Senior Program Officer

Freedom Together Foundation • New York, NY

8d • $183,000 - $203,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Freedom Together Foundation seeks nominations and applications for the position of Senior Program Officer for the Movement Infrastructure & Explorations (MIE) team. The Senior Program Officer (SPO) will work with colleagues and partners to develop and implement strategies that strengthen movements and advance pro-democracy efforts.

Reporting to the Senior Vice President, MIE, the SPO will build relationships and design grantmaking and program strategies that align with Freedom Together’s mission. They will partner with grantees and seek out new grantees, recommend grants, and serve as a resource and connector for grantees and funder partners in the execution of program strategies. They will stay abreast of emerging trends and synthesize information to inform strategy. The SPO will work across the Freedom Together team to ensure integration and coordination with internal and external partners to share learnings and insights. In all of this work, the SPO will promote the mission, vision and values of the Foundation through relationships with funders, partners, and current and potential grantees.

A core focus of this role will be strengthening durable organizing infrastructure in Black communities, including supporting basebuilding organizations, advancing cross-ecosystem collaboration, and expanding the capacity of institutions serving the Black community to meet the current moment. The Senior Program Officer will also play a key role in extending the reach and impact of mass training initiatives aligned with mass organizing efforts.

The ideal candidate will bring at least ten years of experience in community organizing, campaigns, power building or community engagement, with at least two (2) of those years managing and leading others in that work. They will bring a deep understanding of movement strategy, infrastructure, and capacity-building; have trusting relationships with leaders across a wide spectrum of the organizing field; and possess a deep commitment to social justice and power building. They will be a strategist, excellent manager of work and progress towards goals, curious and learning oriented, and an organizer and convener of others (by nature or experience). The ideal candidate is energized by engaging directly with organizers and institutions and is comfortable navigating complexity and change.

Requirements

• Minimum of ten (10) years’ relevant experience in community organizing, campaigns, power building or community engagement, with at least two (2) of those years managing and leading others in that work.
• Deep understanding of movement strategy, infrastructure, and capacity-building, and relationships with leaders across a wide range of movement organizations.
• Commitment to social and racial justice and power building with experience applying race and power analyses in different situations.
• Track record of sustained engagement within organizations or campaigns, demonstrating the ability to build long-term relationships, develop leadership over time, and see complex initiatives through multiple phases.
• Proven ability to set and lead strategy, define program objectives, evaluate progress, and independently manage projects through a complete lifecycle with strong attention to detail. Exceptional skills to identify and evaluate opportunities and design initiatives.
• Experience building strategic convening or coalition spaces and opportunities.
• Experience assessing nonprofits’ health through analyzing financial statements, evaluating the feasibility and strategic value of proposed programs, theories of change, and assessing organizational capacity.
• Experience managing and developing internal and external leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to translate strategy into implementation plans and carry initiatives forward in dynamic environments, adjusting thoughtfully and decisively as conditions evolve.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with the ability to summarize and present information to various audiences, including Foundation leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to build trusting, respectful, and caring relationships with partners, colleagues, and stakeholders.
• High emotional intelligence, sound judgment, integrity, and discretion in navigating complex situations.
• Comfortable working both independently and collaboratively, balancing initiative with partnership across teams.
• The proven ability to manage multiple priorities and adapt to a changing environment.
• Proficient with Google Suite and able to learn other programs to support the work.
• A "no task too small" mindset, with humility, initiative, and a collaborative spirit.
• Comfortable balancing strategic work with administrative responsibilities in a small, fast-moving team.
• Passion for and commitment to Freedom Together’s mission and values.
• Comfort operating in a hybrid role that blends grantmaking responsibilities with active engagement in strategy execution, coalition development, and movement capacity-building.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience preferred.
• Ability and willingness to travel (anticipated 35%), including overnight stays.
• Enthusiasm to build a culture that is rooted in shared values, supports staff to bring their best selves to the work, and enables the foundation to achieve its highest aspirations.

Nice To Haves

• Clear and recent experiences in organizing ecosystems in the South and/or Midwest, particularly within institutions serving the Black community preferred.
• Previous grantmaking experience is useful but not required.

Responsibilities

• Collaboratively develop, implement, and communicate program strategies that allow movements to be healthy, effective, and powerful.
• Stay up to date on trends and opportunities related to MIE’s efforts and work internally and externally to inform continued improvement and refinement of strategies.
• Map field and funding landscapes to inform strategies that maximize charitable impact.
• Coordinate to ensure integration of MIE’s strategies with other program areas.
• Lead and advance elements of MIE’s Black Organizing strategy, including identifying and supporting opportunities to strengthen basebuilding capacity, foster collaboration across legacy and emerging institutions, and build durable connective infrastructure across the ecosystem.
• Play key role in MIE’s Mass Training strategy to support, scale, and strengthen emerging training initiatives aligned with mass organizing efforts.
• Work with the MIE team to collaboratively implement program strategy.
• Build and tend to relationships with current and potential grantees relevant to the MIE program, continuously learning and understanding needs and trends, and building spaces of opportunity and connection to advance the program strategies and impact.
• Invite grant proposals from selected organizations, work with applicants to develop and finalize grant proposals, summarize proposals, and analyze financial and organizational capacity.
• Assist grantees in leveraging Freedom Together grant funds by building relationships with other funders and creating opportunities for shared learning.
• Stay connected to the progress of grantees and be proactive in supporting the success of organizations and ecosystems.
• Coordinate and participate in meetings with grantees, including site visits, partnership meetings, and check-ins.
• Inform the Senior Vice President about grantees’ progress.
• Ensure completion and accuracy of necessary grantee information for compliance and documentation purposes and as an important practice in reflection, learning, and knowledge transfer.
• Work in deep collaboration with other members of the MIE team ensuring program cohesion, excellent execution, and a healthy and effective team culture.
• Work closely with other program area team members across the Foundation to ensure appropriate weaving and connecting of strategies
• Work with funder partners to advance overall Foundation goals and outcomes
• Prepare materials for meetings and convenings.
• Work closely with the Grants Management team to ensure maintenance of accurate records, track status of support and grant funding flows, including proposal, progress reports, correspondence, and financial statements.
• Special projects as assigned by the Senior Vice President.

Benefits

• health insurance (with 100% of the premiums paid for employees, spouses, domestic partners, and qualified family members)
• paid time off (including last week of the year)
• 401(k) retirement plan with 12% employer contribution
• access to an inclusive family building reimbursement plan
• Freedom Together provides up to $5,000 annually for professional development and the ability to recommend an annual grant to the nonprofit of your choice.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level