[Hiring] Senior Program Officer @Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Role Description

You are responsible for leading the foundation’s investments to build and scale modern mathematics curriculum for high school students leading to equitable access and adoption across the country. This includes:

• Supporting the development and sustainable scaling of advanced math course options including data science, statistics, and quantitative reasoning.
• Working with multiple partners and philanthropists to steward a multi-phase initiative to modernize the core high school math sequence, targeting more than one million students annually by 2035.
• Driving execution across interdependent workstreams related to modernized expectations for what is taught in Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II.
• Managing a complex portfolio of partnerships, coalitions, and investments.
• Having deep expertise in high school math content and standards, the grantmaking process, and the political and reform dynamics that shape whether large-scale systemic changes to innovations in mathematics education succeed or stall.

Applications accepted until 12 PM/Noon Pacific Time on Friday, October 2, 2026. Relocation assistance is offered for this role for a hired candidate who is not living within a commutable distance from the Seattle or Washington, DC office. In some instances, we are also open to a remote employee from a US state only.

What You'll Do

• Work collaboratively with potential and current grantees in grant making and managing.
• Lead execution of an initiative to modernize high school math, including publisher and field engagement with modern expectations of what is taught in Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II.
• Manage investments, in coordination with other Gates Foundation colleagues, with standards and assessment partners to develop a field-endorsed set of prioritized high school math expectations.
• Execute a tiered engagement strategy, working through external partners with national reach in systemic change in high school mathematics curriculum.
• Design and lead publisher engagement strategy in partnership with external partners and internal colleagues.
• Develop a campaign approach and expand a co-funder coalition, identifying and cultivating relationships with philanthropic, public, and private partners.
• Synthesize complex field intelligence into clear, structured insights that inform initiative strategy and division leadership decision-making.
• Build and sustain senior-level relationships with state education leaders, national standards organizations, publishers, researchers, and co-funders.
• Communicate initiative strategy, progress, and risks clearly and concisely to diverse audiences.
• Collaborate across the K-12 team and with Advocacy and System Improvement, Data and AI, and other program strategy teams.
• Support inclusive culture through modeling behaviors and actions.

Qualifications

• An Advanced degree or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• Significant experience in K-12 education policy, standards development, or curriculum strategy.
• Experience with grantmaking either as a grantee or program officer.
• Significant experience managing complex, multi-workstream initiatives with multiple external partners.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing campaign strategies or field-building efforts in K-12 education reform.
• Knowledge of the K-12 publisher ecosystem, including the business models and product development processes of major curriculum publishers.
• Demonstrated excellence in written and oral communication.

Requirements

• Must have unrestricted work authorization in the country where this position is located.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums.
• Generous paid time off.
• Paid family leave.
• Foundation-paid retirement contribution.
• Regional holidays.
• Opportunities to engage in several employee communities.

Salary Information

The salary range for this role is $190,100 to $294,700 USD. The range for this role in Seattle and Washington D.C. is $209,100 to $324,100 USD.

Hiring Requirements

As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

Candidate Accommodations

We’re committed to providing an inclusive and accessible hiring experience for all candidates. If you have a disability or medical condition and need an accommodation at any stage of the application or interview process, please contact [email protected] with the position number and a brief description of your accommodation needs.

Inclusion Statement

We are dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We strive for a global and cultural workplace that supports ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion.