthesize and summarize information in a clear and jargon-free manner.
• Strong interpersonal skills, resourcefulness, and ability to take ownership of a project and hold oneself accountable for results.

Institutional and Values Alignment

• Commitment to the Foundation’s mission and vision and to working with diverse communities toward racial and gender justice.
• Demonstrated commitment to, and accountability around actively living the Foundation’s values of integrity, trust and respect, interconnectedness, and social justice – throughout internal and external communications and relationships, work, and decision-making.
• Ability to build collegial, productive relationships with team members, grantees, donors, peer funders, volunteers, and institutional partners, through the lens of our organizational values.