Program Manager

The ideal candidate will have a track record of creating and implementing innovation solutions, working across sectors to maximize social impact, and a passion for AARP Foundation’s mission.  With the ability to inspire confidence in diverse groups of stakeholders, the Program Manager will bring stakeholders together to collaborate effectively toward common goals. The Program Manager will understand the value of analytical and evidence-based approaches in order to evaluate and optimize the impact of the Foundation's Housing Impact Area; and will be skilled at turning analysis and strategy into effective initiatives.

Program Management

• The Program Manager’s primarily responsibility will be establishing and managing the execution of a $1 million grant funded program to assist older adults (with a primary focus on low-income older adults) in learning about the major issues around how maintenance and how they best address these issues. This program will have both an online as well as a place-based component. Specifically the primary responsibilities of the Program Manager include, but not limited to:
• Designing program goals and deliverables;
• Managing relationships with the funder, contractors, and grantees;
• Liaising with internal stakeholders within the Foundation and Enterprise;
• Establishing a timeline for achieving success, while ensuring all relevant parties remain on track to meet their goals.
• Under guidance of the Director, develop an annual budget and work plan showing the activities and resources that will support the aforementioned grant funded program.
• Collaborate with the Development team to identify potential financial resources.

Strategy Development and Thought Leadership

• Periodically re-assess and suggestion modifications to sections the Foundation's Housing strategy, based on changed assumptions, new knowledge and information, changes in the external environment, or other factors. Design mechanisms for gathering input on key strategies.
• Serve as the internal thought leader on current trends, emerging issues, policy interventions, political landscape, key players, and best practices in housing.  Understand the important levers for change that are available to philanthropists.

 Grant Portfolio Management and Oversight

• In collaboration with the Grants Management team, oversee a portfolio of grants targeted to the Housing Impact Area.

Relationship-Building and Outreach

• Develop depth of knowledge and credibility in the field by cultivating and managing key relationships with outside advisors, experts in the field, public sector partners, and colleagues in philanthropy.
• In consultation with the Director, seek opportunities for sharing knowledge with appropriate audiences to increase learning in the field and advance program goals.
• Support dissemination of lessons learned: support learning among grantees, researchers, policymakers, practitioners and field leaders; review and comment on draft research and other reports; represent the Foundation at conferences, briefings, workshops and on webinars.

 Internal Communication and Teamwork

• As a member of the Housing Impact team, contribute to strategy design, bringing a field and programmatic perspective to the discussion: identify knowledge gaps and  problems in the field that AARP Foundation may be well positioned to address, help the team understand the most effective leverage points for change, and help  guide the identification of organizations and initiatives for investment.
• Become knowledgeable about the full range of the Foundation's programs, and become capable of serving as a good sounding board to colleagues working in other program areas.