Program Officer, VCSSA

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 193,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Paid vacation and holidays

Tuition reimbursement

Professional development

Job summary

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust is seeking a Program Officer for the Vulnerable Children in Sub-Saharan Africa Program.

You will support a multi‑million dollar annual grant portfolio and report to the Program Director, helping identify opportunities and guide grantees through the grant lifecycle. Responsibilities include grant management, due diligence, monitoring, and external engagement, with travel to Sub-Saharan Africa as needed.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in international development, global health, medicine, or related field.
• Minimum 8-10 years of grant management experience in NGO/non-profit/philanthropy.
• Experience in global health, health systems strengthening, MNCH, or NTDs; Sub‑Saharan Africa preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary contact and relationship manager with grantees.
• Manage grants through lifecycle: due diligence, reporting, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Identify and source high-impact grant opportunities and accompany grantees.
• Coordinate meetings, site visits, and external engagements to advance program goals.
• Collaborate with internal teams (Communications, Grants Management, Legal).

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Time management

Independent judgment

Education

Master’s degree in international development or related field

Job description

Organization

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust (“Helmsley”) is a global philanthropy driven by a vision of building better futures for people by increasing access to healthcare, advancing new research and ideas, and improving the quality of everyday life. Helmsley strives to make a meaningful impact in its focus areas, matching its significant financial assets with a rigorous and results-oriented approach. Helmsley is committed to close and productive partnerships with its grantees, as well as with other funders and impact players in government, academia, and the private sector who share its interests and goals. Above all, Helmsley endeavors to be forward-thinking in every aspect of its work and will take risks that others cannot or will not take when the risk/reward trade-off warrants.

Since 2008 when Helmsley began its active grantmaking, it has committed more than $5.4 billion For more information on Helmsley, please visit https://helmsleytrust.org/.

The Vulnerable Children in Sub-Saharan Africa Program (VCSSA Program)

The Helmsley Charitable Trust funds holistic programs that improve the health and well-being of children and families across four focus countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Zambia.

Improving health outcomes and building resilience is at the core of our grantmaking. To achieve these mutually reinforcing goals, we aim to increase access to quality healthcare, support the health and wellbeing of mothers and children, eliminate neglected tropical diseases, and advance economic development to build resilient livelihoods, with a focus on rural communities.

Working closely with grantees who collaborate with local implementing partners, community leaders and government authorities, Helmsley ensures that our grantmaking is responsive to community needs while building a foundation for long‑term sustainability and local ownership.

To date, Helmsley’s VCSSA Program has made over 150 grants totaling $500 million towards this vision of more healthy, resilient and thriving children and families across Sub‑Saharan Africa.

Position Summary

The Helmsley Charitable Trust seeks a Program Officer (PO) to support the Vulnerable Children in Sub‑Saharan Africa Program’s multi‑million dollar annual grant portfolio that aims to improve health and resilient livelihoods in four focus countries. The Program Officer will report directly to the Program Director and will assist with the ongoing development and implementation of the grant program through identifying high‑impact grantmaking opportunities and accompanying grantees throughout the grant lifecycle.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The VCSSA Program Officer will be a key member of the VCSSA team, working closely with colleagues to support the Program Director and Trustee with all aspects of developing and implementing the VCSSA grantmaking strategy, including responsibilities for grant and relationship management, program development and monitoring, and internal and external engagement.

Grant & Relationship Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact and relationship manager with grantees.
• Manage the program’s grants through each grant lifecycle, including grant application, due diligence and reporting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and provide ongoing technical support, guidance and accompaniment to applicants and grantees.
• Work with grantees to track progress and outcomes.
• Identify constructive solutions for grantees when challenges arise.
• Work with colleagues and grantees to help identify other implementing partners, donors, technical resources and collaborators working in the same geographies or sectors to optimize the impact of VCSSA grant funding and promote knowledge sharing among Helmsley grantees and partners.

