Senior Program Officer, Grantee Partner Resilience (San Francisco)

Overview

Join to apply for the Senior Program Officer, Grantee Partner Resilience role at Waverley Street Foundation .

This position is based on-site in the San Francisco Bay Area. The role reports to the Head of Global Programs and will lead the development of the Foundation’s vision to build a dynamic and interconnected ecosystem of grantee partners that fosters their strength, resilience, and long-term sustainability, long after the Foundation has sunset.

Your Mission

Grantee Partner Resilience Strategy Design and Implementation

• Collaborate with the Heads of Programs to identify Foundation-wide priorities, a grantee partner resilience vision, and principles to guide our organizational development work.
• Design frameworks to support resilience, efficiency, growth, and organizational development for grantee partners.
• Collaborate with portfolio teams and relevant initiatives (e.g. convenings) to develop and implement ecosystem resilience strategies, ensuring alignment with the evolving needs of grantees and other partners.
• Manage relationships with organizational development providers across key regions, including the U.S., Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and South Africa. Identify opportunities to strengthen and invest in the providers themselves and the services they provide.

Team Learning and Development

• Manage team learning on organizational development topics, including managing relevant contractors to execute training and technical assistance.
• Provide technical assistance and coaching to team members on specific organizational development topics, as needed.

Create Ecosystem Engagement

• Design convenings in partnership with other staff and teams that promote collaboration, shared learning, and knowledge exchange within the grantee partner ecosystem.
• Create opportunities for cross-sector collaboration to build a resilient ecosystem designed to outlast the Foundation’s spend-down, ensuring long-term impact.

Track Progress and Provide Feedback

• Collaborate with the Learning and Evaluation Directors to monitor the effectiveness of partner engagement and organizational development efforts, gathering feedback from grantees and other partners to identify areas for improvement.
• Collaborate with internal teams to track grantee partner progress and refine the resilience strategy as needed.
• Provide regular reports and insights to the Head of Programs to inform strategic decision-making.

Who You Are

The ideal candidate brings:

• Experience in Nonprofit Organizational Development and Ecosystem Support: A solid understanding of nonprofit operations, governance, and leadership development, with a focus on strengthening organizational resilience and sustainability.
• Partnership Management Expertise: Proven ability to manage external partnerships and work with third-party providers to support nonprofit organizations effectively. Experience collaborating with partners across diverse regions, including the U.S., Indonesia, Brazil, India, South Africa, and Mexico highly preferred.
• Collaborative and Relationship-Oriented: Comfortable working across teams, fostering strong internal and external relationships, and contributing to shared goals.
• Project Management and Strategic Thinking: Skilled at managing multiple priorities, timelines, and deliverables while gathering insights to refine strategies and improve outcomes continuously.

Experience and Attributes

• You have 5–7 years of experience in philanthropy and/or organizational development for nonprofit leaders and organizations.
• You lead with listening and bring a collaborative problem-solving mindset.
• You have a strong background in international work, with direct experience in the Global South regions, including at least two of Waverley’s focus geographies (Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa)
• You demonstrate strong cultural competency and emotional intelligence.
• You thrive in high-tempo and mission-driven environments and will be no stranger to a start-up environment.
• You can demonstrate excellence in written and verbal communication.
• You are excited about elevating the work of leaders, organizations, and movements in order to further build a movement for change.
• You are a team-builder who looks forward to working with other foundation partners and taking advantage of a roster of global consultants in order to achieve narrative and cultural change.

Attributes for Success

• Passion for advancing equitable and transformative climate action
• Ability to synthesize information and distill complex ideas into clear, concise, and actionable forms
• Proven track record within complex, multi-stakeholder projects/organizations
• Skilled at building strong relationships and cultivating diverse networks
• humbly open to differing views and perspectives
• Intellectually curious and stays current on news in their field
• Comfort with a radical approach to diversity
• Ability to break down barriers to getting things done, while always operating with unassailable integrity
• Willing to pitch in when needed
• Low drama, good humor and joie de vivre

Compensation

• Salary: This position offers a salary range of $190,000 – $220,000. The exact offer will be determined by the candidate’s skills, qualifications, and experience relative to the requirements of the role.
• Benefits: In addition to salary, this position includes a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) plan with employer match, paid time off, and other perks.

Location: This is a hybrid role based in San Francisco, with a firm expectation of working in-office three days per week.