Program Officer, Children and Families

DAVID & LUCILE PACKARD FNDTN; Los Altos (CA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 235,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental and vision coverage

Generous retirement plan contribution

Tuition assistance

Paid time off for volunteering

Job summary

The DAVID & LUCILE PACKARD FNDTN is seeking a Program Officer for its Children and Families Initiative in Los Altos. This role focuses on advancing coverage and equitable access to health and nutrition services. The ideal candidate will lead grantmaking efforts, develop strategies, and build collaborative relationships with grantees and partners.

This full-time position offers a salary range of $200,000–$235,000 annually and excellent benefits, including medical, retirement contributions, and more. The Foundation values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive workplace.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years of experience in child and family policy or related fields.
• Expertise in Children and Families initiative core issues across sectors.
• Strong understanding of public benefit programs like Medicaid and SNAP.

Responsibilities

• Lead grantmaking portfolio focused on health and nutrition services.
• Manage relationships with grantees and conduct evaluations.
• Support policy development and systems change at national level.

Skills

Understanding of public systems and policies impacting families

Strategic and analytical thinking

Excellent communication skills

Ability to build effective partnerships

Education

Bachelor's degree required, advanced degree preferred

Job description

Children and Families Initiative

As the Packard Foundation advances its goal to “Invest in Families and Communities,” it recognizes that ensuring a strong, healthy start for children is foundational to thriving families, resilient communities, and a more equitable society. Across the United States, many families face systemic barriers to accessing the health care, economic supports, and early learning experiences necessary for healthy pregnancies, safe births, and optimal health and development. These challenges are compounded by persistent racial and economic inequities that result in disproportionately poor outcomes for Black, Indigenous, and Latino families. The Children and Families initiative is focused on improving maternal and child health outcomes and ensuring that all families, particularly those facing the greatest barriers, have access to the supports they need during pregnancy and early childhood. The initiative seeks to reduce disparities, improve outcomes, and create a more coherent and accessible support ecosystem for families. CFI funds nationally with focused investments in California, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

Program Officer Role

Reporting to the Children and Families Director, the Program Officer will lead a grantmaking portfolio that focuses on protecting and advancing coverage and equitable access to quality health and nutrition services under Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, nationally. Funding priorities include federal, state, and grassroots advocacy; research and policy analysis; litigation to preserve beneficiary rights; narrative change and communications; and innovation to better support the health and well‑being of young children, mothers, and expectant families. The Program Officer will manage a portfolio that supports policy development, advocacy, implementation, and systems change at the national level. They will assess opportunities for investment, shape grantmaking strategies, and build relationships with philanthropic partners, policy experts, advocates, and community‑based leaders working to strengthen and connect systems of care for expectant families, mothers, and young children, prenatal to 3 years. This role requires a strong understanding of how public systems and policies impact family well‑being, along with the ability to translate complex, evolving policy landscapes into clear, actionable funding strategies. They will be comfortable navigating ambiguity and working across sectors, balancing long‑term systems change with near‑term opportunities for impact.

Grantmaking and Strategic Leadership

• Lead the development and implementation of strategy for a national portfolio focused on strengthening systems and policies that support children and families, including Medicaid and SNAP.


• Lead all aspects of annual grantmaking including assessment of opportunities, recommendation of proposals, managing relationships with grantee partners, and evaluating impact.


• Support grantee partners in advancing policy and systems change, providing strategic guidance and technical insight as appropriate.


• Manage the grant proposal process through its lifecycle in partnership with the program associate and contribute to the shaping of proposals as needed.


• Clearly and consistently communicate with grant recipients, staff, and other partners in a transparent, timely and respectful manner.


• Manage complex processes involving multiple stakeholders, institutions and cross‑functional teams.


• Review and address legal, financial, and operational considerations related to grants and reporting.


• Develop clear, concise, and high‑quality materials for senior leadership and the Board, including strategy documents, updates, and quarterly docket materials.

