Program Officer, Postsecondary

Steans Family Foundation - Chicago, IL; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Steans Family Foundation in Chicago, IL seeks a Program Officer, Postsecondary to advance equitable college and workforce pathways for historically under-resourced students. You will design and implement a comprehensive strategy, partner with high schools, colleges, CBOs, and funders, and oversee a grantmaking portfolio to drive progress from high school to college or the workforce.

You will use data to monitor outcomes, ensure alignment across initiatives, and build cross‑sector

Qualifications

• Experience developing and implementing education or workforce programs.
• Ability to build partnerships across schools, nonprofits, and funders.
• Strong data-driven approach to evaluating program impact.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy and implementation for postsecondary initiatives to improve access, persistence and completion for underserved students.
• Collaborate with high schools, colleges, community organizations, and other funders to align efforts and remove barriers.
• Oversee grantmaking and program implementation; monitor outcomes and drive continuous improvement with data.

Job description

The Program Officer, Postsecondary will lead efforts to strengthen college and workforce pathways, ensuring improved access, persistence, and completion for historically under-resourced students from North Chicago. Reporting to the Co-Managing Directors—North Chicago, the Program Officer will be responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive strategy that advances equitable postsecondary opportunities and success. This role requires both strategic vision and hands‑on execution. The Program Officer will partner with high schools, colleges, community-based organizations, and other funders to identify barriers, design interventions, and ensure alignment across initiatives. The Program Officer will manage a grantmaking portfolio, oversee program implementation, monitor outcomes, and use data to drive continuous improvement.

The ideal candidate is a collaborator who brings deep knowledge of the postsecondary landscape, experience with diverse student populations, and the ability to build strong partnerships across sectors. This person will play a key role in shaping and advancing initiatives that support students to persist and complete a degree or credential and access clear pathways from high school into college or the workforce leading to a meaningful career.