Program Officer

The Foundation is happy to announce an opening for the position of Program Officer. This position is responsible for active community engagement, development and implementation of philanthropic strategies, and reviewing, recommending and managing grants. The Program Officer will be working on the Foundation’s priorities of access to primary care, social emotional early childhood support, youth and young adult resiliency, and adult recovery.

At the Foundation, we believe that keeping equity at the heart of our work will lead us to better health. That starts from within, including intentional application of diversity, equity, and inclusion practices that guide how we operate and work in communities across Colorado. For example, our cornerstones are designed to help ensure that:
·         We serve Coloradans who have less power, privilege and income, and prioritize Coloradans of color.
·         We do everything with the intent of creating health equity.
·         We are informed by the community and those we exist to serve.

Candidates will have a personal commitment and connection with our mission and cornerstones; work well in ambiguity and managing change; and proactively identify opportunities to advance our mission while remaining grounded in the day-to-day responsibilities. They will need to be able to apply principles of health equity and racial justice across all of their work, as well as integrate concepts of strategy formation and refinement, systems thinking, complexity, adaptive/emergent strategy, worldviews and power.

Ideal candidates will:
- feel comfortable engaging in complex conversations around health equity and the Foundation’s strategies.
- be skilled at critical thinking, problem solving, and an ability to make decisions and see paths forward even when there is considerable ambiguity
- excel in developing relationships with various partners and stakeholders; producing written summaries and recommendations; managing multiple projects with consistency, timeliness and accuracy; and exhibiting a desire to learn.
- have a deep understanding of the communities we serve, including communities of color, rural communities, and neighborhoods or regions that face the greatest health inequities.
- have a broad understanding of the social determinants of health, policy/advocacy, community-based work, and philanthropy.
- be able to work both independently and collaboratively, within and across teams
- have motivation to identify issues, innovate solutions, and continuously improve practice

Program officers are actively engaged in their assigned regions and communities, which requires a minimum of 40% travel throughout Colorado. A valid Colorado driver’s license is required. A bachelor’s degree that prepares for the work of community change, advancing health equity through racial justice is required.

Additionally, qualified candidates must have five years’ experience in the nonprofit, public, or health sectors. Preference will be given to applicants who have extensive experience in health care access, youth development, Colorado communities and statewide issues.

It’s an exciting time to join the Foundation whose assets include a complex investment portfolio valued at approximately $2.6 billion and whose annual grant making is in excess of $100 million. Additional benefits are a robust benefit and wellness package, 401(k) match, and generous paid leave programs. The starting range for this position is $105,063 – $123,410 per year, paid as salaried, exempt and is eligible for all CHF benefits.  This is a full-time position in Denver, Colorado.  We work on a hybrid schedule of M/T/W in-office (required) and Th/F remote.

This is an extraordinary opportunity for an individual to have a meaningful impact through their professional contributions. Interested candidates may submit their resumes and cover letters on the Colorado Health Foundation’s website (www.coloradohealth.org).

This position closes on August 11, 2024

The Colorado Health Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer and invites qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply.