Senior Program Officer, Mental Health and Well

About The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation

A renowned entrepreneur and co-founder of The Home Depot, Arthur M. Blank is now recognized for his values-based Blank Family of Businesses (BFOB) and as one of America’s leading philanthropists through the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. All his industry-leading businesses, including the foundation, operate on six core values:
Put People First, Listen and Respond, Include Everyone, Innovate Continuously, Lead by Example and Give Back to Others.

After 30 years and over $1 billion in giving, the foundation has committed to significantly escalating the impact of its philanthropy over the next 10+ years. This milestone coincides with deeper participation among the next generation of Blank family members on the board and in advisory capacities, partnering around their shared core beliefs, including the Jewish value of tikkun olam ("heal and repair the world") and seeking a fuller realization of American ideals.

The foundation works across various programmatic areas, including Youth Development, Democracy, Environment, Atlanta’s Westside, and Mental Health and Well-Being. The foundation also manages a large portfolio of founder-led initiatives, supporting the causes, institutions and relationships our founder holds dear. Geographically, much of the foundation’s work prioritizes Georgia (with a focus on Atlanta) and Montana, while also considering the potential for greater national impact and influence.

The Mental Health and Well-Being team is comprised of a managing director, two senior program officers, one of which is this position, and a shared administrative program associate.

The foundation’s approach to Mental Health and Well-being is a 10-year grantmaking strategy with the goal of “supporting flourishing mental health and well-being for young people 0-18.” The three outcomes of this strategy are:
1) parents establish secure emotional bonds with their infants,
2) children develop resilience and a sense of belonging and
3) teenagers have a positive relationship with digital technology.

This role will focus on and support the outcomes related to children’s resilience and belonging, as well as crisis response. This includes leading a national, school- and out-of-school–based portfolio focused on elementary and middle school students, with particular emphasis on scaling evidence-based programs and approaches that strengthen resilience, social connection, and a sense of belonging.

The senior program officer, Mental Health and Well-Being will execute responsibilities in three primary areas: grantmaking, portfolio management and operations; research, results tracking; and communications and external relations.

• Support the managing director to monitor the Mental Health and Well-Being grantmaking strategy.
• Support the managing director to develop departmental workplans, monitoring, and adjusting workplans and timelines as needed.
• Source new grantee partner opportunities consistent with strategy and desired outcomes.
• Draft memos, grant analyses and recommendations, and summary reports.
• Manage a portfolio of existing and new grants through the full lifecycle from inception to completion.
• Be a resource and thought partner for grantees and other partners.
• Understand and monitor grant budgets and ensure compliance with foundation practices and protocols, including appropriate programmatic and financial due diligence.
• Collaborate with other foundation program staff to explore ways that other foundation collective giving areas might find expression in Mental Health and Well-Being
• Support information and updates for quarterly board meetings
• Collaborate with the managing director to develop and support initiatives that create and promote opportunities for the BFOB to engage in this work, both the business entities and the associates interested in having a focus on mental health and well being.

• Stay current on literature in the field, remain abreast of current news and…