Senior Program Officer (BASCT)

The Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust - New York, NY; New York (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust is looking for a skilled Senior Program Officer in New York City. This full-time position will oversee a $12 million policy and advocacy portfolio focused on critical issues including immigration and reproductive rights.

The successful candidate will collaborate with the CEO and the Trust’s team to drive impactful grant-making initiatives. They should possess a strong network in grant making and demonstrate strategic leadership skills.

Qualifications

• 5 years of foundation experience and 10-15 years in relevant professional roles.
• Experience with policy and advocacy grant making.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality in a family foundation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute grant-making strategies aligned with organizational mission.
• Oversee the grant-making process and manage grantee relationships.
• Lead as part of the Trust’s senior leadership team.

Skills

Philanthropy experience

Strategic leadership

Oral and written communication

Analytical skills

Budget management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree (preferred)

Job description

About The Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust

The Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust (the “Trust”), a family foundation, supports advocacy for social change that promotes human dignity and contributes to a more just, democratic and environmentally sustainable world. A year ago, the Trust hired its first Chief Executive Officer. It now is in the process of expanding its staff, building out its organizational infrastructure and developing and refining its philanthropic strategies.

The Trust is seeking a skilled and experienced grant maker to serve as its Senior Program Officer, overseeing, shaping and building a $12M policy and advocacy portfolio that is focused on immigration, the social safety net, health care and reproductive rights. Reporting to the CEO, the Senior Program Officer will be a member of the Trust’s management team and will serve as an ongoing thought partner to the CEO, bringing best practices and experience from previous foundation roles.

This is a full‑time position located in the Trust’s offices in mid‑town Manhattan.

Candidate Profile

Strong candidates will have meaningful experience and an existing network in grant making as well as a desire to work in an entrepreneurial setting and contribute to the Trust’s overall development and organizational growth. Effective partnership and collaboration with Trust staff and Trustees will be pivotal; the Senior Program Officer will be expected to demonstrate a high level of integrity and excellent professional judgment.

Successful candidates will have previously served in a foundation program role and will be enthusiastic about developing and executing forward‑looking strategies for the portfolio that reflect priorities identified by the Board. The selected candidate will bring a deep sense of the needs of the field and the dynamic environment for the work, as well as strategic knowledge of high‑impact funding opportunities.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities will include (but are not limited to):

Grantmaking:

• Develop and execute well‑researched strategies for the program that are aligned with organizational mission, vision and approach


• Oversee all aspects of the grant making process in the program described above, including identifying and screening prospective grantees, developing and presenting grant recommendations and ongoing grantee relationship management


• Stay abreast of developments in the field to identify emerging needs, gaps and opportunities and identify implications for the program and the Trust


• Write strategy and background papers to present strategies and proposed grantees to CEO and the Trustees


• Analyze program performance and communicate progress regularly to the CEO and Trustees


• Engage with peer funders and professional associations and other partners in relevant fields


• Develop and host convenings and other events in support of program goals and identify learning opportunities for board and staff

Leadership:

• Serve as an effective and collaborative member of the Trust’s senior leadership team, helping to conceptualize and execute organization‑wide initiatives and systems and staff development and training


• Support the CEO in overseeing grant making operations, providing insight and drawing from previous experience to develop and implement strategic solutions that advance the organization as a whole


• Participate in the development, implementation, and refinement of the Trust’s grants management, evaluation and other internal processes and systems


• Contribute to the development of external publications, blogs and social media to amplify the visibility of the Trust and/or its grantees

Qualifications

Competitive candidates will demonstrate the following professional and personal qualifications:

• Experience in philanthropy, particularly with policy and advocacy grant making


• Demonstrated track record of strategic leadership and framing of a grant making portfolio


• Desire to be part of the senior leadership team at a growing organization and a commitment to working collaboratively to create systems and determine solutions to problems


• Ability to maintain tact, discretion and confidentiality as needed for a family foundation


• Intellectual agility and the ability to analyze, think critically and understand emerging issues relating to programmatic priorities


• Capable of developing a clear program strategy while remaining nimble and responsive to Trustee interests


• Comfort overseeing complex budgets related to grantmaking


• Experience with developing learning, monitoring and evaluation processes


• Exceptional oral and written communication skills; able to quickly gather, synthesize and summarize information in a clear manner with a variety of audiences from grantees to Trustees to staff


• An interest in mentoring and supporting professional development of other staff, as needed


• Proactive approach with demonstrated ability to exercise initiative


• Goodwill, a sense of humor and a commitment to collegiality in a small team


• Bachelor’s degree; 5 years of foundation experience and 10‑15 years of relevant professional experience required; Master’s Degree in a related field (e.g., Law, Public Policy, Journalism) is preferred

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.

EEO Statement

The Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust deeply values equity and inclusion and is committed to the recruitment and retention of individuals of underrepresented backgrounds, including (but not limited to) gender identity and expression, race, religion and sexual orientation.