Program Officer

Independence Public Media Foundation (IPMF) is a private foundation focused on moving resources within the Philadelphia region toward community-owned media and internet, and catalyzing movements for justice through narratives that educate, inspire, and encourage action toward a more liberatory future.

Role Summary: The Program Officer is responsible for leading the development and implementation of the foundation’s grantmaking, and collaborating with other program team members around evaluation and capacity building, in support of the foundation’s program strategies for achieving its mission and vision. Application deadline is Friday, April 4, 2025.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy Development and Insights

• Leads the interpretation and implementation of the foundation’s program strategies consistent with vision and goals of foundation, in partnership with other program team members and president.
• Makes recommendations for updates or adjustments to the foundation’s program strategies based on in-the-field experience and feedback.
• Continually maps funding landscape to inform strategies that move money.
• Remains current on national and regional issues/trends and best practices serving as a resource to the president, board, and fellow staff.
• Elevates the foundation’s program work through regular public communications and attending networking events, panels, conferences, and other convenings that drive the foundation’s work forward.
• Contributes to the foundation’s profile and influence by sharing essays, making presentations, and participating in conversations focused on community-centered philanthropy.
• Supports the foundation’s Learning Team, a group of board and staff members, whose role is to steward the organization’s learning agenda and track progress toward the foundation’s vision and mission.

Grantee Support & Program Implementation

• Oversees a portfolio of grantees and programs.
• Co-leads the implementation of the foundation’s three grantmaking cycles each year and discretionary program funds in collaboration with IPMF’s other Program Officer.
• Co-manages an annual, multi-million dollar grantmaking budget.
• Builds trusting relationships and actively works with communities to identify and support strategic media organizations and infrastructure, and media making projects and initiatives, while also identifying gaps in the landscape that need to be addressed;
• Communicates the foundation strategies and application processes to applicants and current grantees;
• Coordinates and leads check-in meetings with grantees throughout the year;
• Stays connected to the progress of grantees and is proactive in supporting the success of organizations and ecosystems;
• Collaborates with other program team members to ensure complete and accurate grantee information for compliance and documentation purposes and as an important practice in reflection, learning, and knowledge transfer;
• Prepares memos to share program-related information and recommendations to board and staff;
• Contributes to building the foundation’s capacity building opportunities and convenings of grantees for professional development and/or networking purposes.
• Provides input and guidance on community-centered philanthropy practices related to programmatic work (e.g. regularly reviews template of grant application with a trust-based lens, seeks feedback from grantees, etc.)
• Regularly shares and celebrates compelling grantee stories, ideas, and accomplishments;
• Consistently interacts with and seeks to build networks among community members, grant recipients, prospective grantees, and individuals in the media sector, as well as other funders, key policymakers, and those whose work influence and affect media policy and social change, builds coalitions where appropriate.

Collaboration and Teamwork

• Collaborates with colleagues across the organization to maintain transparency, align on priorities, and advance work toward organizational goals.

Requirements

Qualifications and Competencies

• Minimum of 7 years of professional experience in philanthropy, media, or media-adjacent work such as communications or the arts.
• Strong understanding of media-making and media impact as it relates to social and economic power.
• Complex problem-solving skills and ability to analyze various information sources and make strategic, high-stakes decisions.
• Demonstrated collaboration and relationship-building skills with community partners and the ability to effectively and positively engage with multi-racial communities.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills, including the ability to write essays and memos, and to prepare and deliver presentations to large and small audiences.
• Able to review and understand grantees’ and applicants’ nonprofit financials, ask relevant questions. regarding budgetary decisions,, and gather necessary information to support and strengthen financial viability.
• Advanced organization, prioritization, judgment, and time management skills. Highly detail-oriented.
• Dependable across varying workloads with the ability to remain consistent in applying ethical and compliance standards across the board.
• Ability to travel locally, primarily within the greater Philadelphia area (e.g. site visits with prospective and current grantees, after-hours events/meetings, etc.).
• Proficiency with Google Workspace, databases, and general computer applications.
• Committed to the foundation’s values of courage, equity, justice, belonging and joy.
• Strong preference for someone who is fluent in conversational Spanish.

Work Environment

IPMF is a remote-first work environment, but the nature of our work, and the nature of this role in particular, necessitates in-person work. The person in this position is expected to be available for multiple in-person staff meetings, frequent community events, and board meetings throughout the year. As a place-based funder, we will prioritize candidates who currently live in the Greater Philadelphia region.

IPMF is an equal opportunity employer, providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to age, color, disability, domestic/sexual violence victim status, familial status, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran’s status, political affiliation, or any other legally protected status.