Program Officer

Program Officer, The Monuments Project, Presidential Initiatives

The Mellon Foundation is a not-for-profit, grant-making organization that believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity, and that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom to be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. The Foundation makes grants in four core program areas Higher Learning, Arts and Culture, Public Knowledge, and Humanities in Place and through its signature Presidential Initiatives. The Foundation seeks a Program Officer for the Presidential Initiatives Monuments Project team.

Launched in 2020, the Monuments Project is a bold, multi-year effort to bring communities together and breathe new life into our nation's commemorative landscape. By funding commemorative projects that add to the stories we tell about our history and expand the ways we choose to remember, we hope to help create a richer, more complete picture of America and its history. Through the Monuments Project, Mellon funds work that:

• Sparks interest in lesser-known chapters of our history and the work that goes into preserving it.
• Invites more people into the process of actively shaping and caring for the commemorative landscape.
• Expands our understanding of what monuments can look, feel and sound like.

Reporting to the Program Directors for Presidential Initiatives and Humanities in Place, and working closely with the Monuments Project team, the Program Officer will play a leadership role in advancing the Foundation's Monuments Project. The Program Officer will help translate the Foundation's vision for the initiative into effective grantmaking, strategic partnerships, and field-building activities, ensuring the successful implementation and evolution of one of the Foundation's signature programs.

The ideal candidate will bring substantial experience in commemorative landscapes, memorialization, public history, public art, cultural heritage, design, planning, or related fields.

They will possess a sophisticated understanding of the complex ecosystem required to advance commemorative projects, including experience working across local, state, and federal government agencies, community organizations, cultural institutions, developers, planning and zoning bodies, historians, artists, and other stakeholders. The successful candidate will have demonstrated experience in leading grantmaking, program design, and the implementation of large-scale initiatives. They will be skilled at assessing organizational and fiscal health, providing strategic guidance and technical assistance to grantees, and identifying opportunities to strengthen both individual projects and the broader field. The Program Officer will bring strong judgment, strategic thinking, and a collaborative approach to advancing ambitious, multi-stakeholder projects from concept to realization.

Responsibilities may include, but will not be limited to, the following:

• Serve as a key leader in advancing the Monuments Project, helping to implement the Foundation's strategy and steward and refine the initiative's grantmaking priorities.
• Lead the development and management of a portfolio of grants and special initiatives that strengthen the nation's commemorative landscape and advance the goals of the Monuments Project.
• Identify, assess, and cultivate prospective grantees and strategic partners whose work aligns with Foundation priorities.
• Evaluate grant proposals and organizational readiness, including organizational capacity, governance, financial health, project feasibility, and potential for impact.
• Prepare funding recommendations, strategy memoranda, Board materials, presentations, and other analyses to support decision-making by Foundation leadership and Trustees.
• Provide strategic guidance and technical assistance to grantees and oversee post-award engagement, monitoring project progress, organizational health, financial stewardship, and outcomes.
• Design and execute strategic initiatives that advance program goals, strengthen the commemorative field, and deepen the impact of Monuments Project grantmaking.
• Cultivate relationships across the commemorative ecosystem, including government agencies, community organizations, cultural institutions, historians, artists, designers, planners, developers, and other stakeholders.
• Represent the Foundation in meetings, convenings, conferences, and public forums, serving as an ambassador for the Monuments Project.
• Serve as a thought partner to colleagues across programs and departments and contribute to Foundation-wide learning and collaboration.
• Attend Board of Trustees meetings and deliver presentations and briefings as needed.
• Supervise assigned staff and provide mentorship, guidance, and subject-matter expertise to program colleagues.
• Stay informed about developments across the fields of commemoration, public history, public art, cultural heritage, planning, and design.
• Perform additional duties as required to support the success and continued evolution of the Monuments Project.

Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience in philanthropy, public administration, cultural institutions, public history, public art, memorialization, planning, design, or related fields, including leadership of complex programs, initiatives, or partnerships.
• Advanced degree in a relevant field or equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
• Deep knowledge of the commemorative, memorial, public art, public history, or cultural heritage sectors, and the policies, processes, and stakeholders that shape public-facing projects.
• Understanding of the intersections among culture, history, the humanities, civic engagement, and social justice.
• Experience working across diverse stakeholder groups, including government agencies, community organizations, cultural institutions, developers, planners, designers, historians, and other partners.
• Significant experience in grantmaking, program design, or public funding, including assessing organizational capacity, financial health, and project feasibility.
• Demonstrated success managing complex, multi-year initiatives and balancing strategic vision with effective implementation.
• Strong project management, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to navigate ambiguity and manage multiple priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, presentation, and public speaking skills.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor colleagues, work collaboratively, and contribute to a collegial team environment.
• Willingness to travel domestically as required.

The Mellon Foundation is committed to building an inclusive workplace where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. Employment opportunities are based on individual qualifications, merit, and organizational need, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions), gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We welcome applications from qualified individuals of all backgrounds.

Mellon is committed to access and inclusion for our applicants. If you have accessibility requests to support your participation in the hiring process, please let us know at your earliest convenience.

Mellon offers a generous total reward package that provides base salary as well as a comprehensive benefits program. Mellon is committed to providing compensation that is competitive and equitable within the philanthropic sector. The estimated annual salary range for this role is $310,000-$325,000. The amount of pay offered will be determined by several factors, including but not limited to qualifications, unique skills, credentials, or experience that is expected to impact the candidate's contribution to the role. We will also consider market data as well as the Foundation's internal pay equity framework.

Please note that Mellon maintains a hybrid work schedule, with three days per week in person at the Foundation's Manhattan offices, two of which must be Tuesday and Wednesday. Presence onsite for three days each week is a fundamental requirement of this position.

Candidates should apply by submitting a cover letter describing fit for the position and a resume by September 10, 2026. While we anticipate accepting applications through this date, the posting may close earlier based on application volume and business needs. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible for full consideration.

The Foundation will consider each complete application carefully but will contact only those individuals it believes are most qualified for the position.