Program Officer, Foreign Policy

Overview

Do you believe in transformative work? Are you driven by the opportunity to make a lasting change in the prevailing approaches to foreign policy and veterans’ issues? Are you excited by the prospect of being an advocate and driver for the Charles Koch Foundation’s work in foreign policy and veterans’ affairs?

The foreign policy team at Charles Koch Foundation (CKF) is looking for a motivated and passionate Program Officer to help us develop and manage meaningful relationships with an array of subject matter experts and scholarly partners in the foreign policy and veterans’ issues spaces. We partner with social entrepreneurs to provide bottom-up solutions that remove the barriers that prevent people from reaching their potential.

The United States military serves as a powerful deterrent to other countries that might otherwise do us harm. Unfortunately, we don’t always deploy that force wisely, instead becoming involved in too many conflicts that over-extend our military and lead to “mission creep” – unnecessary military actions beyond core objectives. Rather than continue down this path, we seek a path that relies on both realism and restraint.

The United States’ foreign policy has also placed tremendous strain on our veterans. They have endured great personal sacrifice only to face obstacles to independence upon reentering civilian life and accessing healthcare upon leaving uniformed service. The Program Officer, Foreign Policy will be joining a team of committed, deeply knowledgeable leaders and researchers, focused on supporting the exploration of key issues of society and funding innovations in postsecondary education.

Your Responsibilities Include

• Help build and manage a robust portfolio of grantees by evaluating new proposals, cultivating new and existing partnerships, driving recommendations for opportunities, assisting in managing the relationship throughout a grant, and ensuring opportunities meet their stated outcomes
• Assist with grant proposal prospecting and evaluation using data tracking systems
• Work with academics and universities to develop and maintain fruitful relationships that leverage complementary capabilities
• Attend conferences and events to develop relevant relationships and learn about impactful trends and new research
• Think strategically and entrepreneurially, and seek opportunities for non-grantmaking ways we can create value for our academic partners
• Work closely with internal teams to develop and execute strategies that align to our top priorities

Knowledge And Skills You Bring To The Organization

• Experience working in foreign policy and veterans’ issues, with knowledge of the landscape, trends, and current debates
• 2+ years of experience in a foreign policy and/or veterans capacity such as: policy analyst or subject matter expert at a think tank, partnership developer, program officer, or grantmaker
• A passion for the Charles Koch Foundation’s mission and our approach of realism and restraint toward foreign policy
• An ability to identify and foster a network of mutually beneficial partnerships
• High sense of urgency and a natural self-starter
• Confident oral communicator with superior interpersonal skills
• Proven ability to collaborate across multiple teams and drive multiple concurrent projects
• Willingness to travel as needed to build partnerships and identify new partners

Standout Candidates May Also Bring

• Knowledge of higher education grantmaking

What We Offer

• A meaningful career where your work will improve the lives of millions of Americans – especially the least fortunate.
• A vision-driven organization of over 1,000 employees across the country who are dedicated to improving the lives of others.
• Competitive salaries and bonuses. Our salary and bonus strategies are aligned to the value you create, not a standardized bell curve.
• Generous 401K match - 6% match with immediate vesting.
• Competitive health and wellness benefits.
• Our flexible time-off policy allows all employees to take leave as needed.
• Commuter assistance plans to offset the cost of commuting into our Arlington, VA offices (on-site parking or metro).
• Opportunities for professional development and mentorship that can strengthen your effectiveness through Principle Based Management and other industry specific programs.

About Us

To realize that North Star, we support educational programs, research, and dialogue—working alongside hundreds of universities and nonprofit partners around the country. All our work is guided by a commitment to unite with anyone to do right and identify new perspectives, to help people accomplish great things for themselves and others.

We believe that diversity in experiences, perspectives, knowledge and ideas fuels creativity, broadens knowledge, and helps drive success. That’s why we’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer and strive to treat all employees and applicants with honesty, dignity, respect and sensitivity. We welcome all qualified applicants regardless of color, race, religion, religious creed, sex, gender or gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, ethnicity, ancestry, age, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy (including medical needs which may arise from pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), military and veteran status, genetic information, marital or familial status, political affiliation, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.