Senior Program Officer, Advising Solutions and Distribution

Job Posting Organization:
The Foundation is the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to combating poverty, disease, and inequity on a global scale. Established with the mission that every individual, regardless of their identity or circumstances, deserves the opportunity to lead a healthy and productive life, the Foundation emphasizes the importance of diversity among its employees to reflect the global populations it serves. The organization offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage without premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, retirement contributions, regional holidays, and opportunities for employees to engage in various community initiatives. The Foundation is committed to fostering an environment that supports both personal and professional growth for its employees.

Job Overview:
In this role, you will be pivotal in advancing the Foundation's strategy to create AI-native advising solutions that facilitate students' transitions from high school to postsecondary education and into the workforce. You will lead investments aimed at establishing and managing an organization that oversees the technical components essential for AI-native advising products. This includes engaging with enterprise technology providers to promote the integration of these solutions into educational platforms utilized by schools and districts. Your expertise in AI product development, platform architecture, and the postsecondary advising landscape will be crucial, along with your entrepreneurial experience in developing governance structures, business models, and scaling pathways. The position requires a proactive approach to identifying and addressing barriers in the advising landscape, ensuring that the solutions developed have a significant impact on student outcomes.

Duties and Responsibilities:
Your responsibilities will include designing, negotiating, and managing a portfolio of grants and contracts to support the development and launch of AI-native advising solutions aimed at improving student outcomes on a large scale. You will lead investments to establish or enhance an organization that integrates navigation public goods into a middleware platform, deploying exemplary low-code AI-native advising systems that accompany students across various institutions and sectors. Additionally, you will develop and manage the Foundation's distribution strategy for these solutions, sequencing investments across enterprise platforms and direct-to-institution channels to maximize their reach and effectiveness. Engaging with enterprise technology providers will be essential to encourage the integration of navigation solutions into their educational platforms, while also ensuring that existing advising software providers can leverage shared technical components to enhance their offerings. You will monitor the health and sustainability of core product partners, ensuring that each investment decision is aligned with meaningful changes for students. Continuous scanning of emerging AI capabilities will be necessary to identify opportunities for transforming the advising experience, funding rapid experimentation alongside the execution of core strategies. You will also foster a user-centered design approach to understand the needs of various stakeholders, including end users, institutional decision-makers, and policy makers, to improve the impact of priority solutions. Furthermore, you will identify gaps in current advising product availability and quality, guiding the positioning of grant and contract-funded partners based on data and defined metrics. Managing collaborative relationships with partners and team members will be crucial to ensure productive feedback loops and support shared goals, while also representing the Foundation to external constituencies as needed.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced degree or equivalent demonstrated experience. A proven entrepreneurial track record in establishing, scaling, or managing a new company or business unit through governance design, leadership recruitment, and business model development is essential. Experience in venture capital, venture philanthropy, or impact investing, particularly in evaluating and supporting portfolio companies, is also valuable. Candidates should have product and platform-building experience for AI-native software, ideally including middleware or platform architecture, as well as hands-on involvement in shaping product roadmaps. Effective engagement with enterprise technology providers and the broader edtech distribution ecosystem is required, demonstrated through prior partnerships and institutional procurement. A demonstrated investor perspective with experience in designing, negotiating, and managing complex investments, as well as structuring partnerships and supporting organizational development, is necessary.

Educational Background:
An advanced degree in a relevant field is required, or equivalent demonstrated experience that showcases the candidate's ability to fulfill the responsibilities of the role effectively. This educational background should ideally include studies related to technology, education, business, or a related discipline that supports the understanding of AI product development and advising solutions.

Experience:
Candidates should have significant experience in product and platform development, particularly in the context of AI-native software. This includes a strong understanding of middleware or platform architecture and experience in engaging with enterprise technology providers. A track record of successfully managing complex investments and partnerships is essential, as is experience in navigating the advising landscape, including familiarity with institutional, state, and federal policies relevant to college and career advising.

Languages:
While the job description does not specify mandatory languages, proficiency in English is likely essential given the location and nature of the work. Additional languages may be beneficial, particularly those relevant to the diverse populations served by the Foundation.

Additional Notes:
The position offers relocation assistance for the hired candidate. The salary range for this role is between $191,100 to $294,700 USD, with higher ranges for specific locations such as Seattle and Washington D.C. The Foundation strives to balance competitive pay with its mission-driven focus, typically placing new hires within the range minimum and midpoint based on their skills and experience. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check, and the Foundation is committed to providing an inclusive hiring experience, offering accommodations for candidates with disabilities or medical conditions. The organization emphasizes its dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all employment practices.