Senior Program Officer, Policy & Advocacy

The Sobrato Organization; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 163,000 - 203,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

Retirement plan with matching

Paid time off and holidays

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

The Sobrato Organization’s Thriving Communities initiative seeks a Senior Program Officer for Policy & Advocacy to drive California state policy work and advance economic mobility, educational equity, and housing security. You will shape strategy, manage grants, and engage grantees across California and nationally.

Reporting to the Director of Policy & Advocacy, you will lead a multi-year portfolio with strong collaboration across Silicon Valley and state partners, requiring deep policy

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of related experience at a senior program level in policy engagement and analysis; experience in philanthropic strategy, grantmaking, and grant portfolio management.
• Deep policy and advocacy expertise in Economic Mobility with knowledge of regional, state, and federal policy landscapes.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy development, refinement, and grantmaking for statewide and national policy and advocacy grants in Economic Mobility; launch initial Climate Action portfolio.
• Build, maintain, and activate relationships with leaders from government, philanthropy, nonprofit, and private sectors to advance goals.
• Coordinate and communicate with SP/TSO staff; monitor policy developments and provide updates to leadership.

Skills

Policy & Advocacy

Grantmaking

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic planning

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

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Senior Program Officer, Policy & Advocacy

Full Time Sacramento Area

2 days ago Requisition ID: 1149

Salary Range: $163,000.00 To $203,000.00 Annually

Title: Senior Program Officer, Policy & Advocacy

Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt

Work Location: San Francisco and/or Sacramento, CA

Date Submitted: August 2026

Job Summary

Sobrato Philanthropies’ Thriving Communities strategy aims to uplift low-wage and housing-insecure residents and families. To achieve this vision, SP will deploy grants and other philanthropic tools in the Silicon Valley region, at the state level in California, and nationally across critical issue areas impacting communities, including Economic Mobility, Educational Equity, and Housing Security. Climate Action is the newest issue area in 2027, and our grantmaking portfolio will be small relative to the others.

The Senior Program Officer will contribute to the implementation of SP\'s strategic approach to policy and advocacy grantmaking and influence, focusing primarily on California state policy. A key member of SP\'s Policy & Advocacy team, this role will lead strategy development and refinement, grantmaking, grantee engagement and progress monitoring, field engagement and collaborations with peer foundations and other partners, and evaluation and learning activities. The Senior Program Officer will bring experience in diligence, shaping, and managing a grant portfolio and demonstrate deep knowledge of policy and advocacy approaches to advance community-centered systemic change.

The Senior Program Officer will lead policy and advocacy grants and activities in Economic Mobility (totaling approximately $6M-$7M in 2027), with three priorities: 1) increasing access to worker ownership as a wealth-building strategy, 2) getting cash to residents to help them meet their financial needs, and 3) strengthening the social safety net for our most vulnerable communities. A secondary responsibility will be launching a small Climate Action portfolio, drawing on the team’s learning to date. While they do not need to have equal expertise on all topics, the Senior Program Officer will understand the state and national policy environment, assess the impact of this landscape on our strategy, engage with well-informed and connected experts, and navigate dynamics that may be unique to specific topics.

Responsibilities and Tasks

Job Responsibility 1: Portfolio Leadership & Management

50% of Time

• Lead strategy development, refinement, and grantmaking for our statewide and national policy and advocacy grants in Economic Mobility. Launch initial, smaller Climate Action portfolio.
• Identify and research organizations that would be well-aligned with our priorities, evaluate grant proposals, conduct due diligence and financial analysis using our rubrics, determine priority funding areas, draft agreements with key metrics, and present grant recommendations.
• Grow and deepen ongoing collaboration with grantees through check-ins, site visits, technical assistance, and thought partnership, among other tools.
• Collaborate with Program Officers and Senior Program Officers at SP to align strategies and grantmaking across geographies (Silicon Valley region, California, and nationally).
• Develop and implement virtual and in-person grantee learning and convening opportunities.
• Stay abreast of new, significant, and relevant developments in policy, research, and practice.
• Proactively surface critical insights, trends, needs, and gaps on policy, systemic change, and organizational capacity building from our grantees and the field to inform SP’s grantmaking strategy and practice. Bring findings back to grantees to strengthen their capacity.
• Regularly monitor state policy in California and track policy and funding wins for Economic Mobility primarily and Climate Action as needed. Provide updates to the team and lead discussions about the impact on communities and grantmaking implications.
• Strategically align portfolio investments with the Thriving Communities strategy and provide key data and metrics to support outcome analyses and impact narrative.

