Program Officer
Apply NowCompany: Helmsley
Location: New York, NY 10025
Description:
Organization
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust ("Helmsley") is a global philanthropy driven by a vision of building better futures for people by increasing access to healthcare, advancing new research and ideas, and improving the quality of everyday life. Helmsley strives to make a meaningful impact in its focus areas, matching its significant financial assets with a rigorous and results-oriented approach. Helmsley is committed to close and productive partnerships with its grantees, as well as with other funders and impact players in government, academia, and the private sector who share its interests and goals. Above all, Helmsley endeavors to be forward-thinking in every aspect of its work and will take risks that others cannot or will not take when the risk/reward trade-off warrants.
Since 2008, when Helmsley began its active grantmaking, it has committed more than $4.5 billion. For more information on Helmsley, please visit https://helmsleytrust.org/.
The Vulnerable Children in Sub-Saharan Africa Program (VCSSA Program)
The Helmsley Charitable Trust funds holistic programs to help ensure the well-being of children and families in remote communities in sub-Saharan Africa. We learn from the communities themselves what they need to thrive. Building resilience is at the core of our grantmaking. We work with rural communities in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Zambia.
Our work falls under two overarching pillars. The first, increasing access to quality healthcare focuses on maternal and infant health outcomes, fighting neglected tropical diseases and strengthening healthcare ecosystems. Under our second pillar, we aim to build rural health infrastructure and strengthen economic development.
Position Summary
The Helmsley Charitable Trust seeks a Program Officer (PO) to directly support the Vulnerable Children in sub-Saharan Africa Program Director within an evolving grant portfolio that aims to identify and support high-impact interventions to improve the health and livelihoods of children, their families, and their communities in target countries within sub-Saharan Africa. The Program Officer will assist the Program Director with the continual development and implementation of a multi-million-dollar annual grants program.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The VCSSA Program Officer will support the Program Director and Trustee with all aspects of developing and implementing the VCSSA strategic plan, including responsibilities for grant and relationship management, program development and monitoring, and internal and external engagement.
Grant & Relationship Management
Program Development & Monitoring
External Engagement
Internal Collaboration
Desired Qualifications
Salary, Health, Well-being, and Living Our Mission
Helmsley is dedicated to creating stronger, healthier futures for communities in the U.S. and around the world. Our staff are subject matter experts from a range of backgrounds in basic science, global health, and precision medicine, as well as the private sector and public policy.
Helmsley colleagues are intelligent, creative, forward-thinking, and strongly committed to working productively with each other and with our grantee partners. Each was drawn to Helmsley by the same opportunity: to help build this young organization into a leading global charitable institution that will drive meaningful and measurable positive change in lives throughout the U.S. and around the world for years to come.
Helmsley is committed to offering competitive and equitable compensation commensurate with experience. The targeted starting salary range for this position is $172,000-$190,000.
Comprehensive benefits currently offered to employees (subject to change) include:
Application Information
To apply for this position, please submit a cover letter and resume (in Word or PDF format) to the posting listed on the Helmsley Career Page. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact HR@helmsleytrust.org.
The position is based at Helmsley's main office in New York City. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.
All persons hired must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future. Helmsley will not sponsor applicants for U.S. work visa status for this opportunity (no sponsorship is available for H-1B, L-1, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, F-1, J-1, OPT, CPT or any other employment-based visa).
Except when working remotely as permitted by Helmsley's temporary hybrid work policy, the ability to work and collaborate in person with colleagues at Helmsley's office is an essential function of this job.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the incumbent(s) of this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and activities required for the position. Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
Helmsley provides equal employment and promotional opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as established under law.
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust ("Helmsley") is a global philanthropy driven by a vision of building better futures for people by increasing access to healthcare, advancing new research and ideas, and improving the quality of everyday life. Helmsley strives to make a meaningful impact in its focus areas, matching its significant financial assets with a rigorous and results-oriented approach. Helmsley is committed to close and productive partnerships with its grantees, as well as with other funders and impact players in government, academia, and the private sector who share its interests and goals. Above all, Helmsley endeavors to be forward-thinking in every aspect of its work and will take risks that others cannot or will not take when the risk/reward trade-off warrants.
Since 2008, when Helmsley began its active grantmaking, it has committed more than $4.5 billion. For more information on Helmsley, please visit https://helmsleytrust.org/.
The Vulnerable Children in Sub-Saharan Africa Program (VCSSA Program)
The Helmsley Charitable Trust funds holistic programs to help ensure the well-being of children and families in remote communities in sub-Saharan Africa. We learn from the communities themselves what they need to thrive. Building resilience is at the core of our grantmaking. We work with rural communities in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Zambia.
Our work falls under two overarching pillars. The first, increasing access to quality healthcare focuses on maternal and infant health outcomes, fighting neglected tropical diseases and strengthening healthcare ecosystems. Under our second pillar, we aim to build rural health infrastructure and strengthen economic development.
