Program Officer, Racial Equity Initiatives

PROGRAM OFFICER, RACIAL EQUITY INITIATIVES

The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo is seeking to hire a Program Officer, Racial Equity Initiatives.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Program Officer, Racial Equity Initiatives (Evaluation Focus) plays a key role in advancing the Foundation’s racial equity agenda by integrating evaluation, learning, and data-driven insights into strategy, programs, and community initiatives. Reporting to the Director, Racial Equity Initiatives (DREI), this position collaborates across internal teams and with external partners and initiatives to ensure that racial equity efforts are effectively designed, implemented, measured, and communicated.

This role is responsible for managing initiatives from inception through evaluation, coordinating internal resources and external consultants, and leading the development of metrics, dashboards, and learning frameworks that strengthen collective impact and accountability.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program and Project Leadership

• Support racial equity projects and initiatives through research, analysis, and evaluation design.

• Coordinate with internal teams, external partners, and consultants to ensure projects align with the Foundation’s strategic goals and racial equity outcomes.

• Develop and manage project timelines, deliverables, and budgets, ensuring activities stay on track and meet quality standards.

• Organize and facilitate meetings, workshops, and events related to evaluation learning.

• Support and assist DREI with organizing meetings, workshops, and events related to racial equity.

Evaluation, Learning, and Impact

• Design and implement evaluation frameworks and logic models for racial equity initiatives, identifying key performance indicators and data collection strategies.

• Develop and maintain dashboards, metrics, and reporting systems that track progress toward racial equity goals.

• Conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis to assess the effectiveness and impact of Foundation-supported programs and partnerships.

• Synthesize and present findings in accessible, actionable ways for internal teams, leadership, and external partners.

• Work collaboratively with Foundation colleagues to integrate learning and evaluation into planning, decision-making, and grantmaking.

Community and Partnership Engagement

• Maintain and grow a strong network across diverse community sectors, including nonprofit, government, business, and philanthropy.

• Support and assist DREI to facilitate collaborative efforts among stakeholders to create shared agendas, common measures, and sustainability strategies.

• Support partners in building their capacity to collect, analyze, and use data in ways that advance racial equity.

• Attend community meetings and learning exchanges focused on equity and evaluation.

Communication and Knowledge Sharing

• Work with the DREI to communicate key findings, stories of impact, and lessons learned.

• Develop written and visual materials—including reports, presentations, and data summaries—to share insights and elevate the Foundation’s role as a learning organization.

• Contribute to a culture of transparency, curiosity, and continuous improvement within the Foundation and among partners.

OTHER JOB DUTIES:

• All other duties as assigned.

MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES:

• None (may oversee consultants or evaluation contractors).

TRAVEL

• Minimal travel may be required for professional development or learning exchanges within the eight counties of Western New York.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE/EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required; advanced degree preferred in fields such as public administration, public policy, sociology, planning, evaluation, or related disciplines.

• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in philanthropy, community engagement, evaluation, research, or program management.

• Demonstrated experience designing and managing evaluations for complex community or systems-change initiatives.

• Strong analytical skills and proficiency in both quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods.

• Demonstrated excellence in written communication, including the ability to produce clear, compelling, and error-free content.

• Familiarity with collective impact frameworks, racial equity tools, and community-based participatory approaches.

• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to translate data into compelling narratives and actionable insights.

• Proven ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, and relationships with diverse stakeholders.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau) a plus.

• Commitment to racial equity, inclusion, and community-centered learning.

Salary Range: $70,000 - $75,000 Annually

ABOUT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION:

For more than a century, the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo has enhanced and encouraged long-term philanthropy in the Western New York community. A 501 (c)(3) organization, the Community Foundation’s mission is: Connecting people, ideas and resources to improve lives in Western New York. Established in 1919, the Community Foundation has made the most of the generosity of individuals, families, foundations and organizations who entrust charitable assets to the Community Foundation’s care. Learn more at cfgb.org.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Community foundations are designed to grow and evolve as our community’s needs change, and new positions are regularly created as a result. As the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo continues to grow, we’re looking for talented people who want to use their abilities to make a lasting difference. If that is you, then please send a cover letter explaining your interest in this position and what you would bring to the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.

Application deadline: [Monday March 23, 2026] We thank all candidates for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. As such, the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo is committed to providing a collaborative work environment that is free of all forms of unlawful harassment, discrimination and retaliation. The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo values the promotion of a safe professional environment for all employees and stakeholders.