Skip to main content

This job has expired

You will need to login before you can apply for a job.

Senior Program Officer

Employer
First 5 LA
Location
Los Angeles, California
Closing date
Mar 26, 2021

Job Details

Accepting applications through 03/05/2021.

JOB SUMMARY

The Senior Program Officer is a strategy leader and portfolio manager for the Family Supports Team. This role is primarily responsible for advancing the systems and change agenda of policy change, practice change and will building through the development and management of projects in the area of Family Supports, consistent with the First 5 LA Strategic Plan. They are the content expert in their respective strategy and provide critical thinking in project and strategy refinements and the day-to-day management of the strategy portfolio. They serve as both a direct report and content expert to the Director of Family Supports and the agency. The Senior Program Officer is responsible for contributing and keeping abreast of essential knowledge, policies and systems developments in Family Supports.    

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Senior Program Officer should demonstrate the adopted organizational values of collaboration, integrity, learning, and diversity, equity and inclusion in the execution of their key areas of responsibility:

Key Areas of Responsibility:

  • Initiative design and strategy implementation
  • Relationship building with internal and external stakeholders
  • Portfolio management
  • Staff supervision and talent development

Essential Duties:  

Initiative design and strategy implementation  

 

  • Leads the development and ongoing refinement of strategies given the evolving policy and systems context, consistent with the First 5 LA Strategic Plan 
  • Ensures projects and strategies align with the Strategic Plan priorities, Impact Framework outcomes, investment guidelines and other relevant programs and projects
  • Determines appropriate allocation of resources and budget requirements across projects within a strategy
  • Develops long-term sustainability plans for projects within a portfolio
  • Ensures capacity needs are identified and mechanisms for capacity building are incorporated into initiative design
  • Keeps abreast of relevant research, practice and policy advancements in the field
  • Presents to First 5 LA Board and other stakeholders
  • Collaborates with internal and external stakeholders to promote integration and learning, strategy refinement, and innovation
  • Identifies and develops strategies to address points of integration within and across strategic priorities

Relationship Building with Internal and External Stakeholders

 

  • Establishes and cultivates relationships between key stakeholders to advance strategic objectives
  • Keeps abreast of community needs, relevant policies and systems; ensures work and decisions are community-oriented and include and value input from community, including grantees and families
  • Represents First 5 LA on relevant external committees, work groups, and at conferences/meetings
  • Coordinates with other teams to establish mechanisms for internal and external partnership opportunities
  • Advises and supports program officers in identifying and cultivating stakeholder relationships

Portfolio Management

 

  • Manages overall portfolio within a strategy, and associated budget against key objectives and milestones
  • Manages complex projects, as assigned
  • Oversees and manages portfolio progress reporting to the Center of Child and Family Impact, Executive and Board Leadership
  • Provides guidance and problem-solving support to staff related to grantee/contract monitoring activities
  • Facilitates reflection and learning across projects and team members to inform ongoing strategy refinement
  • In collaboration with the Office of Data for Action, shares learnings from grant-making and portfolio management to contribute knowledge to the organization and the field
  • Oversees and ensures accountability across projects within a strategy or portfolio budget; conducts cost and program analysis to consistently recommend program improvements and modifications
  • Ensures grant and contract procurement and management oversight consistent with requirements of a public entity

Staff Supervision and Talent Development

 

  • Facilitates and supports staff in effective communication with internal and external audiences, including, but not limited to, presentations, Commission discussions, key partner meetings, etc.
  • Establishes and supports ongoing team development
  • Models and guides staff on relevant professional development areas; works with direct reports on professional development and ongoing training, coaches staff on “managing up”
  • Monitors staff performance and provides ongoing performance feedback
  • Develops, coaches and supervises Team staff consistent with values and competencies required for successful job growth and development
  • Advances the organization’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and elevates a diversity of perspectives
  • Adheres to policies and procedures to ensure alignment with State regulations, local ordinances and First 5 LA/First 5 California directives
  • Supervises contractors and consultants, as needed

Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed are designed to provide typical examples of the work performed; not all duties and responsibilities assigned are included here, nor is it expected that all similar positions will be assigned every duty and responsibility.

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Organization-wide Competencies

  • Commitment to organizational mission and values: Mission-driven and self-directed, with a demonstrated passion for First 5 LA’s work to strengthen families and improve child outcomes; strives to model organizational values through daily actions and behaviors
  • Possesses Customer-Focused Mindset: Is able to identify appropriate and relevant stakeholders; identifies internal and external stakeholders needs (customers); is responsive to stakeholder needs, considers impact when making recommendations
  • Collaborative: Collaborates with peers to drive results in alignment with organizational and operational goals in support of the organization’s mission; is able to work in cross-functional teams; is able to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, public officials and the general public
  • Communicates Effectively: Communicates effectively both written and oral; strong presentation skills; demonstrates ability to develop and deliver relevant and appropriate communications; delivers messages in a direct manner; able to tailor messages appropriately to various audiences
  • Demonstrates Integrity and Judgment: Follows through on commitments letting others know of his/her true intentions; ensures decision-making or recommendations are fact-based and others understand the decision/recommendation before moving forward; considers the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one
  • Demonstrates Critical Thinking: Applies critical thinking, logic and reasoning to analyze complex problems and information; identifies relative strengths and weaknesses of options, solutions or approaches
  • Demonstrates Strategic Thinking: Considers issues and relationships relevant to achieving long range goals or vision; identifies alternatives based on logical assumptions, facts, available resources, constraints, and organizational values to layout several points of view on a course of action to accomplish goals
  • Demonstrates Contribution to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Supports equal and active participation of people and groups with diverse identifies, race, ethnicities, abilities, characteristics, cultures, socio-economic status, opinions, and beliefs; continuously challenges assumptions, and is mindful of unconscious bias, and leverages differences; understands historical and current context and root causes of inequities within society, systems and institutions; values a diversity of perspectives and encourages contributions by all team members 