Position Summary
The Helmsley Charitable Trust seeks a Program Officer (PO) to directly support the Vulnerable Children in sub-Saharan Africa Program Director within an evolving grant portfolio that aims to identify and support high-impact interventions to improve the health and livelihoods of children, their families, and their communities in target countries within sub-Saharan Africa. The Program Officer will assist the Program Director with the continual development and implementation of a multi-million-dollar annual grants program.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The VCSSA Program Officer will support the Program Director and Trustee with all aspects of developing and implementing the VCSSA strategic plan, including responsibilities for grant and relationship management, program development and monitoring, and internal and external engagement.
Grant & Relationship Management
- Serve as the primary point of contact and relationship manager with grantees.
- Manage the program's grants through each grant life cycle, including grant application, due diligence and reporting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and provide ongoing technical support, guidance and accompaniment to applicants and grantees.
- Work with grantees to track progress and outcomes.
- Identify constructive solutions for grantees when challenges arise.
- Work with colleagues and grantees to help identify other implementing partners, donors, technical resources and collaborators working in the same geographic and programmatic sector space to optimize the impact of VCSSA grant funding and promote knowledge sharing among Helmsley grantees and partners.
Program Development & Monitoring
- Identify and source new projects and potential grantees.
- Review and evaluate proposals and prepare concise and analytical grant recommendations for Trustees.
- Contribute to program development and monitoring by organizing, conducting and/or attending meetings, symposia and site visits that further VCSSA program goals, including virtual engagements as well as domestic and international travel (including Sub-Saharan Africa) as needed.
- Remain abreast of geopolitical, environmental and contextual issues impacting the geographic and programmatic focus areas of the VCSSA portfolio, advising the Program Director or Trustees as appropriate.
External Engagement
- Assist the Program Director with identifying and managing external consultants and contracts.
- Effectively communicate information about the VCSSA program and Helmsley's mission to target audiences, collaborating with and providing support to Helmsley's Communications department as needed.
- Represent Helmsley at external meetings and events.
Internal Collaboration
- Collaborate with colleagues in cooperative approaches to grant making.
- Amplify awareness of the VCSSA program within Helmsley by serving as a champion of and ambassador for program grantees, projects and strategy; Collaborate with and provide support to Helmsley's Communications department as needed.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Desired Qualifications
- Completion of an advanced degree (master's degree or higher) in international development, global health, medicine, or related field.
- Minimum 5 years of relevant project and/or grant management experience in a non-governmental, non-profit, or philanthropic organization.
- Demonstrated experience or technical expertise in global health, health systems strengthening (HSS), innovative health technologies, maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH), economic development or related discipline; experience in Sub-Saharan Africa preferred.
- Familiarity with the types of challenges and opportunities which may arise for grantees and local communities in Helmsley's programmatic and geographic focus areas in Sub-Saharan Africa (Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Zambia).
- Experience with grantmaking and/or grant management; working on grants to Sub-Saharan African countries preferred.
- Proficiency in reviewing and managing budgets.
- Experience with monitoring and impact evaluation, including setting and tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
- Strong written and oral communication skills with the ability to translate concepts succinctly to diverse stakeholders and audiences.
- Must be detail-orientated and have strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills.
- Excellent organizational and time management skills, including the ability to manage priorities on projects with multiple collaborators.
- Demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgement and initiative, prioritize and accurately complete multiple tasks, and work under deadlines and changing priorities.
- Ability to think creatively, encourage innovative problem-solving, and co-create solutions with colleagues and grantees.
- Able to maintain confidentiality of information.
- Proven track-record of working effectively in a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
- Experience living or working in Sub-Saharan Africa a plus.
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally.
Salary, Health, Well-being, and Living Our Mission
Helmsley is dedicated to creating stronger, healthier futures for communities in the U.S. and around the world. Our staff are subject matter experts from a range of backgrounds in basic science, global health, and precision medicine, as well as the private sector and public policy.
Helmsley colleagues are intelligent, creative, forward-thinking, and strongly committed to working productively with each other and with our grantee partners. Each was drawn to Helmsley by the same opportunity: to help build this young organization into a leading global charitable institution that will drive meaningful and measurable positive change in lives throughout the U.S. and around the world for years to come.
Helmsley is committed to offering competitive and equitable compensation commensurate with experience. The targeted starting salary range for this position is $172,000-$190,000.
Comprehensive benefits currently offered to employees (subject to change) include:
- Employer-paid medical, dental, and vision for employees and their families
- Generous 401(k) employer contribution
- Hybrid work schedule (up to two remote days a week)
- 23+ paid vacation and sick days
- 13+ paid holidays
- End of year office closure
- Summer Fridays
- Tuition reimbursement
- Personal and team professional development opportunities
Application Information
To apply for this position, please submit a cover letter and resume (in Word or PDF format) to the posting listed on the Helmsley Career Page. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact HR@helmsleytrust.org.
The position is based at Helmsley's main office in New York City. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.
All persons hired must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future. Helmsley will not sponsor applicants for U.S. work visa status for this opportunity (no sponsorship is available for H-1B, L-1, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, F-1, J-1, OPT, CPT or any other employment-based visa).
Except when working remotely as permitted by Helmsley's temporary hybrid work policy, the ability to work and collaborate in person with colleagues at Helmsley's office is an essential function of this job.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the incumbent(s) of this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and activities required for the position. Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
Helmsley provides equal employment and promotional opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as established under law.