Chief Strategy & Programs Officer
Center on Economics & Foreign Affairs · United States
full timehybridExecutive
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Sign in to applyAbout the role
Shapes the research and program agenda and turns CEFA's institutional priorities into coordinated initiatives with clear public-value outcomes.
Responsibilities
- Convert CEFA's mission into a coherent portfolio of research, convenings, strategic initiatives, and implementation programs. - Define program theories of change, decision criteria, milestones, budgets, and measurable public-value outcomes. - Integrate policy analysis with project development so research can inform practical, financeable, and executable initiatives. - Lead cross-sector teams and external experts, resolving priorities and maintaining intellectual and delivery quality. - Prepare senior briefings and recommendations for executive and Board review. Reporting & working relationships Reports to the President & CEO or designated chief officer. Leads assigned initiative teams and works with fellows, program staff, project professionals, funders, government counterparts, and outside experts. Authority & limits May direct assigned functions, staff, consultants, and approved budgets within delegated authority. May not exceed approved budgets, make reserved institutional commitments, or undertake regulated or conflicted activity without required executive, Board, and legal approval.
Required qualifications
- Leadership experience in strategy, public policy, economic development, program design, consulting, or cross-sector initiatives. - Ability to synthesize complex evidence, frame choices, structure multi-party work, and move from concept to implementation. - Strong writing, facilitation, and executive communication skills with sound nonprofit judgment.
Preferred qualifications
What success looks like: - A focused, evidence-based program portfolio aligned with CEFA's mission and resources. - Initiatives with clear owners, milestones, partner commitments, funding plans, and outcome measures. - High-quality outputs that influence policy and create credible pathways to implementation. - Active collaboration across research, finance, industry, government, and project-development teams.
Benefits
Employment classification: Paid executive staff position. Status: Full-time. Term: Ongoing employment, subject to applicable law and CEFA policies. Compensation: Salary and benefits commensurate with experience and CEFA's approved compensation framework. Performance cycle: Annual objectives with regular check-ins and a formal performance review. Work arrangement: Location, travel, schedule, and exempt/nonexempt status determined for the final role and jurisdiction.
Equal opportunity
CEFA is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants receive consideration without regard to any legally protected characteristic.
About Center on Economics & Foreign Affairs
CEFA is a mission-driven nonprofit institution connecting research, policy, capital, and public- and private-sector partners to advance economic development and foreign-affairs priorities at national scale.