Program Officer Democracy and Civic Initiatives

Position Summary

Program Officers at William Penn Foundation play a leadership role in advancing multiple specific objectives that are part of the Foundation’s new strategic plan. In this role, Program Officers work collaboratively with members of their program team, communications team, other program teams, grants management, evaluation and learning, and others under the direction and guidance of a Program Director to advance their objectives.

The Program Officer, Democracy and Civic Initiatives will be responsible for four objectives within the Foundation’s democracy strategy, which seeks to build trust and participation, particularly among underrepresented communities, in Pennsylvania’s democratic processes. Objectives were identified through the strategic planning process and announced in June 2024. Over time, we may learn that objectives need to be modified to incorporate learnings from implementation, and/or reassigned to balance staff workloads. Therefore, while the objectives listed below represent the initial areas of responsibility, they are subject to change. The objectives are:

• By the 2031 general election, Philadelphia’s voter turnout will increase. By the 2032 presidential election, the gap in voter turnout rates between voters of color and white voters in Pennsylvania will be meaningfully reduced.
• In 2030, decennial census self-response rate increases by 1.5 percentage points statewide and by 4.0 percentage points in Philadelphia.
• Pennsylvania redistricting in the 2031-32 cycle results in less gerrymandered maps compared to the ’21-’22 cycle.
• Philadelphians have confidence that city government is responsive to their needs and accountable to constituent priorities.

In addition, the Program Officer will develop deep knowledge of the organizations and communities they serve and support; manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders; and serve as an internal subject matter expert on issues related to their objectives.