Jobs

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Program Officer, Population Program

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, based in Menlo Park, California is seeking a Program Officer for the Population Program.

About the Foundation

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation has been making grants since 1966 to help solve social and environmental problems at home and around the world. The Foundation concentrates its resources on activities in education, environment, global development, performing arts, philanthropy, population, and makes grants to support disadvantaged communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. A 12-member Board of Directors provides overall direction for the Foundation. For more information about the Hewlett Foundation please visit the website at www.hewlett.org.

Population Program

Population has been a priority for the Hewlett Foundation since its founding in 1967. William and Flora Hewlett were strongly committed to helping countries address rapid rates of population growth as one of the most pressing global threats to human welfare and environmental sustainability. Population remains a cornerstone of the Foundation's effort to "address the most serious social and environmental problems."

The Population Program has two overarching goals:

-Stabilize global populations in ways that promote social and economic wellbeing and sustain the environment.

-Enhance and protect reproductive health and rights.

To achieve these goals, the Population Program's work focuses on providing women with access to quality family planning and reproductive health services (FPRH) that enables them to make healthy, voluntary decisions about their fertility. The Foundation recognizes that in the world's poorest countries, enabling women to access FPRH will improve their health and economic productivity, and improve the welfare of their households. By providing general operating support, the Foundation also strengthens the infrastructure of service delivery, reinforces the policy environment for reproductive rights, and facilitates dialogue within and among the different stakeholders.

The Population Program concentrates its grant-making in three regions: sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the United States, and the San Francisco Bay Area. In order to make progress towards achieving these goals, the Program makes grants, provides technical assistance, and participates in policy dialog to:

-Support family planning and reproductive health (FPRH) service delivery and outreach in the United States and sub-Saharan Africa.
-Enhance and protect reproductive rights.
-Reduce the need for abortion in the US through policies and practices that decrease unplanned pregnancy.
-Promote integration between HIV/AIDS and FPRH in service delivery and funding in SSA.
-Ensure high quality research that informs development and health policies, particularly research on how population dynamics and reproductive health impact poverty and economic growth in SSA.
-Increase FPRH resources and improve their effective use.
-Strengthen post-graduate training in population science in SSA.
-Enhance capacities of researchers and research organizations in SSA in the areas of population science and related disciplines.


The Population Program's most important international policy priorities for 2010 are to continue to expand U.S. support for family planning services, reclaim U.S. leadership in the field, and encourage other donor nations to increase their commitments. The Foundation is deeply committed to ensuring that all donor and developing country funds that are allocated for FPRH are used well and not wasted.


Program Officer for Family Planning and Reproductive Health

The Program Officer will report to Sara Seims, Program Director, Population Program, and will be based in Menlo Park, California. The Population Program team currently consists of eight staff, including three Program Officers and an Associate Program Officer.

The new Program Officer will be primarily responsible for grant making to reduce unintended pregnancy and ensure reproductive rights in developing countries particularly sub-Saharan Africa. The Program Officer will support a strategic mix of service delivery, research, advocacy, and training strategies aimed at averting unintended pregnancies and births. The Program Officer will also continue to strengthen links with HIV/AIDS prevention and broader areas of reproductive health. In addition, the Program Officer will manage the Population Program's Organizational Effectiveness grants which are given to improve the strategies and management of the Foundation's grantees. Consistent with the Foundations dedication to effective grant making, the Program Officer will help develop and refine metrics to measure the results and impact of the grants.

While providing support to the overall success of the Population Program, the Program Officer's areas of responsibility include the following:

-Lead the Foundation's efforts to ensure that women in SSA have access to quality FPRH services and basic reproductive rights

-Continue to provide technical and policy support to the major bi- and multi-lateral FPRH donors as they expand their efforts in SSA

-Improve linkages between HIV/AIDS prevention and broader areas of FPRH with an emphasis on advocacy for female condom access and FPRH friendly policies within PEPFAR and the Global Fund

-Strengthen the effectiveness of the Foundation's major general support FPRH grantees

-Manage the Population Programs Organizational Effectiveness grants

-Continue to refine ways to improve Population Program effectiveness and impact

Professional Qualifications

It is essential that the Program Officer have an understanding of how to promote and support systems-changing collaborations to make a greater impact. Ideally, the candidate will have broad exposure to a range of population science, social and economic issues at an international level. This person must be creative, entrepreneurial and skilled in understanding and meeting the ever-evolving challenges facing the international development community.

Moreover, the Program Officer should have exceptional interpersonal skills to work effectively with colleagues as well as individuals in government, private sector, international institutions, public policy organizations, think tanks and academic institutions engaged in the international arena. The Program Officer will need to strongly support Foundation efforts to improve the impact of its grant making through a variety of quantitative and qualitative means.

The successful candidate should possess the following professional qualifications and personal attributes:

-A demonstrated record of success working with multilateral and development organizations, foundations and other nonprofit enterprises, and leaders in developing countries.

-A demonstrated understanding of the current strategies, partnerships and efforts in international family planning and reproductive health, with a specific understanding of sub-Saharan Africa.

-Significant experience with the on-the-ground delivery of FPRH services in SSA.

-Deep knowledge of and commitment to reproductive rights.

-Excellent writing skills and capacity to write complicated documents quickly and well.

-The ability and flexibility to travel extensively.

-A self starter who is collegial and enjoys sharing ideas and getting feedback.

-At least seven years of prior relevant experience including managing grant-making budgets, designing and implementing specific grant/grant clusters, and ongoing portfolio management and oversight.

-French language skills and work experience in Africa strongly preferred.

Personal Attributes

-A deep commitment to the values and the mission of the Hewlett Foundation and the vision and goals of the Population Program.

-Exceptional ability to articulate and realize an inspired vision, to motivate others and to lead a high-caliber team of staff and external partners.

-Capacity to learn from experience, to adapt as needed, to generate new ideas, to listen, and to work with others to shape emerging issues.

-Highly organized with a demonstrated track record of meeting deadlines consistently.

-Natural talent for bridging differences, finding common ground and building relationships with people at all levels of society.

-Capacity to communicate persuasively, orally and in writing, in a range of settings.

-Strong quantitative skills.

-Exemplifying personal integrity and leadership.

-Sense of humor.


Compensation and Benefits

The Foundation offers an excellent benefits package and a salary that is commensurate with experience and education. This position is exempt and full-time.

To Apply

Please email your resume and cover letter and refer to job: Hewlett Population
Daniel Sherman, President, Explore Company Executive Search
Email: resumes@explorecompany.com
No phone inquiries please.

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes a diverse pool of candidates for this search.

The Foundation uses an outside firm to check the accuracy of information supplied by applicants.