Program Development & Monitoring

• Identify and source new projects and potential grantees.
• Review and evaluate proposals and prepare concise and analytical grant recommendations for Trustees.
• Contribute to program development and monitoring by organizing, conducting and/or attending meetings, symposia and site visits that further VCSSA program goals, including virtual engagements as well as domestic and international travel (including Sub‑Saharan Africa) as needed.
• Remain abreast of geopolitical, environmental and contextual issues impacting the geographic and programmatic focus areas of the VCSSA portfolio, advising the Program Director or Trustees as appropriate.

External Engagement

• Assist the Program Director with identifying and managing external consultants and contracts.
• Effectively communicate information about the VCSSA program and Helmsley’s mission to target audiences, collaborating with and providing support to Helmsley’s Communications department as needed.
• Represent Helmsley at external meetings and events.

Internal Collaboration

• Collaborate across Helmsley’s other programs and departments (e.g., Communications, Grants Management, Legal)
• Amplify awareness of the VCSSA program within Helmsley by serving as a champion of and ambassador for program grantees, projects and strategy.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Desired Qualifications

• Completion of an advanced degree (master’s degree or higher) in international development, global health, medicine, or related field.
• Minimum 8-10 years of relevant project and/or grant management experience in a non-governmental, non-profit, or philanthropic organization.
• Demonstrated experience or technical expertise in global health, health systems strengthening (HSS), innovative health technologies, neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH), economic development or related discipline; experience in Sub‑Saharan Africa preferred.
• Familiarity with the types of challenges and opportunities which may arise for grantees and local communities in Helmsley’s programmatic and geographic focus areas in Sub‑Saharan Africa (Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Zambia).
• Experience with grantmaking and/or grant management; working on grants to Sub‑Saharan African countries preferred.
• Proficiency in reviewing and managing budgets.
• Experience with monitoring and impact evaluation, including setting and tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Strong written and oral communication skills with the ability to translate concepts succinctly to diverse stakeholders and audiences.
• Must be detail‑orientated and have strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills, including the ability to manage priorities on projects with multiple collaborators.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgement and initiative, prioritize and accurately complete multiple tasks, and work under deadlines and changing priorities.
• Ability to think creatively, encourage innovative problem‑solving, and co‑create solutions with colleagues and grantees.
• Able to maintain confidentiality of information.
• Proven track‑record of working effectively in a collaborative, team‑oriented environment.
• Experience living or working in Sub‑Saharan Africa a plus.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally.

Salary, Health, Well‑being, and Living Our Mission

Helmsley is dedicated to creating stronger, healthier futures for communities in the U.S. and around the world. Our staff are subject matter experts from a range of backgrounds in basic science, global health, and precision medicine, as well as the private sector and public policy.

Helmsley colleagues are intelligent, creative, forward‑thinking, and strongly committed to working productively with each other and with our grantee partners. Each was drawn to Helmsley by the same opportunity: to help build this young organization into a leading global charitable institution that will drive meaningful and measurable positive change in lives throughout the U.S. and around the world for years to come.

Helmsley is committed to offering competitive and equitable compensation commensurate with experience. The targeted starting salary range for this position is $180,000-$193,000.

Comprehensive benefits currently offered to employees (subject to change) include:

• Employer‑paid medical, dental, and vision for employees and their families
• Generous 401(k) employer contribution
• Hybrid work schedule (up to two remote days a week)
• 23+ paid vacation and sick days
• 13+ paid holidays
• End of year office closure
• Summer Fridays
• Tuition reimbursement
• Personal and team professional development opportunities

Application Information

The position is based at Helmsley’s main office in New York City.

All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

All persons hired must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for employment‑based visa sponsorship now or in the future. Helmsley will not sponsor applicants for U.S. work visa status for this opportunity (no sponsorship is available for H-1B, L-1, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, F-1, J-1, OPT, CPT or any other employment‑based visa).

Helmsley currently permits a hybrid schedule requiring employees to work onsite in‑office [at least] 3 days per week and 2 days remote with specific schedules determined by manager. The ability to work onsite and collaborate in person with colleagues at Helmsley’s office is an essential function of this job.

Helmsley provides equal employment and promotional opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as established under law.