Job Specific Competencies

 

  • Role Specific Content: Knowledge of evidence-based and emerging maternal child health practices, parenting education and culturally competent program design and implementation; understanding of Health and Early Childhood Education systems improvement strategies to effectively outreach to and maintain engagement with parents and achieve outcomes with children and families; knowledge of strategies to build integrated, universal home visiting systems and improve family engagement and program quality in existing systems; understanding of effective practices to build and sustain systems of home visiting, including funding, advocacy, and evaluation practices and local, state and national models that can inform First 5 LA’s efforts; understanding of the relationship of home visiting and other parent engagement practices, programs and systems to prevention-related child welfare, public health, mental health and social welfare policies and funding streams, eligibility requirements, service providers and service strategies
  • Content Knowledge: Competent in required job skills and knowledge; ability to learn and apply new skills; ability to learn how to operate new systems quickly; demonstrated ability to set priorities, establish clear expectations and execute identified projects; keeps abreast of current developments; requires minimal supervision; displays understanding of how job relates to others; knows how to use technology tools to effectively manage and expedite processes; uses resources effectively
  • Project Management: Works in an organized manner with strong attention to detail; prioritizes and plans work activities; ability to effectively manage overlapping projects and deadlines; ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines and adjust to changing priorities; uses time efficiently; plans for additional resources; integrates changes smoothly; sets goals and objectives; ability to manage high performance projects
  • Managing People: Provides direction and gains compliance; takes responsibility for direct reports’ activities; makes self available to direct reports; develops direct reports’ skills and encourages growth; provides regular performance feedback; encourages open communications; uses negotiation skills to resolve conflict; strong influencing and relationship skills; experience in managing high performance teams

Experience:

  • Minimum of eight years of experience in one or more of the following areas preferred: policy and systems improvement, program development, grantmaking, research, and/or evaluation
  • Minimum of three years of staff supervision preferred
  • Significant experience in fields relevant to First 5 LA’s strategic plan, including early care and education, public health, child welfare, community development and civic engagement, mental health, early identification and intervention, parent engagement and support preferred

Education:

  • Advanced degree from an accredited college or university in social science, health, education, or a related academic field preferred

Direct Reports:

  • Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems

Computer Skills:

  • Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
  • Proficiency in web-based collaboration and/or meeting platforms (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Sli-do etc.)
  • Ability to use widely supported internet browsers

Certificates, Licenses and Registrations:

  • Valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions
  • Valid automobile liability insurance

Travel Requirements:

  • This position requires travel locally, statewide and nationally as needed

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS / WORK ENVIRONMENT

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The employee will sit, talk, hear and use hands up to 2/3 of the time. The employee will stand and walk up to 1/3 of the time. The employee is routinely required to carry and/or lift up to 10 pounds.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Company

WHO WE ARE

Our agency’s Board of Commissioners, leadership and talented employees work as one in reaching our North Star: Every child in Los Angeles County will reach their full developmental potential throughout the critical years of prenatal to age 5.

Our Statewide Role

First 5 LA believes the case is clear that policy makers must prioritize young children in policy and budget decisions – because our future success as a state depends upon it. Nearly half of the state’s children live in, or near, poverty. California is first in per prisoner spending, but 46th in per pupil spending in education. California continues to prioritize spending on programs for residents when problems are most acute – treatment services, child welfare, incarceration, school remediation – and lags the country and the world in spending on access to proven prevention programs like quality early learning and home visiting programs for new parents.

The impacts of ignoring our children are clear: statewide, only 45 percent of third graders read at grade level and child care can cost parents as much as in-state college tuition at the University of California. It will take grit by decision makers and elected officials to address these challenges.

First 5 LA, as part of the network of First 5s throughout the state, will help by sharing what we have learned since our inception, by bringing parents, community members, and diverse partners together to help create lasting solutions, and by advocating for investments in proven early childhood systems and supports for California’s youngest children.

First 5 LA’s structure and staffing have been designed to better enable us to advance our goals and focus on those policies and resources that will yield the greatest benefits for kids in L.A. County. Our Board of Commissioners provides guidance and direction to our leadership and staff to implement our Strategic Plan.

Company info
Location
750 North Alameda Street
Los Angeles
CA
90012
US

Get job alerts

Create a job alert and receive personalized job recommendations straight to your inbox.

Create alert