Program Officer

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation invests in creative thinkers and problem solvers working to ensure that people, communities, and the planet can flourish. Together with its partners, Hewlett is harnessing society’s collective capacity to solve our toughest problems — from the existential threat of climate change to persistent and pervasive inequities, to attacks on democracy itself. A nonpartisan philanthropy, the Hewlett Foundation has made grants in the U.S. and globally for nearly six decades based on an approach that emphasizes long-term support, collaboration, and trust.

Globally, Hewlett makes grants to address both longstanding and emerging challenges like its efforts to advance gender equity and governance, reimagine the economy and society, and reduce the growing threat of climate change. U.S. efforts prioritize strengthening democracy, advancing education for all, and supporting community-led conservation. In the San Francisco Bay Area Hewlett calls home, it makes grants to support meaningful artistic experiences in local communities and support regional foundations working on critical issues such as housing. Hewlett’s grantmaking also invests in advancing racial justice and in strengthening the effectiveness of its grantees, and of philanthropy itself. The Hewlett Foundation’s assets are approximately $13.9 billion with annual awards of grants totaling more than $600 million. More information about the Hewlett Foundation is available at: www.hewlett.org

The Foundation has approximately 130 employees, in programmatic, operational, and investment roles, located in the San Francisco Bay Area. Across the organization, its employees are challenged with meaningful work, have the resources for ongoing professional development and learning, and contribute to a collegial and engaging environment where they can thrive. Hewlett is committed to fostering a culture of inclusion as part of its guiding principles and encourage individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply.

Launched in 2020, the Economy and Society Initiative (ESI) aims to move beyond the outmoded intellectual paradigm of neoliberalism and foster a new common sense about how the economy works and the aims it should serve. To date, the Hewlett Foundation has committed more than $100 million to support a range of academic thinkers and institutions, think tanks, organizing leaders, and other efforts. In 2026, the Initiative’s annual grantmaking budget is $20 million. By funding efforts across the ideological spectrum, ESI seeks to support the development, translation, and transmission of ideas that could form a new intellectual paradigm for years to come.

To learn more about the Economy and Society Initiative, please click here.

The Role

The Foundation seeks a strategic and outcomes-driven Program Officer for its Economy and Society Initiative. As a key member of the ESI team, this Program Officer will engage in grantmaking within the initiative’s strategy, serve as a thought partner to the Director, build and maintain strong relationships with grantees, and actively monitor progress and engage in strategic planning for ESI’s strategy. The Program Officer will also be deeply engaged in building and nurturing networks of practitioners and funders working to shape a new economic paradigm.

The Program Officer will report to the Director, Jennifer Harris, and work collaboratively with a dynamic ESI team and colleagues across the foundation to advance the initiative’s goals, focusing on grantmaking to support a growing field developing the ideas that will make the economy better suited to answering society’s biggest challenges, from delivering faster, fairer growth, to hastening the energy transition. Working in tandem with Hewlett Foundation staff, grantees, and other partners, the Program Officer will contribute to field-building efforts among nonprofit organizations and fellow funders. This work is more critical than ever and now is a unique moment to catalyze new funders and voices and develop the ecosystem further.

The Program Officer’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Partner with the ESI team to implement the initiative’s strategy, conduct research and evaluation, and engage in grantmaking for the initiative’s portfolio.
• Continually learn about and track trends and evolutions in the field of post-neoliberal economic thought and policy debate – in the U.S. and globally – identifying new opportunities for the foundation’s grantmaking.
• Establish and maintain trust-based, aligned, productive relationships with grantees and peer funders.
• Organize foundation-sponsored meetings of grantees and field experts.
• Develop reports and briefing papers that contribute to the foundation’s understanding of new approaches, best practices, and program issues.
• Represent the foundation at appropriate meetings, conferences, and site visits, as well as in all interactions with prospective and current grantees.
• Partner to develop strategy, grantmaking, and evaluation plans with the Director, other ESI team members, and Hewlett colleagues working across programs, including those in Communications, Effective Philanthropy, Finance and Accounting, Grantmaking, Analytics, and Operations, and Legal.
• Identify and guide potential grantees through the foundation’s proposal process, including its compliance-related procedures and financial controls.
• Oversee active grants, including tracking grantees’ progress, responding to financial and programmatic reports, and advising on grant renewals.
• Travel domestically and internationally to attend grantee meetings and conferences.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is intellectually curious and innovative, brings a diverse background of experience across the field, and has direct experience developing ideas from concept through implementation. The Program Officer will need to be an adept strategist with exceptional relationship and network building skills, who also has a strong grasp of the ideas and issues core to the Economy and Society Initiative’s goals and strategy.

While it is understood that no candidate will offer every desired skill, quality, and characteristic, the following offers a detailed, aspirational view of the ideal candidate profile:

• Demonstrated commitment to learning and collaboration, working in authentic partnership, an unwavering commitment to Hewlett’s Guiding Principles, and a passion for improving society.
• Deep interest and diverse work experience in areas broadly relevant to the Economy and Society Initiative, including economic policy and political economy.
• Relationship builder, with meaningful experience partnering productively across the political and ideological spectrum.
• Strong and persuasive oral and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex themes for multiple audiences/settings (academia, think tanks, career, and elected officials, etc.).
• Analytic mindset, with experience researching, processing, and organizing complex information in a highly dynamic environment. Ability to present ideas in a pragmatic, compelling manner while also being rigorous and striving to wrestle challenging issues.
• Experience with strategy development, including goal setting, initiative development, resource allocation, and implementation through project management with multi-disciplinary teams.
• Ability and comfort with working both autonomously and in collaboration with colleagues and partners.
• Excellent time management, project management, and organizational skills.
• Exceptional personal and professional integrity, judgment, and the highest work standards.
• Emotionally intelligent and good at managing up and across complex stakeholder environments. Someone who brings flexibility, good humor, high energy, and humility.
• An undergraduate degree is required, and a relevant advanced degree or equivalent professional experience in law, political science, economics, policy, or related disciplines is a plus.

Compensation and Benefits

The Hewlett Foundation is committed to providing compensation that is competitive within the philanthropic sector. Hewlett offers a generous total compensation package that emphasizes both base salary and comprehensive benefits.

The salary range for this role is $195,000 - $235,000. Offers are based on the candidate's years of experience and Hewlett’s practice of maintaining salary equity within the foundation. This position is exempt and full-time. This Program Officer role has a five-year term to align with the duration of the Economy & Society Initiative.

Location and Travel

The Program Officer position is based in Menlo Park, CA, and staff are currently expected to work from the Hewlett Foundation offices at least 2-3 times per week, when they are not traveling (Tuesdays and Wednesdays are required in-office days). Travel will vary, but they should expect to travel up to 25 percent of the time.

Relocation support will be provided for candidates who are located outside of the Bay Area.

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation embraces the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion both internally, in our hiring process and organizational culture, and externally, in our grantmaking and related practices. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, cultures, and experiences.

Contact

Russell Reynolds Associates, the global search and leadership advisory firm, has been exclusively engaged to lead this search. We welcome nominations and expressions of interest. All submissions will remain confidential.

Corina Benitz

Russell Reynolds Associates

155 North Wacker Drive, Suite 4100
Chicago, IL 60606-1732

[email protected]

Tory Clark

Russell Reynolds Associates

999 Peachtree St NE, Suite 2700
Atlanta, GA 30309-4521

[email protected]