Senior Program Officer

WALTON ENTERPRISES & WALTON FAMILY FOUNDATION; Kansas City (MO); Remote; USD 190,000 - 238,000; Full time

Job summary

WALTON ENTERPRISES seeks a Senior Program Officer to lead K-12 education philanthropy efforts in Missouri. The candidate will develop and manage grants, assess educational initiatives, and foster partnerships to enhance educational opportunities. A commitment to strategic philanthropy and strong expertise in grantmaking is essential for success in this role.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits package

401(k) retirement plan

Paid time off

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Qualifications

• 10+ years in K-12 education and/or grantmaking, with policy leadership exposure.
• Knowledge of K-12 education reform and instructional practices.
• Experience working with high-level stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of grants and foster strategic partnerships.
• Evaluate impact of educational investments and adjust strategies.
• Implement philanthropic strategy in K-12 education aligned with Missouri needs.

Skills

Strategic philanthropy

Performance measurement

Education reform

Grantmaking

Partnership development

Education

Master's degree in social sciences, public administration, or education-related discipline

Job description

Job Locations US-MO-Remote Requisition ID 2025-2144 # of Openings 1 Category (Portal Searching) Philanthropy

Overview

Position : Senior Program Officer, Education

Department : Walton Personal Philanthropy Group (WPPG)

Reporting to : Director of Education

Location : Remote - Missouri based (Must currently live in or be willing to relocate to MO)

Walton Enterprises is seeking a skilled, highly motivated and entrepreneurial individual to join the team as a Senior Program Officer for K-12 Education in Missouri with the Walton Personal Philanthropy Group. The ideal teammate will have a strong background and commitment to effective strategic philanthropy, utilizing performance measurement and evaluation to drive impact, adapt grantmaking approaches, and achieve educational excellence for students in Missouri.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

We believe every associate should have access to success. Creating an environment centered on trust, respect, and bringing people together is critical to this belief.

Our aspirations are as follows :

• Create an environment where we hire, retain and bring to the table people with diverse backgrounds, viewpoints and lived experiences to create a more successful organization.
• Ensure fairness, equity and access to success for all of our associates.
• Create an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, safe, able to engage honestly.

About the Position

This position requires deep knowledge of the K-12 education landscape, an awareness of and commitment to education reform policies and principles (charter schools and choice, accountability, transparency, HQIM, and data), an understanding of effective instructional reforms, experience with policy implementation, and the ability to identify and support innovative solutions.

A core component of this role is a commitment to effective strategic philanthropy, utilizing performance measurement and evaluation to drive impact, adapt grantmaking approaches, and achieve educational excellence for students in Missouri.

The ideal teammate will have a strong background in each of these domains as well as demonstrated grantmaking experience in the context of strategic philanthropy.

What you will do

You will provide expert services related to K-12 education philanthropy for the Director and senior leadership. This includes developing and managing a portfolio of grants, fostering strategic partnerships, conducting rigorous due diligence on current and prospective partnerships, and evaluating the impact of investments-including those focused on policy, research, instructional quality, teaching, and leadership-to inform future strategies.

Responsibilities

Grant Development and Monitoring :

• Conduct due diligence on organizations, their leadership, and capacity.
• Work in partnership with prospective grantees to establish grant terms, expectations, and clear performance metrics.
• Conduct site visits.
• Monitor ongoing operations (including the implementation of instructional reforms or policy initiatives), review financial and narrative reports, and ensure timely payments.

Implementation of Strategy :

• Implement newly approved philanthropic strategy in K-12 education in the context of Missouri's opportunities and needs in coordination with the Director, ensuring a balanced approach to various reform approaches.

Major and Existing Partners :

• Develop and manage major grant partnerships within the K-12 education portfolio, incorporating robust evaluation and evidence to guide grantmaking adjustments and strategy.

New Partnerships :

• Identify and cultivate new partnerships with grantees, funders, and public stakeholders in line with the program's strategic priorities.

Grantmaking Best Practices :

• Understand and implement best practices in K-12 education grantmaking, drawing on direct experience and lessons from the philanthropic field.

