Senior Grantmaking & Impact Officer

Cleveland Foundation; Cleveland (OH); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Senior Program Officer, Immediate Impact and Grantmaking at Cleveland Foundation leads rigorous grantmaking, manages a diverse portfolio of grants, and collaborates with colleagues across departments to advance effective philanthropy.

You will translate strategy into grantmaking recommendations, guide complex grant decisions, and help build a learning-oriented grantmaking culture that benefits the Cleveland community.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required with at least 7 years in grantmaking or similar leadership roles.
• Demonstrated passion for Cleveland, philanthropy, and community impact with portfolio management experience.
• Proven ability to build strategic, lasting relationships with donors, community leaders, and professionals.
• Experience fostering teamwork and collaboration across departments and diverse communities.
• Strong communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills with high integrity.
• Proficiency using CRM, Microsoft Office, and online collaboration tools.
• Ability to analyze and organize complex data to guide strategic outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Support Immediate Impact grantmaking with timely, rigorous investments aligned to the Impact Agenda.
• Serve as a senior, trusted partner to nonprofits seeking grants; build relationships and communicate effectively.
• Prepare board content and grant reports with clarity and rigor; ensure governance readiness.
• Manage a portfolio of Immediate Impact grantees across Cleveland’s critical needs and stabilization.
• Provide structured judgment on high-stakes grant requests and complex situations.
• Model strong judgment, due diligence, and collaborative engagement to strengthen the grantmaking function.
• Synthesize grant activity to identify patterns and inform leadership decisions (sensemaking).
• Collaborate with Philanthropic Services to connect high-impact grantees with donors.
• Refine grantmaking guidelines, thresholds, and decision frameworks for transparency and consistency.
• Prepare and present clear materials for leadership, the Board, and committees; enable strategic governance.
• Coordinate across program, philanthropy, finance, communications, and operations to align investments.

Skills

Communication

Leadership

Teamwork

Adaptability

Problem-solving

Strategy

Partnership

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

CRM systems

Microsoft Office

Online collaboration tools

Job description

The Senior Program Officer, Immediate Impact and Grantmaking at Cleveland Foundation leads rigorous grantmaking, manages a diverse portfolio of grants, and collaborates with colleagues across departments to advance effective philanthropy.

You will translate strategy into grantmaking recommendations, guide complex grant decisions, and help build a learning-oriented grantmaking culture that benefits the Cleveland community.