About the job

Title: Program Officer, Policy & Advocacy

Business Unit: Sobrato Philanthropies

Status: Full- Time

FSLA Status: Exempt

Work Location: Sacramento or Mountain View, CA

Date Submitted: May 2025

Summary

The Sobrato Organization (TSO) is a family-owned, multi-enterprise firm focused on real estate, investment, and philanthropy. For nearly seven decades, we have played a pivotal role in the emergence and growth of Silicon Valley. Starting with real estate, then branching into grantmaking, advocacy, and impact investing, we partner with communities to shape a world that is more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable.

“TSO possesses extraordinary assets, including committed owners who are passionate about our mission, an incredibly talented team of proven professionals, and an ample set of social and commercial opportunities to pursue. As CEO, my goal is to foster leadership excellence, strategic clarity, operational effectiveness and a vibrant culture. I believe we can set the gold standard of integrating mission and profit, serve as an example to others, and create an environment where amazing people can thrive.” Tony Mestres, Chief Executive Officer.

Job Summary

The Sobrato Philanthropies has adopted a bold new Theory of Impact that seeks to build the conditions for low-wage and housing-insecure communities to thrive. To achieve this vision, SP will deploy grants and other philanthropic tools in the Silicon Valley region, at the state level in California, and nationally, focused on critical issue areas impacting these communities, including Economic Mobility, Educational Equity, and Hou sing Security.

The Program Officer will contribute to the implementation of SP’s strategic approach to policy and advocacy grantmaking and influence, focusing primarily on educational equity in California state policy. Our educational equity work aims to improve outcomes for Multilingual Learner (ML) students by building a movement of partners working together to scale bilingual education statewide. This role will participate in our educational equity strategy development and refinement, due diligence and grantmaking, grantee engagement and progress monitoring, field engagement and collaborations with peer foundations, and evaluation and learning activities. The Program Officer will bring experience in diligence, shaping, and managing an education grant portfolio and demonstrate deep knowledge of policy and advocacy approaches to advance community-centered systemic change in the educational equity field.

As an educational equity-focused role, the Program Officer will lead education policy and advocacy grants, leveraging lessons learned from our track record in this issue area. This role will understand the local, state, and national policy environment related to this work and is expected to partner with state and local stakeholders with a vested interest in education reform on behalf of MLs. This role will require a regular presence in Sacramento to engage with grantees and other stakeholders on education policy.

Responsibilities And Tasks

Job Responsibility 1: Portfolio Management

50% of Time:

Grow and deepen ongoing collaboration with grantees through check-ins, site visits, technical assistance, and thought partnership, among other tools.
Develop and implement virtual and in-person grantee learning and convening opportunities with the policy & advocacy team.
Stay abreast of new and significant developments in policy, research, and practice related to educational equity for MLs in California and nationally.
Proactively surface critical insights, trends, needs, and gaps on education policy, systems change, and organizational capacity building from our grantees and the field to inform our grantmaking strategy and practice. Bring findings back to grantees to strengthen their capacity.

Job Responsibility 2: Partnership & Strategic Support

30% of Time:

Identify and research organizations that would be well-aligned with our educational equity priorities, evaluate grant proposals, conduct due diligence and financial analysis using our rubrics, determine priority funding areas, draft agreements with key metrics, and present grant recommendations.
Lead on educational equity grants in the state policy strategy and partner with the Senior Program Officer on grants in our teacher workforce and parent demand strategies.
Participate in, inform, and advise grantee coalitions as appropriate, including the Multilingual Education Policy Partners coalition of our educational equity anchor grantees.
Participate in funder coalitions and learning spaces to inform philanthropic agendas.
Build and maintain networks with key leaders from government, philanthropy, nonprofit, and other sectors to coordinate efforts and funding opportunities.
Regularly engage stakeholders in Sacramento, including policy leaders, researchers, and advocates, to stay informed about education policy discussions.
Represent SP and the policy & advocacy team with various constituencies, including in conferences, roundtables, and other public venues.
Collaborate with Program Officers and Senior Program Officers at SP to strategically align educational equity grantmaking across geographies (Silicon Valley, California, and nationally).

Job Responsibility 3: Coordination and Communications

10% of Time:

Build collaborative and positive working relationships with all staff across The Sobrato Organization (TSO). Maintain effective communication channels.
Contribute to annual planning, goal setting, and budgeting cycle.
Participate in policy & advocacy, SP, and TSO all-staff meetings to coordinate work, report on progress, flag challenges, and offer insight and expertise.
Provide regular updates and briefings on the educational equity work to SP leadership in coordination with the Director of Policy & Advocacy.
Partner with grants management team to ensure effective grantmaking processes and practices are in place from start to finish.
Support TSO’s communications efforts by providing educational equity stories and examples for public dissemination.

Other Responsibilities As Assigned

10% of Time

Qualifications

Education / Training

Bachelor’s degree required.
Minimum of 5-7 years of related experience in philanthropic strategy, grantmaking, and grant portfolio management. Experience in policy research and analysis is a plus.