Strategic and Field Leadership

• Convene and engage grantees, policy experts, advocates, and peer funders to advance shared priorities and strengthen the field.


• Integrate communications, learning, and evaluation into grantmaking to support continuous improvement and shared learning.


• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to advance cross‑initiative alignment and identify opportunities for greater impact.


• Represent the Foundation and the Children and Families Initiative externally with credibility and clarity across a wide range of audiences, including meeting with current and potential grantees, giving presentations, and attending public forums and conferences on topics of relevance, and when interacting with nonprofit, government, and private sector leaders, elected officials, academics, collaboratives, and journalists.


• Contribute to the broader field‑building efforts through partnership, collaboration, and thought leadership.

Desired Qualifications

While no one candidate will possess all the qualifications listed below, the ideal candidate will be passionate about The David and Lucile Packard Foundation’s mission and bring many of the following skills and experiences.

Experience and Education

• A minimum of 7 years of experience in child and family policy, public systems, or related fields, with a focus on advancing outcomes for children and and/or program advancement, development, and implementation relevant to children, families, and the communities in which they live.


• Expertise in the core issues of the Children and Families initiative, preferably working across sectors (nonprofit, government, philanthropy, or research), with an understanding of how policy, systems, and implementation intersect.


• Bachelor’s degree required; an advanced degree is strongly preferred.

Field Knowledge and Experience

• Strong understanding of public systems and policies that impact young children and families, including Medicaid, SNAP, and related public benefit programs.


• Familiarity with national and/or state‑level policy landscapes, including the ability to navigate evolving political and funding environments. Experience translating policy, advocacy, or systems strategies into actionable initiatives, investments, or programs.


• Track record of success as a strategic thinker and program‑leader within a philanthropic, nonprofit, management consulting, academic or government context.

Skills, Abilities, and Qualities

• A commitment to the vision, mission, and values of the Packard Foundation.


• Innovative, strategic and analytical thinker skilled in understanding and meeting ever‑evolving challenges.


• Highly skilled and persuasive communicator with exceptional written, oral, interpersonal and presentation skills.


• Ability to build effective partnerships and networks externally, as well as sustain collaborative relationships both internally and externally.


• Self‑directed and decisive combined with flexibility and capacity to give and receive feedback graciously.


• Thrives in a team‑based and collegial workplace.


• Committed to inclusion and deeply values creating a workplace that is supportive of difference; brings experience with diverse teams and success at navigating cross‑cultural communication.


• Devoted to growing own cultural competence and willing to actively participate in the Foundation’s efforts to integrate justice and equity into all facets of our work together.


• Administratively self‑sufficient.


• Leads with humility and a learning mindset.

Compensation and Benefits

The position is full‑time. The salary range for this position is $200,000–$235,000 annually. This salary range is an estimate, and the actual salary may vary based on various factors, including without limitation individual education, experience, tenure, certification, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data. Offers are based on the candidate’s years of experience and our practice of upholding salary equity within the foundation.

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation offers excellent benefits for eligible employees. Current benefits include medical (HMO and HDHPs), dental and vision coverage; 15% employer contribution to employee retirement plan; life insurance, disability insurance, vacation, and sick leave; an adoption benefit; fertility benefit; a financial wellness program; health advocacy services, paid time off to volunteer for nonprofit organizations; matching gifts for employee contributions to tax exempt organizations; commute assistance; and tuition assistance.

The Packard Foundation’s current Hybrid Work Policy is that staff are expected to be in the Los Altos office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays each week with some additional days required. This position requires the ability to travel a minimum of 30% of the time. In addition, work outside regular business hours may be necessary to accommodate time zone differences and support key responsibilities.

The Foundation is an equal employment opportunity employer, which means we recruit, hire, assign, train, promote, compensate, provide benefits, discipline, and discharge (and all the other terms and conditions of employment) based on merit, qualifications, job requirements, and other legitimate business factors.