Position Description April 2026 (c) 2026 m/Oppenheim Executive Search May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust Director of Programs The Trust seeks a collaborative, inquisitive, and equity-centered professional to lead its Program Team, responsible for its grantmaking portfolios in the Adults and Transitioning Youth with Disabilities, Foster Youth, Older Adults, and Veterans programs. The Director of Programs will continue to steward trust-based philanthropy practices into all programs. The Director of Programs plays a vital role in the ongoing implementation and evaluation of the 2024-2028 Strategic Plan and serves as a valued thought and advisor partner to the staff, CEO, and Trustees. ABOUT THE TRUST The May & Stanley Smith Charitable Trust is a private foundation that stewards the charitable intentions of Mr. and Mrs. Smith beyond their lifetimes. The Trust envisions a just society that values each individual as vital to the strength, richness, and well-being of the whole, and in which systems are deliberately structured to provide the opportunities and resources that each person needs to reach their full potential. The Trust supports efforts aimed at the individual, community, and systems levels that empower people, including those that have been historically marginalized, to reach their highest potential. The Trust strives to work collaboratively with its grantee partners to achieve significant, lasting, positive changes that promote well-being for individuals and communities, and to strengthen and improve the systems that influence and shape their lives. In all its work, the Trust is guided by the values of Dignity, Respect, Humility, Interdependence, Stewardship, and Justice. The Trust’s 2024-2028 Strategic Plan renews the Trust’s commitment to serve the same four populations—Adults and Transitioning Youth with Disabilities, Foster Youth, Older Adults, and Veterans—with an even greater focus on those disproportionately impacted by inequities and injustices. The Trust’s grantmaking primarily serves people in the 14 Western United States (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming). Trust grants are awarded to organizations that provide direct services to individuals and to organizations working at the systems change and policy levels to support these focus populations. A large percentage of Trust grants are for general operating support. The Trust has four grant cycles per year, and in 2025 made 159 grants, totaling $19.1 million. It is governed by a three-member Board of Trustees. The Director of Programs (DOP) reports to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and serves as part of the Trust’s leadership team comprising the CEO, the DOP, and the Director of Grants Management (DGM). Four Senior Program Officers report to the DOP. THE POSITION The DOP plays a central role in the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of the Trust’s program areas and activities. In addition to leading the Program team, the DOP is responsible for a grant portfolio related to the Trust’s discretionary grantmaking. The DOP works closely with the DGM to ensure that its standards for proposals, documentation, and workflows are both grantee-centered and provide the Trust with the information needed to present funding recommendations to the Trustees for approval. 2 (c) 2026 m/Oppenheim Executive Search Additionally, the DOP works to ensure that the grants presented support the goals and strategies in the Trust’s 2024-28 Strategic Plan, are aligned with the Trust's mission, vision, and values, and respond to the changing needs of the communities it serves. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES • Assist the Trustees and CEO in examining, developing, implementing, documenting, and communicating the programmatic goals, priorities, and strategies of the Trust. • Partner with Leadership Team (CEO and DGM) on matters of policy, practice, and overall strategic leadership • With the current 2024-2028 Strategic Plan (SP) as a guide, facilitate the evolution of the grantmaking strategy to help shape the future of the Trust; further develop and articulate the overarching strategy of the SP and ensure clear and cohesive grant priorities in keeping with the Smiths’ legacy and generosity. • Provide day-to-day leadership for program areas; supervise, mentor, support, and develop program staff to effectively carry out the team’s work; plan and manage the work, objectives, and operations of the program team, including funding recommendations, docket preparation, site visits, and program evaluations. • Collaborate with Program Officers to produce compelling, strategically aligned grant recommendation summaries that equip Trustees to make well-informed approval decisions each quarter. • Manage the Discretionary Grants program area, which includes grants that support the founders’ interests, membership and philanthropic grants, and other grants identified in collaboration with the Leadership team, including preparing written summaries and recommendations for the Board of Trustees and monitoring and evaluation. • In concert with the Grants Management team, identify processes for understanding program impact, including what we want to learn