Understand priorities, context and how grantmaking can contribute.
Connect resources with community priorities
Foundation Program Officer Jobs
Foundation Program Officer jobs combine issue-area knowledge, relationship building, grantmaking, learning and responsible stewardship. Explore roles with private, community, family and corporate foundations.
Three essential lenses
Program officers work across strategy, relationships and stewardship
Listen to applicants, grantees, communities and peer funders.
Support fair review, sound recommendations, learning and accountability.
The grantmaking cycle
Where Foundation Program Officers contribute
Responsibilities vary by foundation size, issue area and grantmaking model. Some roles manage an established portfolio, while others also shape strategy, convene partners or lead learning initiatives.
01Listen and learn
Gather context from communities, research and partners.
Gather context from communities, research and partners.
02Review and recommend
Assess alignment, capacity, risks and opportunities.
Assess alignment, capacity, risks and opportunities.
03Support relationships
Maintain clear, respectful communication with grantees.
Maintain clear, respectful communication with grantees.
04Reflect and adapt
Use reporting and dialogue to improve future decisions.
Use reporting and dialogue to improve future decisions.
What candidates should highlight
- Relevant issue-area or community knowledge
- Grant review and portfolio experience
- Clear analysis and writing
- Relationship-centered communication
- Sound judgment about power, risk and accountability
Hiring a Program Officer?
Describe the portfolio, grantmaking approach, geographic or issue-area scope, decision authority, travel, board interaction and relationship expectations. Explain whether direct lived, sector or community experience is valued.
Compensation research requires role-specific context
BLS does not publish a single national occupation titled “Foundation Program Officer.” Depending on duties, a role may align with social and community service management, grantmaking administration, research, policy or another specialty. Candidates and employers should compare actual responsibilities with reliable local and occupational sources rather than applying an unrelated national salary figure.
Explore the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Current opportunities
Foundation Program Officer job listings
Center for Social Sector Leadership / Packard Foundation
Sep.
Center for Science in the Public Interest
Sep.
Operations Director
A Full-time Job
American Association of University Professors
Aug.
Senior Program Officer roles
Operations Director
A Full-time Job
American Association of University Professors
Aug.
How to get a job at a foundation · Largest foundations by endowment · Program Manager jobs · Philanthropy jobs
Frequently asked questions
Practical answers for foundation candidates and employers.
What does a Foundation Program Officer do?
A Program Officer commonly manages grantmaking relationships, reviews proposals, develops recommendations, monitors a portfolio and supports learning within a foundation’s priorities.
Do Program Officers need prior foundation experience?
Not always. Foundations may value relevant nonprofit, community, policy, research or issue-area experience when candidates can also demonstrate analysis, relationship building and grantmaking judgment.
What should foundations include in a posting?
Clarify the portfolio, issue area, grantmaking approach, decision authority, travel, board interaction, location expectations and how community knowledge will be evaluated.
LABOR MARKET CONTEXT
Compare program officer opportunities thoughtfully
Foundation Program Officer is not a standalone federal occupation, so no precise national count exists for this title. Related management and fundraising projections can offer context, but compensation and hiring vary by foundation size, issue area, grantmaking model and geography.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data are national and should be considered with local salary, cost-of-living and hiring information.
5%Related growth
2025 to 2035Projection period
NationalBenchmark scope
Explore nonprofit jobs in leading city markets
Use these local hubs to compare current openings and organizations. City links help narrow a search; they are not a ranking of state demand.
Hiring a Foundation Program Officer professional?
Reach experienced mission-driven candidates with a clear role, transparent expectations and a focused Foundation List job posting.