Program Officer

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (Hewlett or the Foundation), based in Menlo Park, California, seeks a collaborative and strategic leader to serve as a Program Officer in its Education Program.

At a pivotal moment for both the Foundation and the broader field, this individual will help advance an evolving strategy focused on strengthening human connections and expanding rich learning experiences for all students, particularly those furthest from opportunity. Working closely with the Education Program Director and a highly collaborative team, the Program Officer will contribute to shaping and implementing this strategy while engaging with a diverse set of partners across the education ecosystem. This is a unique opportunity to join a highly respected foundation at a time of strategic evolution and to contribute to work that seeks to strengthen public education and its role in supporting thriving communities, a healthy democracy, and a vibrant economy.

The Program Officer will bring deep knowledge of public education, ideally grounded in firsthand experience in schools and school systems, and an understanding of how to cohere and align instructional practice, community and systems leadership, and cross-sector partnerships to improve academic and life outcomes for students. They will bring a nuanced understanding of the realities of educational improvement, and the ability to identify high-leverage strategies to help close the gap between aspiration and implementation in public education.

The successful candidate will advance Hewlett’s vision of deeper learning, a blend of strong academic knowledge with the skills, mindsets, and dispositions that young people need to thrive in a rapidly changing world. The Program Officer will work closely with districts, states, and networks that are working with key civic institutions, community-based organizations and employers to expand rich learning experiences and strengthen human relationships, especially in an increasingly AI-centric world. The candidate will work with the Education Program team and its partners to build non-partisan coalitions committed to improving public education at scale. Through this work, Hewlett seeks to enable high quality learning opportunities for all students, especially those furthest from opportunity.

To advance the Foundation’s goals, the Program Officer will work closely and build strong relationships with school and systems leaders and their local, state, and national partners on the improvement of instructional practice. The Program Officer will bring knowledge, understanding, and expertise of educational implementation at the state, district, and school levels. The Program Officer will have knowledge and experience with efforts to better connect schools and communities – and broaden student learning experiences – through such strategies as career-connected learning and civic-learning. The Program Officer will also collaborate with colleagues focused on complementary strategic priorities such as improving teacher preparation and career advancement, strengthening school and systems leadership, and leveraging enabling environments such as state, local and national policy and ascendent technologies such as artificial intelligence.

Hewlett has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in this search. Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. For best consideration, please apply by August 14, 2026. Submit inquiries, nominations, referrals, and applications below. Electronic submission of materials is required.

Cati Mitchell-Crossley is leading this search with Ebony Breaux-Liang and Julia Hochner.

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation embraces the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion, both internally in our hiring process and organizational culture, and externally, in our grantmaking and related practices. Hewlett is an equal opportunity employer, and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, cultures, and experiences.