Program Officer – Racial Equity (WKKF)

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation; Battle Creek (MI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation seeks a Program Officer focused on Racial Equity to identify and nurture opportunities for systemic change, leading program execution and managing partnerships.

The role engages with national collaborators and external partners to advance equity across education, food and health, and family economic security. Ideal candidates bring 8+ years of racial equity leadership, strong collaboration skills, and the ability to translate strategy into action within a diverse,

Qualifications

• 8+ years leading racial equity work.
• Ability to co-create solutions and draft strategies.
• Experience in community engagement and coalition building.
• Comfort translating concepts into actionable programs and initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Identify and nurture opportunities to support racial equity and healing.
• Lead on-the-ground execution of program efforts in racial equity.
• Manage a portfolio including national collaborations and partnerships.
• Develop external partnerships with foundations, government agencies, and decision-makers to advance equity.

Skills

Racial equity leadership

Strategic partnership

Facilitation

Community engagement

Coalition building

Nonprofit leadership

Job description

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, a leading philanthropic force helping communities create the conditions children need to thrive, is seeking nominations and applications for Program Officer in the area of Racial Equity. In recent years, the foundation has sharpened its focus on improving conditions for vulnerable children, concentrating on three key factors of success and their intersections: education and learning; food, health and well-being; and family economic security. Since 2015, WKKF has made a full commitment to embedding racial equity into its programming and operations--its DNA--both internally and externally. This stance and the ways in which it is woven into the fabric of the foundation's work sets it apart from other philanthropic organizations and has become the number one reason given by new staff for joining the team.

Reporting to Director for the Office of the President, Arelis Diaz, the program officer will identify and nurture opportunities to support racial equity and healing efforts and positive systemic change, and serve as a thought partner on racial equity and healing across the foundation’s work. She/he/they will lead and oversee on-the-ground execution of program efforts in the area of racial equity, and manage a portfolio that includes WKKF’s investments in the national Racial Equity Anchor Collaborative, a unique partnership of leading national organizations dedicated to racial equity and racial healing. The program officer will also develop and maintain additional strategic external partnerships with colleague foundations, businesses, governmental agencies, and other key decision-makers to further the foundation’s mission to bring sustainable improvement to communities.

The ideal candidate will have significant experience (8+ years preferred) successfully leading racial equity work and will bring a nuanced expertise of race, racism, and how racial healing and reconciliation can manifest in communities to advance systemic change. The successful candidate will be a strategic partner to grantees and other foundation team members, a skilled facilitator, and will bring the ability to co-create solutions, draft strategies, and critically analyze challenges in order to accomplish the work of equity. She/he/they will bring deep and varied experiences in community engagement, leadership development, coalition building, nonprofit leadership, and/or other related areas. She/he/they will be able to translate concept into action and will possess a strong team orientation, a tolerance for ambiguity, the ability to adapt quickly to change, and the skill to work effectively with persons from diverse cultural, social, and ethnic backgrounds.

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and proudly values diversity. Candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.