Senior Program Officer, School-Age Children

Senior Program Officer, School-Age Children

 About Robin Hood

Founded in 1988, Robin Hood finds, fuels, and creates the most impactful and scalable solutions lifting families out of poverty in New York City. The largest poverty fighting organization in New York City, Robin Hood partners with top nonprofits in New York City and invests in legal services, housing, meals, workforce development training, education programs, and other vital services that give New Yorkers in need the tools they need to build better lives. The programs it funds are often the first of their kind and serve as demonstration models to identify what works before being replicated in other cities. Because its Board of Directors covers 100% of all administrative, fundraising, and evaluation costs, every dollar donated goes directly to organizations helping New Yorkers in need.

While Robin Hood’s primary focus is on New York, its impact extends far beyond the borders of the city. Its pioneering, metrics-based approach has become the gold standard for charities around the nation as Robin Hood works to understand and evaluate the impact of its partners to ensure that its philanthropic dollars are utilized to maximum impact. Robin Hood also supports its community partners and their leaders with financial and strategic support and management assistance that allows those organizations to maximize their impact.

Building on our 30 years of experience, Robin Hood is expanding our impact with an explicit focus on lifting families sustainably and measurably out of poverty through supporting the most effective community partners; influencing public policy; raising our thought leadership profile; importing and exporting effective ideas and strategies nationally; and building new collaborations with strategic partners. As New York City emerges from the worst of the global pandemic, we are focused on getting families back on their feet; getting kids back on track; and getting New Yorkers back to work.

Robin Hood also understands that if we are to support families living in poverty and find permanent pathways out of poverty and towards financial independence, we must become an effective partner with government, especially at the City and State levels. We do this by leveraging the expertise of those who are closest to the challenges of poverty, including community members, community-based organizations, and others with specialized skills and knowledge. We also aim to collaborate with New York City government to fund program and policy innovations that hold the promise of expanding economic opportunity in New York City – providing nimble “risk capital” for high-potential strategies. In this way, we seek to leverage our philanthropic investments by finding ways to advance the highest-impact strategies at scale.

Given its long-standing reputation among influencers and support of over 200 New York City non-profit organizations, Robin Hood has the unique ability to be a catalyzing force for households experiencing poverty, bringing distinct constituencies together to develop and spread the most effective strategies to advance economic mobility in New York City and beyond. 

Reporting Relationship

The Senior Program Officer, School-Age Children is on the Program & Impact team and will report to the Managing Director, School-Age Children.

Position Overview

The Senior Program Officer will lead a portfolio spanning postsecondary pathways and high school redesign, including dual enrollment, college access and persistence, career-connected learning, and Robin Hood's engagement with New York State's Portrait of a Graduate transition, which is reshaping how the state defines and measures readiness for college and career. Additional responsibilities include charter school grants, the team's progress monitoring, and the development of donor-ready, system-level investment ideas.

This role calls for someone who is proactive, a strategic thinker who translates insight into action, a strong researcher and writer who can build a clear evidence base for investment decisions, and a relationship-builder who can engage community partners with trust and integrity, and who can balance supportive feedback with accountability. Senior Program Officers at Robin Hood articulate a clear rationale for funding new and ongoing programs, thoroughly understand the landscape and evidence on what works, and conduct rigorous reviews of outcomes data and organizational health.

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Portfolio Leadership and Grantmaking

• Manage a portfolio of grants, including monitoring performance through analysis of outcomes data, site visits, and review of management and financial reports.
• Build relationships of trust and mutual respect with nonprofit leaders to support them in delivering on their mission.
• Develop clear, well-reasoned grant write-ups and present recommendations to Robin Hood's Board Committee, distilling key information into compelling written arguments for funding or defunding.
• Co-create annual contract goals with community partners that balance ambition with realism and align with Robin Hood's mobility milestones.
• Lead transparent conversations with grantees around performance, course corrections, and transitions, demonstrating the ability to balance empathy with accountability.
• Apply strong fiscal analysis to diagnose potential financial challenges faced by nonprofits and to forecast risk based on trends in the field.

