[Hiring] Nonprofit Chief Program Officer @National Adoption Association

Role Description

Join a team that makes a difference in the lives of children and teens in the US foster care system!

The Chief Program Officer (CPO) is a vital member of NAA's senior leadership team and serves as the organization's lead executive for program strategy, integration, and delivery. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the CPO oversees NAA's federally funded programs while also providing strategic leadership for membership engagement, professional learning, certification initiatives, and practitioner-facing content.

• Serve as a key member of the senior leadership team and partner closely with the CEO on organizational strategy, growth, and long-term planning.
• Provide executive oversight and leadership across NAA's program portfolio, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities, mission, and vision.
• Support the development, stabilization, and scaling of emerging initiatives and strategic priorities across the organization.
• Help strengthen organizational integration and coordination across programs, partnerships, membership initiatives, professional learning efforts, and strategic projects.
• Support organizational decision-making by identifying operational, programmatic, and leadership needs associated with growth and increasing complexity.
• Help reduce over-reliance on the CEO for day-to-day program coordination, alignment, and execution by establishing stronger leadership structures, communication, and accountability across program areas.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required. Master's degree preferred.
• A minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in child welfare or related human services fields required.
• Minimum of five years in an executive-level leadership role with responsibility overseeing complex national child welfare programs and supporting organizational strategy required.
• Experience with ACF cooperative agreements, grants, or large-scale initiatives required.
• National child welfare experience overseeing federally funded programs or as a funder of child welfare programs preferred.
• Experience supporting professional learning, membership engagement, certification, technical assistance, or other field-facing initiatives strongly preferred.
• Experience working with executive leadership, boards of directors, funders, and external partners preferred.
• Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional work and coordinating across multiple programs, stakeholders, or teams.

Requirements

• Deep knowledge of child welfare practice, permanency, foster care adoption, kinship, guardianship, post-adoption support, and related systems and policies.
• Understanding of barriers that contribute to racial and ethnic disproportionality and inequitable outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex programs and supervise senior leaders in a mission-driven environment.
• Ability to improve cross-program collaboration, establish clear ownership and accountability, and support organizational effectiveness in a growing and evolving environment.
• Ability to translate organizational vision and strategic priorities into practical plans, initiatives, and measurable outcomes while managing complexity and competing priorities.
• Experience supporting professional learning, membership engagement, technical assistance, certification, training, or practitioner-facing initiatives that strengthen the field and advance best practices.
• Ability to navigate complex organizational, governmental, and external dynamics with diplomacy, sound judgment, and emotional intelligence.
• Ability to analyze complex information and use data, outcomes, and stakeholder feedback to guide decision-making, improve performance, and support organizational learning.
• Builds trust and productive working relationships across teams, partners, boards, and stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to engage diverse audiences, facilitate alignment, and represent the organization with credibility and professionalism.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities, support high-performing teams, and ensure timely execution of complex work.
• Demonstrates high ethical standards, sound judgment, accountability, and commitment to high-quality outcomes.

Benefits

• The CPO salary range is $150,000 - $160,000, commensurate with experience and education.
• Competitive salary and a generous benefits package, including a gold health plan, dental and vision insurance that is 100% employer paid for employees.
• Employer retirement plan contribution.
• Professional development opportunities.
• Meaningful work as part of a dedicated group of professionals making an impact.

How to Apply

Please apply online at https://adoptnaa.isolvedhire.com/jobs/ with a resume and cover letter. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered. Target start date is August 2026.

NAA is an Equal Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or other protected status.