Felicity P. Tan Founding Executive Director, The Risman Foundation
Dear Candidate
Thank you for your interest in the Programme Officer role at the Risman Foundation.
The Risman Foundation is on a mission to raise a generation of flourishing young people in the UK and beyond, no matter their circumstances. We believe that by reimagining the formative experiences at critical phases of their becoming – from childhood to adolescence, and through to the time they are on the cusp of unleashing their full potential – we can nurture a generation of confident, compassionate, and purpose-led individuals ready to shape a better, more humane world.
We're at a pivotal and exciting point in our journey. As a new foundation, we're not just expanding our programmes but shaping our culture, our strategy, and how we work as an organisation. Our Programme Officer will play a central role in designing and delivering initiatives that tackle complex challenges in education and wellbeing, and bringing to life unforgettable, expansive and transformative experiences that shape the leaders, innovators and creators young people will become. You'd collaborate with local partners, global networks and boundary-pushing thinkers to create ripple effects today and for generations that follow. But your influence won't stop there. You'll also have a real voice in how we shape our team, evolve our thinking, and strengthen our foundation for long-term success.
We are building a team that reflects the values we hope to inspire in others: people who excel in their craft, with a broad mix of experiences, and who bring curiosity, purpose, and heart to their work. If you're motivated by the chance to contribute to an ambitious mission while helping shape the direction of an evolving organisation, we'd love to hear from you. I can't wait to build something great together.
Felicity P. Tan
CONTENTS
About Us
The Team
Role Description
Person Specification
Compensation
Application Process
ABOUT US The Risman Foundation
We are a young, newly scaled, philanthropy founded on a history of leadership and innovation in fields as diverse as education, entrepreneurship, sport and charitable endeavour.
In a developmental environment for young people that has changed dramatically in recent years, the Foundation has a mission to cultivate an ecosystem that enables young people to engage in a full breadth of formative experiences today, so they are primed to become well-rounded, purpose-led and values-driven leaders, shapers and creators of tomorrow.
This means backing an attractively diverse range of ideas, individuals, initiatives and institutions that contribute to a breadth of values-shaping experiences from early childhood through young adulthood, locally and globally; doing what we can to reverse the harmful effects of structures, systems and technologies that are failing our young people; and enabling the rising generation to shape and choose the world they will inherit. At the heart of this is a trust-based, partner-driven and networked approach to social change.
In 2025, we're entering an exciting new chapter, growing our grantmaking significantly and expanding our reach. We recognise that while the interventions we support need to endure in the long term, we also must act in the near term and with conviction. Hence, the Foundation envisages supporting larger core projects, and spending down a majority of its endowment in the next 5 to 10 years whilst leaving a minority in perpetuity. With the appointment of our first Executive Director and a newly formed leadership team, we're putting strong foundations in place for our future.
The Risman Foundation was first established in 2008 as a Charitable Trust, with charity number 112310. In 2024, the Trust incorporated a separate charity, The Risman Foundation, registered as a Company Limited by Guarantee, currently undergoing accreditation as a registered charity in England & Wales.
THE TEAM
We are building a mission-driven and purpose-led team that is entrepreneurial, with a range of skills and perspectives that stem from their plurality of career and life experiences. We will reflect the energy, optimism and values-orientation we seek to role model for the generation that the Foundation seeks to nurture.
We envision a lean and efficient team so as to direct most of our resources toward our charitable aims and supporting our grantees.
The Programme Team
The Programme team will be responsible for the Foundation's core business of grantmaking.
We operate much like a "deal team," actively seeking grantee partners and collaborators that align with our values, mission and strategy, and utilising systemic approaches to cultivate and invest in societal change.
We firmly believe that the work of social change is a partnership. That's why we take a collaborative approach to philanthropy, working closely with allies and grantees to design projects, and challenge each other to push the envelope.
We bring skills across both grantmaking and influencing, taking a systems view to rigorously construct a mutually reinforcing portfolio of grants. As ambassadors for the Foundation, we value trust, authenticity and co-creation, as well as practical excellence in relationship-building and community stewardship.