Job Responsibility 2: Partnerships & Strategic Support

30% of Time

• Identify policy priorities for Economic Mobility on an annual basis and Climate Action as needed.
• Build, maintain, and activate relationships with key leaders from government, philanthropy, for-profit, nonprofit, and other sectors to develop shared goals and coordinate efforts.
• Regularly engage stakeholders in Sacramento, including policy leaders, researchers, and advocates, to inform relevant policy discussions and advance our policy goals.
• Proactively pursue opportunities for policy impact beyond the grant through tools such as policymaker briefings, sponsorships, convenings and networking, and communications.
• Participate in, inform, and/or advise policy and advocacy coalitions as appropriate.
• Contribute to funder coalitions and learning spaces to inform philanthropic agendas.
• Initiate and lead aligned and pooled philanthropic and public-private funding partnerships.
• Represent SP at conferences, roundtables, and other public venues.

Job Responsibility 3: Coordination & Communications

10% of Time

• Build collaborative working relationships with all TSO staff. Maintain effective communication.
• Mentor and advise Program Officers and participate in continuous learning with all SP staff.
• Contribute to annual planning, goal setting, and budgeting cycle.
• Participate in policy & advocacy, SP, and TSO all-staff meetings to coordinate work, report on progress, flag challenges, and offer insight and expertise.
• Provide updates to SP/TSO leadership in coordination with the Director of Policy & Advocacy.
• Partner with grants management team to ensure effective grantmaking processes and practices.
• Support SP/TSO communications by providing stories and examples for public dissemination.

Other Responsibilities as Assigned

10% of Time

Qualifications (Know How)

Education / Training

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.

Experience/Technical Skills

• Minimum 10 years of related experience at a senior program level in policy engagement and analysis. Experience in philanthropic strategy, grantmaking, and grant portfolio management is strongly preferred.
• Deep policy and advocacy expertise, preferably in Economic Mobility, with knowledge of relevant regional, state, and federal policy landscapes.
• Track record of successfully leading advocacy efforts resulting in real and measurable change.
• Proven grantmaking experience, including conducting due diligence on nonprofit organizations; assessing organizational, programmatic, and financial capacity for growth and scale; and developing grant agreements, measurable outcomes, and shared goals with grantee partners.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, long-term, multi-stakeholder strategic initiatives from conception through execution, with a strong track record of accountability and achieving measurable results.
• Recognized internally and externally by the professional community as an expert, leader, and convener in the field of Economic Mobility.
• Proven ability to build, influence, and sustain collaborative, trust-based relationships with internal colleagues, community organizations, public and private agencies, and other stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to drive collective goals.
• Demonstrated experience addressing policies and systems impacting low-wage and housing-insecure residents and communities, including immigrant and multilingual families and youth.
• Strategic thinking with robust quantitative and qualitative analytical skills to conduct thorough due diligence on an organization’s program and financial models, and organizational capacity.
• Demonstrated adaptability, resourcefulness, and sound judgment, with the ability to navigate ambiguity, manage competing priorities, and respond constructively to change.
• Strong interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence. Adept at giving and receiving feedback, listening actively, and navigating complex or sensitive situations.
• Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to develop and refine processes that enhance team efficiency and effectiveness.
• Ability to write clearly and concisely to reflect rigorous analysis of complex issues.
• Agile learner and doer who can quickly get up to speed and form productive relationships.
• Works well independently and in a team, demonstrating initiative, flexibility, and collaboration.
• Brings a strong sense of self-confidence, self-awareness, and a sense of humor.
• Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to travel within the state and nationwide as needed.

