Program Officer

*PLEASE READ INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLY* About the Foundation: Washington Area Women’s Foundation is a community-supported foundation that invests in the power of women and girls across the Washington metropolitan area via grantmaking and advocacy. Twentyseven years ago, The Women’s Foundation was founded on the principle that women working together can help enhance the physical, social, and financial well-being of all women and girls. Our current efforts focus on investing in women and girls of color from birth to the boardroom through our Maternal Health and Birth Equity, Early Care and Education, Young Women’s Initiative, and Black Women and Gender-Expansive Leadership Project programs. Position Overview Reporting to the President & CEO, the Program Officer leads strategy development, grantmaking execution, funder engagement, and external representation for the Young Women's Initiative (YWI) and Maternal Health and Birth Equity portfolios. Grounded in a commitment to gender, racial, and economic justice, this role advances funding strategies that support systems-change organizations and directly resource women and girls of color while ensuring their voices and lived experiences inform policy and philanthropic influence. The Program Officer manages the full lifecycle of grantmaking for the Young Women's Initiative and Maternal Health and Birth Equity portfolios, supporting participatory grantmaking, cultivating strategic partnerships, convening stakeholders, and strengthening the Foundation's impact across the Washington metropolitan region. Working in close partnership with the Foundation's other Program Officer, this role helps align grantmaking strategies, coordinate cross-portfolio initiatives, share learning and best practices, and advance a cohesive programmatic vision that maximizes the Foundation's collective impact. This highly collaborative role is ideal for a strategic relationship builder who thrives at the intersection of philanthropy, community engagement, and systems change. What You Will Do Grantmaking & Portfolio Leadership (60%) Lead the Young Women's Initiative grantmaking portfolio, including facilitating participatory grantmaking processes, stakeholder engagement, and annual grantmaking activities. Lead the Maternal Health and Birth Equity grantmaking portfolio, supporting the continued growth and implementation of funding strategies. Manage the full grantmaking lifecycle, including developing Requests for Proposals (RFPs), coordinating application review, preparing grant recommendations, issuing awards, monitoring compliance, and collecting reports. Conduct grantee partner site visits and provide technical assistance to support successful grant implementation. Plan and facilitate convenings, learning sessions, and partner meetings that strengthen collaboration and advance shared goals. Build and maintain trust-based relationships with grantee partners, community organizations, policymakers, funders, and subject matter experts. Coordinate and oversee consultants supporting program initiatives to ensure project goals, timelines, and Foundation policies are met. Communications, Donor Engagement & Partnerships (20%) Draft funder reports, impact summaries, briefing materials, and narrative updates highlighting program outcomes. Partner with the Development team to contribute to grant proposals, donor communications, and stewardship materials. Collaborate with the Director of Communications to develop website content, newsletters, presentations, social media content, and other public-facing communications. Represent the Foundation at community meetings, conferences, convenings, and partner events. Cultivate strategic partnerships that advance the Foundation's mission and strengthen collaboration across the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors. Policy Engagement, Learning & Field Representation (15%) Monitor research, emerging trends, and policy developments related to maternal health, birth equity, youth leadership, and gender equity. Attend policy briefings, coalition meetings, conferences, and community convenings to remain informed on emerging issues. Translate policy developments and field trends into strategic insights that strengthen program implementation and grantmaking. Identify opportunities to advance racial, gender, and economic equity through grantmaking, partnerships, and community engagement. Support the Foundation's efforts to elevate community voices and lived experience in philanthropic and policy conversations. Internal Collaboration & Administration (5%) Collaborate closely with the Foundation's other Program Officer, as well as communications, development, operations, and finance staff, to ensure coordinated implementation of program activities, shared learning across portfolios, and strong organizational alignment. Provide regular program updates to the President & CEO and contribute to annual planning, budgeting, and organizational reporting. Maintain accurate grant documentation, data tracking, and internal reporting systems. Participate in cross-portfolio learning, organizational planning, and professional development opportunities that strengthen the Foundation's overall impact. What You Will Bring Demonstrated commitment to gender, racial, and economic justice. Bachelor's degree in a relevant or related field required; Master's degree preferred. Experience working in or alongside maternal health, birth equity, youth leadership, gender equity, public policy, philanthropy, advocacy, community organizing, or related fields. Experience managing grants, philanthropic initiatives, community investments, or nonprofit programs. Excellent written communication skills, particularly for synthesizing information and drafting reports. Excellent listening, oral communication, and analytical skills. Strong facilitation, project management, and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities. Experience working with grant management systems (NextZen or similar platforms preferred). Comfort representing an organization in community, philanthropic, and policy-facing settings. Experience building collaborative partnerships with diverse stakeholders toward shared goals. Ability to work collaboratively across departments while maintaining strong relationships with colleagues and external partners. Ability to work effectively in a hybrid environment using shared files, databases, and collaboration technologies. Strong ties to the Washington, DC metropolitan region preferred. Our Commitment to an Inclusive Workplace Washington Area Women’s Foundation is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression. To Apply Please email your resume and cover letter to jobs@wawf.org with the subject line "Program Officer" by 5:00 p.m. on July 31, 2026. Only complete applications will be considered until the position is filled. Job Type: Full-time Pay: $75,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year Benefits: Dental insurance Health insurance Health savings account Paid time off Retirement plan Vision insurance Work Location: Hybrid remote in Washington, DC 20002