Strategy Development and Execution

• Translate insights from the field and portfolio into documented strategies with clear goals, milestones, and timelines. Independently organize, plan, and manage the design and execution of individual and shared deliverables, navigating ambiguity to move work forward.
• Contribute to the evolution of the school-age portfolio strategy, particularly around postsecondary pathways, by developing a coherent set of grants tied to a compelling theory of change for influencing the field and achieving results at a scale beyond the outcomes of any individual grant.
• Apply benefit-cost analysis and similar analytic frameworks to grant recommendations and contribute to the ongoing refinement of Robin Hood's approach to measuring college access and persistence outcomes.
• Support the team's work to strengthen progress monitoring and measurement to understand our larger portfolio impact.

Sourcing and Pipeline Development

• Proactively build relationships with promising organizations, researchers, and peer funders, including before specific funding opportunities exist. Maintain a documented pipeline of prospective investments aligned to school-age strategic priorities.
• Contribute ideas to the team's pipeline of system-level investment concepts, and partner with Robin Hood's Development, Marketing, and Engagement team to translate portfolio insights into donor-ready briefs.
• Identify emerging models, research, and opportunities in postsecondary pathways and adjacent areas. Conduct structured diligence on scaling-ready models and synthesize findings from research studies, weighing their strengths, limitations, and practical implications.

External Engagement and Field Leadership

• Represent Robin Hood with NYCPS, NYSED, CUNY, SUNY, peer foundations, researchers, and sector coalitions, building Robin Hood's profile as a thoughtful partner in K-12 education work.
• Participate actively in sector convenings and conferences and bring back insights that sharpen the team's strategy.
• Over time, position yourself as a recognizable voice in the field on postsecondary pathways, economic mobility, and high school design, communicating Robin Hood's perspective with clarity and confidence.

Cross-Functional Collaboration within Robin Hood

• Partner with the Development, Marketing, and Engagement team on donor engagement and funder reporting.
• Coordinate with Robin Hood's Policy team, Learning and Technology Fund, and other program teams where portfolios or partners intersect.
• Contribute to Robin Hood's organizational priorities, including the exploration of AI-enabled workflows and use cases in grantmaking.
• Support the onboarding of new staff and contribute to a strong, collaborative team culture, modeling open dialogue and constructive feedback.

Qualifications

Required

• Seven or more years of relevant experience in education, government, public policy, nonprofit management, philanthropy, or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to translate strategic thinking into documented plans and follow-through, not just insight.
• Comfort independently organizing and managing complex work, including the ability to pivot through ambiguity.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, including the ability to work with quantitative and qualitative data, evaluate the strength and limitations of research studies, and apply sound reasoning to grant recommendations.
• Working knowledge of nonprofit operations, financial analysis, and benefit-cost principles, with the capacity to develop deeper expertise.
• Clear, direct, and persuasive written and verbal communication, including the ability to develop grant recommendations, strategy memos, and presentations for senior audiences.
• Track record of building trusting relationships with diverse stakeholders, including nonprofit leaders, government partners, researchers, and peer funders.
• Genuine commitment to equity and to improving economic mobility outcomes for low-income New Yorkers, including the ability to foster inclusive working environments and seek out diverse perspectives.

Preferred:

• Experience in postsecondary pathways, dual enrollment and early college credit, college access and persistence, or career-connected learning at a program, policy, or strategy level.
• Fluency with the New York City education landscape, including NYCPS, CUNY, SUNY, and the charter sector.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Robin Hood is committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and representation in all aspects of its work. As New York City’s largest poverty-fighting organization, Robin Hood believes that building a diverse team is fundamental to its ability to effectively serve and strengthen organizations serving the most vulnerable communities in the city, and to influence the policies that affect them.

