Chief Programs – Policy Officer

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Convert strategic priorities into practical plans that include clear deliverables, milestones, budgets, and accountability.

• Create and oversee an annual Programs & Policy operating plan while being a part of the senior leadership team.

• Develop and institutionalize project management standards, tools, and governance, including the use of Asana.

• Ensure that each initiative is assigned a clear owner, defined scope, schedule, budget, and performance metrics.

• Conduct regular portfolio reviews and take prompt action on any at-risk projects.

• Supervise grant- and contract-funded deliverables, as well as manage contractors and partners.

• Oversee research and policy functions, ensuring high-quality and timely deliverables that align with the organization's priorities.

• Lead program design, technical assistance, and training initiatives, establishing clear quality standards and evaluation criteria.

• Facilitate conferences and gatherings, such as the Prosperity Summit, and strategies that enhance Prosperity Now’s national networks.

• Guide and develop multidisciplinary teams; set clear expectations, address performance issues, and promote ownership and accountability.

• Create and manage programmatic budgets in collaboration with Finance and the COO; track budget performance and resource allocation.

• Utilize dashboards and KPIs to monitor execution, quality, and risk while driving continuous improvement.

• Collaborate with senior executives and departments to advance enterprise priorities.

• Represent Prosperity Now in interactions with funders, policymakers, and partners, simplifying complex research and policy into understandable messages.

⛳️ Requirements

• A minimum of 12–15 years of progressively responsible professional experience, including significant senior leadership roles in nonprofit, philanthropic, public policy, government, or similarly complex mission-driven organizations.

• Proven success in leading multidisciplinary programmatic portfolios and managing teams with varied technical expertise and backgrounds.

• Demonstrated ability to translate organizational strategy into successful implementation, delivering complex initiatives on time, within budget, and within specified scope.

• Extensive experience supervising directors, managers, and individual contributors, while building high-performing teams and addressing performance challenges.

• Advanced expertise in project and portfolio management, including the establishment or enhancement of organizational project management methodologies, systems, and accountability practices.

• Proven capability to lead project management adoption across teams and enhance the project execution skills of managers and staff.

• Experience in overseeing or coordinating applied research, public policy, program implementation, capacity building, network engagement, or large-scale convenings.

• Strong financial management skills, particularly in developing and managing complex programmatic budgets.

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with C-suite executives, navigate organizational complexities, and exercise sound independent judgment.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking, presentations, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement.

• Proven success in managing competing priorities, solving complex problems, and leading teams through organizational change.

• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.

• PMP, Lean Six Sigma, or similar project management training or certification (preferred).

• Master’s degree in public policy, public administration, nonprofit management, business administration, or a related field (preferred).

• Experience in designing or implementing organization-wide project management frameworks and standards (preferred).

• Experience in overseeing national conferences, large-scale gatherings, and complex multi-stakeholder initiatives (preferred).

• Experience in managing grants, contracts, and externally funded programmatic commitments (preferred).

• Experience in integrating programs, teams, or operations following organizational restructuring, mergers, or acquisitions (preferred).

• Familiarity with Asana or similar project and portfolio management platforms (preferred).

• Experience in implementing technology-enabled process improvements, automation, and performance reporting systems (preferred).

🏝️ Benefits

• Remote-first work environment.

• Travel of up to 25%.

• Equal Opportunity Employer.