Program Officer — Grants & Community Impact

OC Sports & Entertainment; Newport Beach (CA); On-site; USD 155,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

The Samueli Foundation is seeking a Program Officer to manage grant portfolios in Orange County, overseeing sourcing, diligence, execution, monitoring, and closeout. You will build strong grantee relationships and help shape funding strategies across areas such as housing, STEM, workforce development, and social sector strengthening.

Reporting to the Chief Program Officer, you will synthesize data for leadership, collaborate with programs, grants management, and accounting teams, and advance the

Qualifications

• Five to seven years of relevant experience in philanthropy, nonprofit leadership, public service, community development, or related field.
• Demonstrated ability to assess nonprofit strategy, leadership, finances, operations, and program effectiveness and translate qualitative and quantitative information into sound recommendations.
• Excellent judgment and communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple relationships, grants, priorities, and deadlines independently and elevate decisions or concerns when needed.
• Strong relationship-building skills across nonprofit, community, public sector, philanthropic, and internal partners.
• Knowledge of Orange County and its nonprofit, philanthropic, civic, or public-sector landscape is strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree or the equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• Commitment to the Foundation’s values of integrity, gratitude, empathy, curiosity, creativity, and trust, and to working inclusively and in genuine partnership with the communities and organizations we support.
• Collaborative, entrepreneurial mindset with the flexibility to contribute beyond assigned responsibilities, pitch in where needed, and work effectively as part of a small, nimble team.

Responsibilities

• Manage annual priorities, grant pipelines, budgets, and approximately 20–25 core grantee relationships across assigned portfolios, with the specific mix varying based on portfolio size and complexity.
• Source and assess potential investments through research, prospective grantee organizational and financial review, site visits, and other diligence.
• Develop concise funding recommendations for the Chief Program Officer, President, and Board that state the rationale, risks, expected outcomes, and proposed grant structure.
• Manage grants pipeline from exploration through closeout, including reporting, progress monitoring, renewal decisions, and timely action when conditions change, in partnership with Program, Grants Management and Accounting teams and within grants management system.

Skills

Communication skills

Relationship-building

Analytical thinking

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

The Samueli Foundation is seeking a Program Officer to manage grant portfolios in Orange County, overseeing sourcing, diligence, execution, monitoring, and closeout. You will build strong grantee relationships and help shape funding strategies across areas such as housing, STEM, workforce development, and social sector strengthening.

Reporting to the Chief Program Officer, you will synthesize data for leadership, collaborate with programs, grants management, and accounting teams, and advance the