Senior Program Officer at Chamberlin Education Foundation

Senior Program Officer

Chamberlin Education Foundation (CEF) was founded to address systemic educational inequities and advance academic excellence for students in West Contra Costa public schools. Our mission is to support educators and community partners in creating equitable and inspiring outcomes for every student, particularly Black, Latinx, and historically under-resourced students. CEF has three grantmaking priority areas, all intended to improve TK-5 math and literacy outcomes across West Contra Costa public schools : School Partnerships, Talent Pipelines, and Informed Community Leadership.

We envision a public school ecosystem that values student intellect and identity, promotes enriching and engaging opportunities, and fosters collaboration among schools to amplify student success. Guided by principles of academic excellence, collaboration, racial justice in education, and continuous learning, CEF works to elevate students, educators, and communities.

The Senior Program Officer (SPO) will play a key role in advancing Chamberlin Education Foundation's (CEF) grant strategy, directly managing a portfolio of CEF's current grantees. The SPO will serve as a capacity builder and collaborative partner to the grantees in their portfolio, leveraging professional expertise and access to research to strengthen grantee impact and organizational effectiveness. The SPO will collaborate with CEF's leadership team to refine due diligence processes, ensure alignment with CEF's values, and contribute to driving overall organizational impact. This role requires a strategic and highly detail-oriented thinker, with expertise and experience in K-12 education, strong project management skills, and a demonstrated ability to build trusting relationships across diverse stakeholders.

The SPO will oversee grant evaluation strategy for two out of three of CEF's grant categories, Talent Pipelines and Informed Community Leadership. The SPO's responsibilities will include traditional grantmaking duties, including relationship management, due diligence, proposal and report review, and the design and execution of a grant allocation strategy that aligns with CEF's strategic goals and organizational metrics. In addition, the SPO will have an active and present role in the West Contra Costa community, serving as a convener and connector with grantees and community partners. This body of work is intended to support the broader educational ecosystem with an emphasis on listening to community needs, bridging efforts across organizations, and identifying strategic opportunities that improve conditions for learning and accelerate academic momentum.

The SPO will report to the VP of Programs and work closely with internal and external stakeholders to ensure strategic alignment and execution of grants. In addition, they will take the lead on CEF's communications efforts related to grantmaking and community leadership, working closely with our staff writer to share stories of impact through our monthly newsletter and social media channels, ensuring our work and the voices of our grantees are elevated and connected to our broader mission.

Grant Capacity Building & Relationship Management

• Serve primary relationship manager for a portfolio of current CEF grantees, stewarding them through renewal processes.
• Build and maintain close, authentic relationships with grantee leadership and staff to ensure high levels of trust, partnership, and collaboration.
• Support grantee capacity-building by sharing data and information, connecting grantees to external resources, and strengthening their operations.
• Act as a connector across grantees, community partners, and advocacy efforts, fostering alignment and amplifying collective impact through shared learning and coordinated efforts.
• Convene grantees for shared learning and networking, promoting a supportive ecosystem.
• Partner with CEF Director of School Partnerships to assist Talent Pipeline grantees with recruitment and retention, including marketing of application timelines, 1 : 1 recruitment support, and participant engagement.

Grant Strategy & Evaluation

Impact Communications

Grant Renewals and CEF Board Engagement

Additional Organizational Leadership

Who You'll Work With

Internal

External

Who You Are

Adaptable, Entrepreneurial Problem-Solver

You take initiative in uncertain or evolving situations, confidently identifying creative solutions. Navigating unclear or changing environments comes naturally to you, and you thrive in tackling challenges with agility and resilience.

Independent and Collaborative Leader

You have demonstrated success in achieving common goals within diverse teams. You are an outstanding project manager who juggles multiple organizational priorities, keeps track of multiple deliverables, and supports the entire team to effectively prepare for deadlines. You understand when to act independently and when to seek collaboration or input to ensure success.

Committed to Excellence

You are open to constructive feedback and committed to continuous improvement to achieve a high bar of excellence. You consistently refine processes and solutions in collaboration with others, ensuring they meet and surpass expectations.

Focused on Student Success

You are driven by a commitment to achieving measurable results that improve student outcomes. Setting goals, monitoring progress, and delivering meaningful impacts are integral to your work. You have a proven ability to meet and exceed targets in student-centered initiatives.

Role-Specific Competencies

Relational and Trust-Building Communicator

You excel in building authentic, trusting relationships with diverse stakeholders, from grantees and community members to Board members and colleagues