Robin Hood believes in the potential that diversity creates – deep and responsive relationships with its community partners; the ability to solve complex problems efficiently and effectively; and, most importantly, the ability of its diverse staff to work to its full capacity.

Robin Hood builds diversity, inclusion, and equity practices into all aspects of its work. Its practices, values, traditions, and beliefs are embedded in the inclusive culture that it creates. Operationally, its formal and informal structures support a work environment that advances the professional development of staff at all levels, allows for innovation, and grounds its work as poverty fighters.

Robin Hood seeks to attract and retain staff that reflects the communities that it serves and is enhanced by its efforts at meaningful inclusion. It ensures that team members are empowered to make decisions, offer actionable feedback, and share credit for team success. Further, Robin Hood seeks to develop talent professionally and has created an intentional focus on mentorship and sponsorship, particularly of junior staff. Its goal is to encourage long term talent retention and engagement, while fostering a culture of innovation.

Robin Hood Guiding Principles

As an organization committed to economic mobility, our work is grounded in the following Guiding Principles:

·       Diversity, equity, and inclusion

·       Proximity and humanity

·       Risk-taking and innovation          

Our professional community reflects myriad demographic characteristics, perspectives, and backgrounds, which includes various identities that reflect diversity in gender identity and expression, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, ability, and socioeconomic status.  Our colleagues have access to opportunity and advancement, as we promote fair and equitable treatment and have encouraged participation by underrepresented groups. As a team, we promote a sense of belonging, high levels of engagement, and shared respect.

·       Robin Hood puts people first. Always.

·       Robin Hood is unafraid to take action and create solutions.

·       Robin Hood is data driven and heart led.

·       Robin Hood works the coat check.

Salary and Benefits

Robin Hood offers a competitive compensation package, with a salary range determined by years of experience, skills, and abilities. Each candidate’s placement within the range will be based on these factors while ensuring alignment with our commitment to equitable internal pay practices.

Our extensive benefits include medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, a 403(b) retirement plan with employer match, and a 12% employer contribution to a 401(a) retirement plan. We also support a healthy work-life balance by providing new hires with 20 days of accrued paid time off. This position is based in New York City and follows a hybrid work environment. Employees are required to work on-site three (3) days per week, with Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday designated as the standard in-office days. Please note that the hybrid schedule is subject to change based on organizational priorities and team needs. Any adjustments will be communicated well in advance.

The salary range for this position is $123,000 - $135,000.

To Apply

Please visit our website to complete our online application.

Robin Hood is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants from diverse backgrounds and identities are encouraged to apply.

Qualifications

Required

• Seven or more years of relevant experience in education, government, public policy, nonprofit management, philanthropy, or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to translate strategic thinking into documented plans and follow-through, not just insight.
• Comfort independently organizing and managing complex work, including the ability to pivot through ambiguity.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, including the ability to work with quantitative and qualitative data, evaluate the strength and limitations of research studies, and apply sound reasoning to grant recommendations.
• Working knowledge of nonprofit operations, financial analysis, and benefit-cost principles, with the capacity to develop deeper expertise.
• Clear, direct, and persuasive written and verbal communication, including the ability to develop grant recommendations, strategy memos, and presentations for senior audiences.
• Track record of building trusting relationships with diverse stakeholders, including nonprofit leaders, government partners, researchers, and peer funders.
• Genuine commitment to equity and to improving economic mobility outcomes for low-income New Yorkers, including the ability to foster inclusive working environments and seek out diverse perspectives.

Preferred:

• Experience in postsecondary pathways, dual enrollment and early college credit, college access and persistence, or career-connected learning at a program, policy, or strategy level.
• Fluency with the New York City education landscape, including NYCPS, CUNY, SUNY, and the charter sector.

To Apply

Please visit our website to complete our online application.

Robin Hood is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants from diverse backgrounds and identities are encouraged to apply.