and how it will be captured. • Build collaborative and positive working relationships and effective communication channels with and among team members, as well as across the organization. • Collaborate with Leadership Team to review and refine internal systems and processes to achieve greater operating efficiency and consistency among program team members. • Serve as a liaison between the Trust and grant seekers; participate in internal team review of grant applications; participate in the creation and oversight of the grantmaking budget; periodically review and report on the overall effectiveness of the grantmaking program. • Review and remain current in issues and trends in philanthropy and in the specific program areas of interest to the Trust. • Participate in development of communication materials and website maintenance. • Represents the Trust to grantmaking colleagues and professional associations, and other community members; develops collaborative relationships through affinity groups, professional networks, philanthropic partnerships, and other foundations on topics related to the Trust’s interests and program areas. 3 (c) 2026 m/Oppenheim Executive Search CORE COMPENTENCIES • Committed to continuous learning and growth, and able to come up to speed on a variety of issues quickly. • Experienced leader with knowledge of trust-based practices in philanthropy, and whose career demonstrates strategic and empathetic leadership of a team. • Champion for change and innovation with the sensitivity and ability to negotiate or ameliorate fears or limitations. • Facilitates authentic conversations with anyone, no matter their level of responsibility or the circumstances, and works with and gains grantees’ trust to neutralize any power imbalance. • Listens with a deep commitment to respecting diverse viewpoints. • Writes and edits exceedingly well, and is able to translate complex information into concise, descriptive, and comprehensible documents. • Communicates effectively verbally, and is able to deliver oral presentations in multiple settings with a variety of audiences and diverse stakeholders. • Collects, analyzes, and shares implications of large amounts of information, including research, data, stakeholder input, and grantee reports to inform actionable insights and develop recommendations for strategic shifts. • Collaborates well with team members and across foundation departments. • Capacity to stay motivated and productive in a remote working environment. • Manages multiple priorities effectively and delivers timely results with clear team communication. • Empathetic with a good sense of humor. • Demonstrates a commitment to justice and equity. • Demonstrates a commitment to the mission and values of the May & Stanley Smith Charitable Trust. KEY QUALIFICATIONS • Bachelor’s or graduate degree in public policy, social policy, public health, nonprofit management, or a relevant area, or commensurate experience. • While the position is one of a generalist, knowledge and experience as a nonprofit practitioner, policy expert, or funder in one or more of the Trust’s interest areas is a plus: Foster Youth, Veterans, Adults with Disabilities, Older Adults. • At least a decade of combined experience working in program development, implementation, and/or evaluation within the nonprofit and/or philanthropic sectors. • Experience setting strategic direction for a department or organization; demonstrated ability to effectively lead, manage, and be part of a collaborative team. • Knowledge of best practices, and legal, accounting, and regulatory requirements for grantmaking; understanding of IRS regulations regarding nonprofits; proficiency in intermediate financial analysis and related business skills. 4 (c) 2026 m/Oppenheim Executive Search • Experience working collaboratively to implement trust-based and equitable grantmaking practices • Strong computer skills with proficiency in Word, Excel, and Fluxx (or other grants management systems). • Proven supervisory experience in leading a team • Currently residing in or willing to relocate to one of the 14 states where the Trust carries out programmatic grantmaking • Willingness to travel approximately 30 days per year. The compensation for this role is $180,000 - $220,000 based on experience. The Trust operates under a Hybrid Remote Operations policy requiring daily core working hours in a remote location and travel to the Trust’s offices in Larkspur, CA (or another specified location) approximately five times per year for Core Office Days (CODs). Employees residing in the Bay Area are welcome to work from the Trust’s offices as frequently as they choose. The Trust offers a highly competitive compensation package that is centered on employee wellbeing, including fully paid medical, dental, and vision premiums for employees (partial coverage for families), a monthly stipend to support remote work technology, annual contributions to a 401K plan, and fully paid travel to and from the office for CODs. For more information, to nominate another or to apply, please contact: Lisa Grossman (650) 323-3565 or lisag@moppenheim.com Steven Oppenheim (202) 803-6673 or steveno@moppenheim.com m/Oppenheim Executive Search San Francisco, CA 94129-0625