External Supports :

• As needed, source and manage outside consultants specializing in charter school supports, instructional quality, teacher and leader needs, and effective governance : solicit proposals, develop work plans, oversee contracts, and ensure high-quality deliverables.

Internal Coordination :

• Effectively manage workflow and processes through clear communication with team members and the Director in a way that is simple and effective. Collaborate with departments across Walton Enterprises.

External Coordination :

• Coordinate with state and local policy leaders, funders, and organizations where appropriate to advance strategic objectives and support effective policy implementation.

Commitment to Evaluation :

• Assess the success of K-12 education grants and their impact, applying a strong lens of performance measurement across all reform types, and continuously learn from / improve work based on research, grant results, and engagement with experts in education reform, instructional improvement, and policy.

Public Representation of WPPG :

• Represent the Walton Personal Philanthropy Group publicly in the philanthropic and non-profit communities

Manage other projects and assignments as requested.

Who we are looking for

You are a strategic self-starter with deep expertise in K-12 education, including a reform orientation, and you have familiarity with K-12 instructional best practices and fast-moving policy environments. You are able to tackle complex educational challenges, identify potential philanthropic solutions that encompass a range of reform strategies, and work with others to implement plans, all in service of the approved strategy for philanthropic impact in Missouri. You have a strong customer service orientation and can serve as an expert advisor and representative of the organization. You have a strong commitment to strategic philanthropy and the use of performance measurement to drive results across all types of educational investments.

Qualifications required for your success

• 10+ years of related experience in K-12 education and / or grantmaking, with exposure to instructional and policy leadership.
• Clearly demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to K-12 market-based education reform principles, instructional reforms, and / or education policy implementation.
• Experience working with high-level stakeholders on their philanthropy or strategic initiatives, including executing a portfolio that may include diverse reform approaches.
• Proven experience in developing grant proposals, managing grants and grantees, and evaluating success using performance measurement, applicable to various educational interventions.
• Strong understanding of the Missouri K-12 education landscape, including its policy and academic contexts.
• Master's degree in social sciences, public administration, or education-related discipline.
• Willingness to travel up to 30% of time.

Additional Helpful Experience Includes

• Advanced or doctoral degree (Ph.D., Ed.D) in social sciences, public administration, or education-related discipline.
• Direct grantmaking and / or foundation management experience in education, with a portfolio that reflects varied strategic priorities and the incorporation of evidence to drive adjustments to strategy and grantmaking.
• Entrepreneurial experience, taking and managing associated risks as well as adapting to fast-changing environments.

Personal attributes that support your success

• Ability to act as a trusted advisor to the Director and colleagues while demonstrating expertise, integrity, and a commitment to achieving educational excellence through varied and effective means.
• You are helpful, a team player, and show respect while collaborating with others.
• You are results-oriented, model intellectual humility in your approach to strategy and grantmaking, leverage performance measurement effectively, and exercise sound judgment in your work.
• A visionary who plans for the future with imagination and wisdom, particularly in the context of comprehensive education reform.
• You are dedicated to achieving excellence and work capably with others to tackle the tasks at hand.

All offers of employment are contingent on your successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement and background check. In addition, you will need to provide proper identification verifying your eligibility to work in the United States on your first day of work.

Benefits Information

Compensation Range : $190,000.00-$238,000.00

Benefits Information : We offer a comprehensive and generous benefits package which includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan and paid time off.

About the Walton Family Philanthropy Group

The Walton Personal Philanthropy Group (WPPG) provides services to the family of Sam and Helen Walton to support their individual philanthropic activities. These services for the family and their related entities include program and grant management, strategy consulting and grant administration. WPPG is a part of Walton Enterprises, the family office of the Walton family.

About Walton Enterprises

Walton Enterprises supports the personal, philanthropic and business activity for the Walton family. We are a family-led organization, supporting multiple generations of Sam & Helen Walton's family.

Walton Enterprises is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building and maintaining a culturally diverse workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. We encourage women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.

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