Organization

Reports to: Director, Policy & Advocacy

Direct Reports : None

Alignment to Our Mission, Culture, and Values

We hire individuals who share our vision of building a better future through business and philanthropic leadership, impacting the lives of countless fellow residents of our region in a way that could be replicated in other major metropolitan regions around the country and affecting the lives of millions.

Our Mission and Values

The Sobrato Organization’s mission is to build a more equitable and sustainable world through business and philanthropic leadership. We work to inspire current and future generations to steward family resources in service of others around the world. We have established a deep legacy in Silicon Valley that includes a commitment to community, and our values honor and promote this legacy:

Mutual Accountability: We earn trust by taking ownership of our work and honoring our commitments to each other, our partners and our communities.

Collaboration: We believe in the value of collaboration and partnership in achieving effective solutions. We treat people with respect and value the diverse experiences and perspectives of our partners, colleagues and investees.

Engagement: We recognize that lasting impact requires building deep relationships with our stakeholders and getting proximate to our communities and the work. We act with humility, respect and compassion.

Excellence: We focus on results, maintain a strong work ethic, and persist through challenges. We innovate, take risks, and embrace creativity and continuous learning.

Integrity: We endeavor to deal transparently, honestly and fairly. We strive to do what is right, especially when it is hard.

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits for employees and dependents on the first of the month following the hire date
• Short and long-term disability and life insurance
• Fertility program benefits
• Comprehensive mental health benefits for employees and dependents
• Retirement savings account with matching contributions of up to 10%
• Twenty PTO days in the first year of servicein addition to paid year-end closure days between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Eleven paid holidays
• Tuition assistance and professional development initiatives for growth
• Technology allowance
• Employee matching gifts program
• Generous parental leave
• Flexible and inclusive work environment
• Enjoy a professional yet comfortable work environment with our business casual dress code
• Catered lunches, healthy snacks and beverages
• Acknowledgement for exceptional work as well as important moments in the lives of those we work with

Compensation Transparency

At TSO, base pay is part of a broader compensation package and is set within a range, allowing for growth as you advance in your role. The pay range for this role is between $163,000 and $203,000.

Salary offers are determined based on various factors, including experience, education, licensure and/or certifications, internal equity, and specific business and organizational needs.

About Us

Founded by John A. Sobrato in 1979 and led by CEO Tony Mestres, The Sobrato Organization remains a family-owned firm known for integrity and dedication, with no outside investors or joint venture partners. Since 1953, the Sobrato Family has played a pivotal role in shaping Silicon Valley through its real estate development. Its office and R&D projects comprise 7.5 million square feet, most of which are Class A, mid-rise office buildings. TSO also owns 30 apartment communities totaling 6,700 units along the West Coast. Through Sobrato Philanthropies, the firm has donated more than $379 million in cash and real estate to the Silicon Valley community. We have established a deep legacy in Silicon Valley that includes a commitment to community and our values honor and promote this legacy.

The Sobrato Organization is committed to its mission of building strong and vibrant communities where we live and do business. To achieve this, we embrace becoming a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable organization that empowers our people. Our team remains at the core of what we do. We strive to consistently lead from a space of learning and strengthening our capacity for change. We understand our responsibility to cultivate a culture of belonging, appreciation, and respect. We believe that TSO must be a place where staff feel at ease in expressing themselves honestly and openly. Advancing these important initiatives is mission-critical to our ability to maximize our impact in the world.

The Sobrato Organization is an equal-opportunity employer dedicated to building a team that represents a diversity of backgrounds, cultures, experiences, perspectives, and skills and to creating an environment of inclusion and belonging for all employees regardless of race, skin color, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or parenthood. The Sobrato Organization is expanding, and we are passionate about growing our staff with people who have diverse voices with different lived experiences.