As a lean and young team, we are self-starters who roll our sleeves up and aren't afraid to get in the trenches with our grantees when invited. We are adaptable and creative in how we deploy our skills, and stay ahead of ongoing shifts in the philanthropic sector and in the arenas where we hope to make a difference.
ROLE DESCRIPTION Programme Officer
Key Responsibilities
The Programme Officer will serve as the Deputy Lead of the Programme Team. They will have oversight for work across the portfolio, and as the Foundation's strategy evolves, will likewise lead on specific streams and initiatives.
Grantmaking Strategy and Operations
- Partner with the Executive Director to develop programmatic strategy and impact measurement frameworks
- Product owner for the Grant Management System, ensuring processes are efficient, effective and unencumbering for our grantees
- Work with the Head of Operations to ensure accurate programmatic budgeting and forecasting
Grant Search and Development (Pre-Award and Deployment)
- Actively seek innovative opportunities with existing and new grantees, leveraging networks and working closely with the ED on strategic portfolio construction
- Shepherd grants from conceptualisation, design and due diligence through to award deployment, working collaboratively with grantees and networked partners
Programme Success (Post-Award)
- Craft opportunities for cross-learning, mutual support and thought leadership amongst the Foundation's community
- Partnering with grantees to support their progress
- Support grantees on quantitative and qualitative impact measurement
Level: manager / senior manager Reports to: Executive Director Direct Reports: Programme Associate
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential Competencies and Characteristics
- Experience in a grant-making organisation and of programme management, with excellent attention to detail.
- A self-starter with a creative, entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to adapt to and help guide an evolving organisation in a dynamic sector.
- Demonstrated experience contributing to organisational strategy and out-of-the-box thinking to support process improvement.
- Lived or professional experience in the challenges and solutions the Foundation works in. This may come from a range of contexts or sectors.
- Exceptional networking and community-building skills, with an ability to balance the needs of individual stakeholders against the big picture of ecosystem change.
- Alignment with our ethos of plurality and trust-based philanthropy: open-minded, curious and respectful of our grantees' needs and expertise.
Desirable
- 5-7 years' experience within a grantmaking organisation.
- Experience conducting due diligence preferred.
- Stellar written, numerical and oral persuasion skills.
- Exposure to work in the arts, sport, culture or education sectors.
COMPENSATION
Renumeration - base salary from £62,000
This is a full-time role, with current policy being four days a week in our Central London office and work-from-home Fridays. Some domestic and international travel may be required. The successful candidate must have the right to work in the UK.
All staff enjoy the same benefits:
- 25 days paid leave in addition to bank holidays
- Group Life Insurance and Income Protection
- 4% of base salary as employer pension contribution (eligible employees must also contribute at least 5% from their earnings)
- 5% of base salary that can be flexibly deployed toward optional private health cover, and residuals as additional pension contributions
- 10% annual bonus based on performance
The Foundation is in the process of formalising detailed policies with regard to certain other aspects of enhanced employee benefits. Until such a time these are adopted, the Foundation will adhere to statutory requirements in England & Wales, and any additional allowances will be dealt with on a case by case basis.
Application Process
The Risman Foundation is partnering with executive search firm Green Park on this appointment. Green Park will support the selection committee to discharge its duties, to assist in the assessment of candidates against the appointment criteria. We warmly welcome candidates from a wide variety of personal and professional backgrounds.
If you want to know more about the role or selection process, please contact Laura Blight or Harry Marven from Green Park on Laura.Blight@Green-Park.co.uk or Harry.Marven@Green-Park.co.uk.
Timetable Applications Close: 21st September Interviews with Executive Director: Late-September Second Stage Interviews: Early-October Final interviews: Mid-October
To apply for the role, please provide the following documents to risman.applications@green-park.co.uk.
- An up-to-date CV. Please submit a PDF document labelled 'CV' with your name and the role title.
- A supporting statement. We would particularly value understanding your motivation for the Risman Foundation's work and your interest in joining us, your most relevant experience, and a bit about you. Please label this document 'Supporting Statement' with your name and the role title.
Please submit your application by 11:59pm Sunday 21st September.
This position was originally posted by the Risman Foundation 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.
