Senior Program Officer

About the Foundation

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), located in Princeton, N.J., is a leading national philanthropy dedicated to taking bold leaps to transform health in our lifetime. To get there, we must work to dismantle structural racism and other barriers to health. Since 1972, we have focused on developing and promoting innovations in health and healthcare to improve the lives of millions. Through funding, convening, advocacy, and evidence-building, we work side-by-side with communities, practitioners, and institutions to achieve health equity faster and pave the way, together, to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right.  

At RWJF, we work toward three Generational Goals to transform health in our lifetime: Economic Inclusion for Family Wellbeing, Equitable and Accountable Public Health and Healthcare Systems, and Healthy and Equitable Community Conditions.

We take seriously our responsibilities, and we pledge to work in ways that reflect our Guiding Principles. These are rooted in equity and influence everything we do at RWJF. Equity, diversity, inclusion, and collaboration enable our staff’s wide range of experiences, passions, and perspectives to strengthen our ability to address our nation’s most pressing health issues and support a culture of belonging. Part of this work includes actively shaping an inclusive organization where all staff members thrive as we build and use our capabilities, voice, and power to advance health equity. RWJF offers a collaborative, collegial, and creative work environment. With a career at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, you will make a difference

About This Opportunity

As RWJF tackles structural racism as a barrier to health, the New Jersey department’s role has evolved from a traditional funder to a strategic grantmaker, thought partner, impact investor, convenor, and anchor. The New Jersey department closely aligns with and brings to bear RWJF’s voice, resources, and institutional assets to improve health and wellbeing in the state. This approach—informed by grantees, intermediaries, partners, and community members—has redefined RWJF’s role as a philanthropic anchor institution that is responsive, accountable, and is in a durable relationship with New Jersey communities with the greatest barriers to health equity.

The New Jersey department advances:

• Building and bridging power with and across communities
• Shifting narratives about health and wellbeing
• Advancing policies, practices, and systems change that promotes health equity statewide

We pursue this work in two ways: developing and implementing New Jersey-focused strategies in close collaboration with community members and strategic partners, while also leveraging learning, tools, and best practices from across RWJF’s national portfolio and other departments to strengthen outcomes in New Jersey. Our investments focus on intermediaries, community-based partners, nonprofits, grassroots groups, and other organizations driving policy and systems change and movement-building throughout New Jersey using place-based grants, infrastructure support, co-funding, leadership development, impact investments, convening, narrative and communication support, collaboration, and sustained partnerships. We prioritize investments in historically marginalized communities that have faced persistent barriers to achieving health and wellbeing.

Reporting directly to the associate vice president for the New Jersey department, the senior program officer (SPO) serves as a senior strategic leader with responsibility for advancing and implementing the New Jersey department’s priorities through strategy, relationship development and grantmaking aligned with the Foundation’s broader strategic framework. The SPO is expected to exercise significant judgment and leadership in shaping programmatic direction, stewarding key partnerships, and making day‑to‑day decisions related to strategy implementation, grantmaking, and field engagement, while partnering closely with the associate vice president and departmental leadership on overall strategic direction.

We are seeking a candidate with direct experience working to advance advocacy, policy or practice change, and other system change strategies that impact health equity. Candidates will have strong networks across New Jersey, a commitment to and expertise in integrating methodologies that interrogate and address equity, structural racism, and intersectional forms of oppression at all levels of their role. They will also bring an unwavering commitment to marrying science, advocacy, and the lived experience of communities that have been historically marginalized in New Jersey to the role. 

As with staff at all levels of RWJF, the senior program officer is expected to demonstrate a passionate commitment to equity and the Foundation’s mission and Guiding Principles.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Program Development and Monitoring:

• Manage a robust grantmaking portfolio and budget. Center equity, structural racism, and intersectional forms of oppression in learning, program development, program management, and strategy development, including adoption/adaptation of equitable grantmaking processes. 
• Design and implement new initiatives and bodies of work that advance the New Jersey department and organizational goals and objectives.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner with the associate vice president and other staff in identifying strategic objectives and direction. 
• Evaluate new proposals for alignment with strategic objectives.  
• Practice trust-based philanthropy behaviors (clarity, responsiveness, feedback, transparency, reducing burdens) and cultivate, nurture, and sustain trusting relationships with grantees, community partners, and field leaders to inform program development, implementation, and management of programs.
• Partner with grantees on capacity-strengthening (strategy, partnerships, sustainability, leadership transitions, governance, learning).
• Play a lead role in shaping, stewarding, and learning from intermediary partnerships that are central to the New Jersey department’s strategy, ensuring alignment with equity goals, community accountability, and systems‑change outcomes.
• Leverage deep knowledge of New Jersey’s policy, advocacy, healthcare, and community‑based ecosystems to identify opportunities for systems change and to inform investment, partnership, and engagement strategies across the state.

Learning and Dissemination:

• Track progress of programs and grants toward department goals and objectives, synthesizing and integrating the learnings to inform and evolve strategic directions.
• Actively learn about field advancements and the external environment and apply those learnings to program and strategy development. 
• Document and disseminate learning from program investments and activities.
• Contribute to influencing change through sharing knowledge and connecting leaders and organizations, applying expertise and strategic advice. 
• Connect grantees to technical assistance, peer learning, convenings, and other RWJF resources (e.g., communications, research/evaluation, policy).
• Work with departments across the Foundation to share learnings widely and shape conversations and actions through websites, social media, and more.

