LA Dodgers Foundation - Chief Program Officer

Title: Chief Program Officer

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Pay Rate: $175,000 – $195,000

* Compensation rates vary based on job-related factors, including experience, job skills, education, and training.

The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) tackles the most pressing problems facing Los Angeles with a mission to improve education, health care, homelessness, and social justice for all Angelenos. To support us in achieving these bold goals, we seek an experienced Chief Program Officer (CPO) to serve as the third member of the Executive Leadership Team, and to be a visionary leader responsible for overseeing and driving the strategic direction and implementation of LADF’s programs function, including Grantmaking, Youth Programs, and Initiatives across our four key focus areas of education, health care, homelessness, and social justice. This includes leading a growing Programs Team, ensuring effective delivery of services, in-kind donations, and grants, and collaborating closely with other executive leaders both internally within LADF and its Board of Directors and externally across key strategic partners within each LADF focus area to maximize the effectiveness and reach of all programmatic activities.

Organization Summary 

Reimagined in 2013, LADF has since raised over $154 million, including a $50 million pledge in 2024 by its Chairman Mark Walter and Dodgers Ownership, marking the largest contribution ever from an MLB ownership group to the organization’s charitable partner. Under its new strategic plan, “Lasting Impact for Los Angeles,” LADF is amplifying best practices, scaling solutions, growing its capacity, and refining its work with investments exceeding $60 million in its programs and grants to local organizations. To date, LADF has positively impacted over 10 million area youth. LADF is the proud recipient of ESPN's Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year, Robert Wood Johnson Sports Award, Beyond Sport's Sport for Reduced Racial Inequalities Collective Impact Award, and the Aspen Institute Project Play Champion.  

Core Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership:

• You will develop and implement a comprehensive vision and strategy for the program function to align with LADF’s overall organizational strategy. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, alongside the CEO and COO, you will provide overall organizational management and leadership, developing new partnerships to meet growth goals and better connect all areas of programming. You will often serve as the LADF representative with transformative community and national partners. 

Team Leadership and Development:

• You will lead and build the capacity of the Programs department by establishing clear expectations and priorities, working alongside them to develop a positive, collaborative, high-performing team culture. You will lean in where needed: you might evaluate an organization or execute an activation while coaching a team member up. You’ll directly manage and support the professional growth of three members of the Program team: Director, Programs; Director, Grants & Initiatives; and Coordinator, Programs, Grants & Initiatives. 

Program & Partnership Development and Management:

• You will manage major projects with new and existing partners, working closely with those organizations’ leadership. You will build and maintain strong relationships with the Los Angeles philanthropic and nonprofit community, as well as civic leaders and other transformative stakeholders. You will serve as the final approval for high level needs in the program function, and work closely with your team to align all program activity for high impact and effective partnership with all grantees.  

Evaluation and Reporting:

• By establishing and monitoring program goals, metrics, and performance indicators, you will ensure that LADF has the data it needs to effectively monitor and evaluate the success and impact of its programs and Initiatives. You will use data and feedback to drive continuous improvement and innovation in program design and implementation, presenting regularly on your findings and work to the CEO and Board of Directors.

Qualifications and Experience Needed

We are looking for an exceptional leader who inspires and motivates others, sets a positive example, and drives results. You should have: 

• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in program management or leadership roles within the nonprofit sector, with a focus on community impact.
• Demonstrated experience managing a complex program function that includes giving programs/grantmaking, partnerships and direct program delivery.
• Experience in sports-based youth development and/or youth development strongly preferred.
• Experience navigating the Los Angeles philanthropic and nonprofit community, including relationships with donors, partners, sponsors and/or beneficiary nonprofit organizations and partners.
• Ability to work in partnership with the CEO and COO to manage relationships collaboratively and to drive cross-functional work within the LADF team.
• Demonstrated experience managing and developing a diverse team, setting priorities and expectations, and keeping the team accountable with a positive and team-oriented style.
• Experience using data to drive programming efforts and using systems to ensure effective execution, communication, collaboration and accessibility to the cross-functional team that contributes to the success of the programming function.
• Exceptional interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, including strong presentation skills.
• Ability to work a non-traditional schedule, which includes nights, weekends, and some home games (March - October).

LADF is firmly committed to providing equal opportunity for all qualified applicants from every background. The Foundation is also firmly committed to complying with all applicable laws and governmental regulations at the federal, state and local levels which prohibit discrimination, and which provide for reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.

LADF considers all applicants without regard to national origin, ancestry-ethnicity, race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy or related medical conditions, genetic information, medical condition, military or veteran status, citizenship status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable state or federal law. The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires that the Foundation obtain documentation from every individual who is employed which verifies identity and authorizes their right to work in the United States.

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LADF Values

Our core values are the fundamental beliefs upon which our foundation and its people operate.

We look for hardworking team members who share our passion.

Opportunity – We know that talent is evenly distributed, but opportunity is not.

Access – No recreational, education or health resource should be out of reach for any child.

Equity – We aim to level the playing field and make sure that every kid has a fair shot.

Collaboration – We believe that working well with others is the secret sauce to success.

Impact – The work we do must create meaningful progress that is measurable. We want to support proven programs.

Excellence – We hold ourselves to the highest standards across all of our work, striving for quality and credibility.

This search is being run by Arianna Haut and Naomi Roth-Gaudette at NRG Consulting Group.  We are reviewing applications on a rolling basis. The preferred application deadline is 11/15/24. Please reach out to [email protected] and [email protected] with questions.