Experience/Technical Skills

A background in philanthropy that demonstrates a deep knowledge of what it takes to build and expand support for equitable, community-centered systemic change. Policy expertise is a plus.
Grantmaking experience at a private foundation that includes diligence on nonprofits, assessing capacity, program and financial needs for scale, and developing agreements and metrics that align with shared goals.
Passionate about uplifting the assets and experiences of low-wage and housing-insecure residents and communities, including immigrant and multilingual families and youth.
Strategic thinking with robust quantitative and qualitative analytical skills to conduct thorough due diligence of an organization’s program model, financial models, and organizational capacity.
Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to develop and refine processes that enhance team efficiency and effectiveness.
Ability to manage multiple priorities amid ambiguity and to leverage creative thinking and resourcefulness.
Ability to write clearly and concisely to reflect rigorous analysis of complex issues.
Agile learner and do-er who can quickly get up-to-speed and form productive relationships.
Works well independently and in a team, demonstrating initiative, flexibility, and collaboration.
Ability to collaborate and communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders.
Exercises good judgment and comfortable with giving and receiving feedback.
Brings a strong sense of self-confidence, self-awareness, and a sense of humor.
Excellent computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Proficiency in the Asana project management tool is a plus.

ORGANIZATION

Reports to: Director of Policy & Advocacy

Direct Reports : N/A

Alignment to our Mission, Culture, and Values

We hire individuals who share our vision of building a better future through business and philanthropic leadership, impacting the lives of countless fellow residents of our region in a way that could be replicated in other major metropolitan regions around the country and affecting the lives of millions.

Our Mission and Values

The Sobrato Organization’s Mission Is To Build a More Equitable And Sustainable World Through Business And Philanthropic Leadership. We Work To Inspire Current And Future Generations To Steward Family Resources In Service Of Others Around The World. We Have Established a Deep Legacy In Silicon Valley That Includes a Commitment To Community, And Our Values Honor And Promote This Legacy

Mutual Accountability: We earn trust by taking ownership of our work and honoring our commitments to each other, our partners and our communities.

Collaboration: We believe in the value of collaboration and partnership in achieving effective solutions. We treat people with respect and value the diverse experiences and perspectives of our partners, colleagues and investees.

Engagement: We recognize that lasting impact requires building deep relationships with our stakeholders and getting proximate to our communities and the work. We act with humility, respect and compassion.

Excellence: We focus on results, maintain a strong work ethic, and persist through challenges. We innovate, take risks, and embrace creativity and continuous learning.

Integrity: We endeavor to deal transparently, honestly and fairly. We strive to do what is right, especially when it is hard.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision benefits for employees and dependents on the first of the month following the hire date
Short and long-term disability and life insurance
Fertility program benefits
Comprehensive mental health benefits for employees and dependents
Retirement savings account with matching contributions of up to 10%
Twenty PTO days in the first year of service in addition to paid year-end closure days between Christmas and New Year’s Day
Eleven paid holidays
Transit commuter benefits
Tuition assistance and professional development initiatives for growth
Technology allowance
Employee matching gifts program
Generous parental leave
Flexible and inclusive work environment
Enjoy a professional yet comfortable work environment with our business casual dress code
Catered lunches, healthy snacks and beverages

Compensation Transparency

At TSO, base pay is part of a broader compensation package and is set within a range, allowing for growth as you advance in your role. The pay range for this role is between 125,000 and 150,000.

Salary offers are determined based on various factors, including experience, education, licensure and/or certifications, internal equity, and specific business and organizational needs. TSO is fully committed to complying with California's pay transparency laws to ensure fair and equitable compensation practices.

About Us

Founded by John A. Sobrato in 1979 and led by CEO Tony Mestres, The Sobrato Organization remains a family-owned firm known for integrity and dedication, with no outside investors or joint venture partners. Since 1953, the Sobrato Family has played a pivotal role in shaping Silicon Valley through its real estate development. Its office, and R&D projects comprise 7.5 million square feet, most of which are Class A, mid-rise office buildings. TSO also owns 30 apartment communities totaling 6,700 units along the West Coast. Through Sobrato Philanthropies, the firm has donated more than $379 million in cash and real estate to the Silicon Valley community. We have established a deep legacy in Silicon Valley that includes a commitment to community and our values honor and promote this legacy.

The Sobrato Organization is committed to its mission of building strong and vibrant communities where we live and do business. To achieve this, we embrace becoming a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable organization that empowers our people. Our team remains at the core of what we do. We strive to consistently lead from a space of learning and strengthening our capacity for change. We understand our responsibility to cultivate a culture of belonging, appreciation, and respect. We believe that TSO must be a place where staff feel at ease in expressing themselves honestly and openly. Advancing these important initiatives is mission-critical to our ability to maximize our impact in the world.

The Sobrato Organization is an equal-opportunity employer dedicated to building a team that represents a diversity of backgrounds, cultures, experiences, perspectives, and skills and to creating an environment and inclusion and belonging for all employees regardless of race, skin color, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or parenthood. The Sobrato Organization is expanding, and we are passionate about growing our staff with people who have diverse voices with different lived experiences.

This position was originally posted by the Sobrato Organization and has been curated by PurposePhil Career. To apply, please visit the original listing on the "apply" link below. We are not affiliated with the employer organization of this job ad or consultancy, and provide this curated listing as a service to our users.

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