Team Functioning:

• Partner/collaborate with associate vice president and team to provide insight and guidance on strategic direction, programmatic strategies, grantmaking, grant management, and community partnerships.  
• Provide coaching/mentorship to team members and in the development of team members; may oversee the work of program associates and interns as assigned. 
• Collaborate in a highly matrixed environment by highlighting the connections across work/teams and connecting people internally and externally.
• Model and cultivate team norms, with particular focus on equity and racial sensitivity.

Foundation and Field Contributions:

• Represent the Foundation publicly regarding strategy, program direction, program funding, and grantmaking results. Convene and facilitate grantee and other partner meetings for shared learning and networking. Respond to public inquiries about the application processes.
• Provide external thought leadership in support of RWJF’s Generational Goals and the New Jersey department’s strategies.  
• Lead, contribute to and participate on committees, workgroups, and internal Foundation groups and teams and carry out other responsibilities assigned.
• Contribute to Foundation-wide projects related to strategy and operation initiatives.
• Perform other projects and responsibilities, as assigned.
• The SPO will be expected to balance visible external leadership with behind‑the‑scenes strategic partnership, adapting their approach based on the needs of the field, the department, and the Foundation.

Minimum Requirements

• Deep social justice values and commitment to the practice of racial justice, health equity, and the Foundation’s vision, values, and Guiding Principles.
• Demonstrated personal and professional commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging, including fluency with related concepts of structural racism, intersectionality, and other systemic biases and their impact on health.
• Successful experience fostering an inclusive environment working effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team with people from diverse cultural, social, and ethnic backgrounds.
• Education and experience equivalent to an advanced degree and extensive experience and
• proven leadership in the field for specific content knowledge related to equity and antiracism in
• healthcare.
• Written, verbal, and analytical skills; demonstrated persuasive and respectful presentation skills
• for communications to be used with internal leadership, external partners, and communities we
• are working to reach on a range of complex issues.
• Ability to strategically manage and disperse large sums of grants through budgeting and strategic financial projections.
• Comfort with using social media tools to further RWJF’s work.
• Familiarity with, but not necessarily a professional background in philanthropy and philanthropic
• processes.
• Ability to travel, including site visits and representing RWJF at outside meetings. 
• Ability to provide mentorship/guidance to encourage the development of staff. 
• Minimum of seven (7) years' experience related to the required qualifications.
• Candidates whose experience exceeds the minimum requirements will be given particular consideration for a higher placement within the salary range:
• Nine (9) years of demonstrated experience working in New Jersey to advance justice, equity‑centered policy, advocacy, and systems change—such as through state or local policy engagement, advocacy coalitions, intermediary organizations, healthcare or public health systems, or community‑rooted initiatives—with established relationships and credibility across New Jersey’s nonprofit, civic, policy, and community landscapes and familiarity with organizing strategies, coalition dynamics, and advocacy pathways (local/state).
• Twelve (12) years of demonstrated experience working in New Jersey to advance justice, equity‑centered policy, advocacy, and systems change—such as through state or local policy engagement, advocacy coalitions, intermediary organizations, healthcare or public health systems, or community‑rooted initiatives—with established relationships and credibility across New Jersey’s non-profit, civic, policy, and community landscapes and familiarity with organizing strategies, coalition dynamics, and advocacy pathways (local/state).

Physical Requirements/Working Conditions

The senior program officer will perform job duties in a typical business office environment. Specific physical abilities required by this job include operating basic office equipment. The incumbent will be required to attend meetings, both in person and off-site via phone or videoconference. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. RWJF is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Position’s Assigned Office Location

This position is assigned to our Princeton, N.J. office.

Hybrid: Flexible Purpose (HFP) Explained

As of January 1, 2023, the Foundation has implemented a model we call Hybrid: Flexible Purpose (HFP). RWJF’s new operating model is the infrastructure (e.g., policies, practices, protocols, procedures, systems) that forms the basis for how the day-to-day operations are managed, culture is built and nurtured, and mission is delivered. This model is designed to meet the needs of the organization while giving employees as much flexibility as possible. On-site participation is determined by job responsibilities, organizational and team-level requirements, and mandatory gatherings throughout the year. While there are no fixed days per week, all employees are expected to plan their time on-site and cover commuting expenses as needed to meet those expectations. Learn more about our operating model and in-office requirements.

Salary

The non-negotiable starting salary for this position is $161,500. Candidates who the Foundation determines have directly related experience exceeding the minimum requirements may be provided a higher starting salary of up to $177,650. All salary offers are non-negotiable. 

Benefits

RWJF offers comprehensive health and retirement benefits to employees, generous paid time off, and more. Why work at RWJF? Learn more about the benefits of working at RWJF.

Transition Stipend

A transition stipend is provided to all new hires to aid in costs related to transitioning to a new job.  

How to Apply

• Applicants should submit a resume and required letter of interest by the stated deadline.
• Internal RWJF applicants should submit a resume and letter of interest through the Internal Jobs Hub app in Workday. 

Application Deadline

Monday, April 20, 2026, by 10 a.m. ET.