Chief Program Officer
$170,000–$210,000 year
HybridPortland, Oregon, United States
Job Summary
Provide executive oversight and vision across BEF's full portfolio of water, carbon, and energy programs, ensuring alignment with organizational mission and strategic priorities. Serve as the primary senior leader for Program Directors, setting standards for program quality, staff development, and cross-team collaboration while directly contributing to sustained program performance. Develop and maintain a rigorous framework for program metrics and impact measurement, building reporting dashboards for internal leadership and the Board of Directors. Lead strategic growth in emerging areas such as data center stewardship and community energy affordability, cultivating relationships with technology companies, utilities, and Tribal Nations to expand client base and revenue streams. Collaborate with the CEO and CFO to design strategies for diversifying the client base and ensuring financial sustainability, while engaging the Board on program strategy and emerging opportunities.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree
- 15 or more years of progressive leadership experience in environmental, sustainability, or related nonprofit, ESG, or mission-driven sectors
- at least 7 years in a senior or executive management role
- Demonstrated success managing complex and/or multi-program portfolios and leading high-performing teams
- Strong command of program design, performance measurement, and continuous improvement frameworks
- proven ability to translate strategy into operational excellence
- Experience in business development, client relationship management, or market expansion in a mission-driven context
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- ability to present complex ideas clearly to diverse audiences
- Deep personal alignment with BEF's mission and values
- genuine commitment to equity, inclusion, and partnership
- Strategic Agility: anticipates trends and consequences across BEF's program portfolio and translates a long-range view into credible strategies and plans
- Interpersonal Savvy: builds rapport and trust across a wide range of audiences
- Conflict Management: reads situations quickly, finds common ground across competing program and stakeholder priorities, and resolves tension constructively
- Location: Hybrid Position–Remote-friendly: proximity or reliable access to Portland, OR preferred for occasional in-person engagement with local staff and events
Desired Qualifications
- advanced degree in environmental sciences, public policy, business administration, or a related field
- Substantive knowledge of water stewardship, voluntary environmental markets (RECs, WRCs, carbon credits), or corporate sustainability strategy
- Substantive knowledge of renewable energy systems, trends, markets, financing and incentives
- Experience working in or alongside the technology sector on sustainability, ESG, or environmental impact, including familiarity with data center water and energy challenges
- Demonstrated track record of developing authentic, equitable programming that is responsive to and directly supports energy or water-related priorities of Tribal nations or Indigenous communities
- Familiarity with nonprofit governance, financial management, and compliance at organizational budgets of $20 million or greater
- Experience working in the western U.S. or familiarity with the region's water, energy, and environmental policy landscape
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