Vice President, Program and Strategy

If you are a driven professional with a proven track record of success who is passionate about making a difference through your work, The John

A. Hartford Foundation has a one-of-a-kind opportunity for you to be a part of the nation’s leading philanthropy with a sustained interest in aging and health.

The John

A. Hartford Foundation, based in New York City, is a private, nonpartisan philanthropy dedicated to improving the care of older adults. Established in 1929 by John and George Hartford, the founders of the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (also known as the A&P grocery stores), the Foundation is the nation’s leading philanthropy with a sustained focus on aging and health.

The John

A. Hartford Foundation has a distinguished history of investing in aging experts and practice innovations that transform how the care of older adults is delivered. We are committed to equitable care that both drives better health outcomes and lowers costs. In a rapidly evolving healthcare environment, our Foundation supports the spread of evidence-based models that can dramatically accelerate care improvement for older adults, which benefits all of us.

Our programmatic priority areas include creating age-friendly health systems, supporting family caregivers, and improving serious illness and end-of-life care.

We are seeking a team leader who is passionate about aging, understands the importance of building relationships, and will act both creatively and analytically to build strategic and impactful, lasting programs. The Vice President for Program and Strategy (VPPS) plays a critical role in shaping programs and policies that have national impact on millions of older adults and their family caregivers.

The VPPS supports the President and is responsible for overall supervision of the Foundation’s programmatic strategy and over $25 million in annual grantmaking, which is regularly reported to the Board of Trustees. The VPPS is responsible for the direct supervision of program staff, working in close partnership with the President and current and prospective grantees to develop and implement funded initiatives.

The VPPS also plays a role in generating additional support for the Foundation’s grants and programs through public presentations and response to occasional media and other inquiries about Foundation programs. The VPPS represents the Foundation at events and meetings and advocates widely on behalf of its programmatic interests.

The VPPS may work in partnership with the President and VP of Communications in the development of communications activities that support the Foundation’s grantmaking and programs. This role is based at the Foundation’s NYC office.

• Leads the ongoing development, implementation, and monitoring of the Foundation’s programs; reviews program strategy and priorities and recommends changes to the President for Trustee consideration.
• Consults with external advisors and evaluators on significant policy, scientific, and programmatic issues; arranges and participates in meetings related to grant selection and program strategy; identifies and recommends advisors to the President and recommends advisor compensation.
• Reports on program-related matters to the President and Trustees and is accountable for progress against programmatic goals.
• Drafts, for the President’s review and approval, recommendations to the Trustees regarding grants under the program strategy; presents recommendations at periodic Trustee meetings, sometimes in collaboration with grantees or external evaluators.

• Works with program officers to monitor and document the progress of grants; reviews, approves, and responds to annual progress and expenditure reports.
• Manages and participates in periodic site visits to assess grant progress and reports findings to the President and Trustees.
• Recommends, for the President’s approval:
  • grant payments;
  • grant closures;
  • appointment and compensation of expert consultants, as required by the program.
• Negotiates and approves substantive and…