Senior Program Officer

Pacific Foundation Services; Indiana; On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Pacific Foundation Services seeks a Senior Program Officer to lead grantmaking strategies for client foundations, oversee program operations, and build strong relationships with grantees and funders. The role requires guiding multi‑foundation portfolios and mentoring staff while maintaining focus on equity in philanthropy.

The SPO will coordinate board materials, represent clients at external events, and support staff development. Regular office presence and domestic travel are expected.

Qualifications

• At least five years in the nonprofit/philanthropy sector.
• Ability to develop expertise in new program areas and funding areas.
• Familiarity with foundation compliance and nonprofit financial reports.
• Strong strategic thinking, advising, and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated mentorship and project management capabilities.
• Experience representing organizations in external collaborations and forums.
• Excellent written and oral communication; public presentations.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and basic data analysis.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a programmatic advisor to client foundations with strategic guidance.
• Develop and refine grantmaking strategies and guidelines for clients.
• Manage grantee relationships and ensure high-quality service delivery.
• Coordinate grant review workflow with Program Officers and teams.
• Prepare and present grant recommendations with strategic rationale.
• Oversee board materials and coordination for meetings.
• Mentor junior staff and support professional development.
• Promote equity and inclusion throughout grantmaking and collaboration.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Mentorship

Project management

External collaborations

Written and oral communication

Public speaking

Team leadership

Equity in grantmaking

Tools

Microsoft Office

Data analysis tools

Job description

Senior Program Officer

We’re Hiring!

Summary

The Senior Program Officer (SPO) brings extensive experience in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector, combining the adaptability of a generalist with deep understanding of current best practices and the ability to develop fluency in specific funding areas. The SPO is adept in developing and activating grantmaking strategies for clients and maintaining familiarity with sector trends. This role provides high-level programmatic advice and operational oversight to clients, leads internal client teams, and plays a central role in ensuring alignment with client‑specific funding priorities and practices, including fostering positive relationships with grantee partners, peer funders, and nonprofit leaders. The SPO contributes thought leadership within Pacific Foundation Services and the broader philanthropic sector. Regular attendance in the PFS office is an essential function of this job. The SPO may supervise 1 or more Program Officers.

Principal Responsibilities

Client & Program Strategy (30%)

• Serve as a programmatic advisor to client foundations, offering strategic guidance and recommendations grounded in sector trends, foundation‑specific priorities, and fluency in relevant funding areas.
• Provide input into the development and refinement of grantmaking strategies and guidelines as required by and specific to each client foundation.
• Manage grantee relationships for multiple foundations, ensuring high‑quality service delivery and alignment with each client’s goals and practices.
• In collaboration with the Director and client team, advise on opportunities to increase the impact of existing projects and identify new initiatives aligned with client priorities.

Grantmaking (30%)

• Manage complex, multi‑issue, or multi‑geography grant portfolios requiring strategy alignment and deep content fluency.
• Represent clients within the nonprofit community during community events and site visits.
• Coordinate workflow and grant review assignment process with Program Officer(s).
• Conduct due diligence on prospective grantees, including site visits, financial analysis, and organizational assessments as needed.
• Prepare and present grant recommendations consistent with each foundation’s grantmaking guidelines, including strategic rationale and impact assessment, for board review and action.
• Review final board dockets, ensuring accuracy and alignment with strategy and policy.
• Collaborate with grantee partners to understand their needs and support them in monitoring organizational, program, and project goals.

Team Leadership (25%)

• Coordinate team activities and ensure timeliness and high quality of work throughout the grantmaking process.
• Oversee preparation and distribution of all board and committee materials including agendas, meeting materials, and presentations.
• Work with board and/or foundation leadership and committee chairs to develop agendas for board and committee meetings; facilitate board meetings (in most cases) and committee meetings as appropriate.
• Ensure there are open channels of communication across all team members and departments, clear expectations regarding workflow, and necessary resources are in place to support high‑quality service provision.
• Work with Grants Managers to ensure board materials, board meeting coordination, and other grants management functions are carried out effectively.
• Work with Accounting department to ensure financial compliance with established board policies.
• Oversee day‑to‑day work of Grants Managers and Program Officers, as it relates to assigned client foundations, providing performance feedback and support as needed; and
• Coordinate with team members’ supervisors about performance concerns, workloads, special projects, and professional development as appropriate.

External Engagement (10%)

• Represent client foundations and PFS in external philanthropic networks, funder collaboratives, speaking engagements, and sector initiatives.
• Build and maintain relationships with peer funders, nonprofit leaders, and sector experts to the degree required by specific clients.
• Stay current on trends, best practices, and emerging issues in philanthropy and assigned funding areas, serving as a resource to clients and colleagues.

General (5%)

• Support Director of Client Services in strategic advising and mentorship to Program Officers and other junior staff, fostering programmatic learning and professional development.
• Contribute to internal knowledge sharing and cross‑team collaboration on philanthropic best practices.
• Support PFS‑wide initiatives, working groups, or special projects assigned.
• Manage own calendar, correspondence, travel, and other daily administrative tasks except where specifically the responsibility of other staff.

Qualifications

• At least five years of experience in the nonprofit sector, preferably a combination of nonprofit and philanthropy work, with at least three years focused experience in the philanthropic sector working effectively with decision‑making bodies (e.g. board of directors, family office principals or executive teams).
• Demonstrated ability to develop expertise in new program areas as needed and/or deep content fluency in relevant program areas.
• Familiarity with foundation compliance requirements and demonstrated ability to read and understand nonprofit financial reports and budgets.
• Strong strategic thinking, advising, and analytical skills, including the ability to conduct research, organize report material, and clearly translate information into accessible language.
• Demonstrated mentorship, and project management capabilities.
• Experience representing organizations in external collaborations, partnerships, and public forums.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; ability to make public presentations and prepare concise and effective written content.
• Proven experience with Microsoft Office and ability to perform basic data search, entry, and analysis functions on common database programs.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize, negotiate, and work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders, while centering equity in all decisions and interactions.
• Ability to exercise good judgment and take initiative within broadly defined guidelines.
• Ability to juggle multiple projects and work both independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
• Adept at working with people from diverse backgrounds, including staff of grantee organizations, client boards of directors, high net worth donors, and those with divergent political and world views.
• Empathy and respect for those who do the hard work of developing and raising money for programs and organizations.
• Ability to give and receive feedback as a means to personal and professional growth;
• Commitment to equity and inclusion through grantmaking including knowledge of and interest in the core tenets of Trust-Based Philanthropy.
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and discretion about confidential matters.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and accountability;
• Demonstrated commitment to PFS values of generosity, respect, integrity, inclusion, commitment, and humility.
• Ability to travel domestically 5-10% of time.