Policy Officer

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), located in Princeton, N.J., is a leading national philanthropy dedicated to taking bold leaps to transform health in our lifetime. To get there, we must work to dismantle structural racism and other barriers to health. Since 1972, we have focused on developing and promoting innovations in health and healthcare to improve the lives of millions.

Through funding, convening, advocacy, and evidence-building, we work side-by-side with communities, practitioners, and institutions to achieve health equity faster and pave the way, together, to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right.

At RWJF, we work toward three Generational Goals to transform health in our lifetime:
Economic Inclusion for Family Wellbeing, Equitable and Accountable Public Health and Healthcare Systems, and Healthy and Equitable Community Conditions.

We take seriously our responsibilities, and we pledge to work in ways that reflect our Guiding Principles. These are rooted in equity and influence everything we do ity, diversity, inclusion, and collaboration enable our staff's wide range of experiences, passions, and perspectives to strengthen our ability to address our nation’s most pressing health issues and support a culture of belonging. Part of this work includes actively shaping an inclusive organization where all staff members thrive as we build and use our capabilities, voice, and power to advance health equity.

RWJF offers a collaborative, collegial, and creative work environment. With a career at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, you will make a difference.

Reporting to the associate vice president, Policy, the policy officer is responsible for ensuring that relevant and timely nonpartisan research and analysis, advocacy, strategic communications, and grantmaking efforts work together to address pressing issues in health and social policy that are reflective of the Foundation’s focus areas and policy priorities. The policy officer plays two roles: providing strategic guidance on policy issues across RWJF departments and contributing to Policy department activities.

As with staff at all levels of RWJF, the policy officer is expected to demonstrate a passionate commitment to equity and to the Foundation’s mission and Guiding Principles.

• Participate in strategy development, execution, and monitoring of the Policy department’s work (including grantmaking, government relations, and strategic alignment); monitor and learn from programs, grants, and government relations activities; create impact through dissemination of knowledge; and center equity, structural racism, and intersectional forms of oppression in learning, program, strategy development, and program management.
• Lead the design and management of strategic grantmaking initiatives that support Foundation-wide policy priorities and the department’s efforts in direct influence. That includes identifying potential policy and advocacy partners; understanding their alignment with Foundation priorities; evaluating their capacity; managing resulting grants; applying equitable philanthropic principles; and learning from the work over time.
• Assist in grantee information sharing and coalition-building. Work toward external alignment of grantees working toward a shared vision but through different strategies and tactics. Cultivate trusting relationships with grantee and field leaders to inform development, implementation, and management of programs, as well as to learn and stay informed of field advancements and context.

• Develop and maintain an understanding of the policy agendas, priorities, and activities of the Foundation’s strategic portfolios, and related activities of the Communications and Research-Evaluation-Learning departments. Bring this understanding back to the Policy department to help shape grantmaking and direct influence (government relations) strategies.
• Facilitate collaboration around, and alignment with Foundation-wide and…