Senior Program Officer of Arts & Culture

Position overview

The Senior Program Officer of Arts & Culture is part of the Community Impact team and reports to the Director of Community Impact. In this role, you will lead the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Arts & Culture Initiative (ACI) at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. The initiative aims to support a healthy, well-connected arts and culture ecosystem that serves the sector and the community as a whole.

Arts & Culture Initiative principles

• Build on what already exists before creating something new.
• Center community voice, identity, and representation throughout implementation.
• Stay adaptable and responsive as sector needs change.
• Work from a strengths-based approach that encourages shared ownership and active involvement from all stakeholders.

Role summary

This position is responsible for bringing the initiative’s vision and values to life through grantmaking and resource coordination. That includes leading the annual ACI grant cycle, supporting related grant opportunities, taking part in sector-wide efforts, and helping strengthen relationships across the arts and culture landscape. The role calls for strong organization, sound judgment, and the ability to connect people and organizations across the field. Success in this position also requires comfort in a fast-moving environment, strong ethics, confidentiality, and a collaborative mindset.

Key responsibilities

• Oversee the full annual ACI grant process, including outreach with the communications team, coordination of reporting for Arts & Culture Initiative funds, and administration of both the Designated Culturals process and the small-to-mid-size grantmaking process.
• Ensure all ACI activities stay aligned with the initiative’s vision and values.
• Coordinate and make use of resource-building and capacity-building opportunities for the arts and culture sector, including the ACI Workshop Series and strategic partnerships with funders and intermediary organizations.
• Take part in sector-wide initiatives such as Fund for the Arts, the City of Buffalo Arts & Culture Strike Team, ongoing cultural planning work, and the Buffalo State Cultural Hub.
• Guide the capacity-building cohort program and refine it using grantee feedback, with support from external consultants.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with arts and culture funders and other stakeholders.
• Model thoughtful philanthropic practices that reflect the Community Foundation’s strategic direction.
• Support additional grant programs run by the Community Foundation.
• Partner with the communications team to create and deliver messaging that reflects the ACI vision, the Community Foundation, and the RCWJF brand commitments.
• Handle relevant budgets and contracts.
• Lead or contribute to annual evaluation efforts.
• Perform other duties as needed.

Travel expectations

Most travel will take place within the eight counties of Western New York and Monroe, as relationship-building across this region is central to success in the role. Additional travel may be required for training and professional development.

Experience and qualifications

• Proven subject-matter expertise with the ability to guide strategy and collaboration.
• At least seven years of increasingly responsible experience in philanthropy or the arts and culture field.
• Strong background in program development and project management, with the ability to balance several priorities under tight deadlines.
• Deep familiarity with the nonprofit sector, especially arts and culture, along with experience working in community coalitions.
• Ability to build effective relationships with people from diverse backgrounds and with organizations across the Western New York community.
• Clear and persuasive communication skills, both verbally and in writing, including presentations and digital settings.
• Strong analytical, evaluative, and management capabilities.
• Comfort using Microsoft Office tools.
• Tech fluency and the ability to apply software knowledge effectively.
• Consistently high-quality work and a strong commitment to team collaboration.

Additional information

This position has no direct management responsibilities. The salary range for the role is $79,000 to $82,000. The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo has served the Western New York community for more than a century and works to connect people, ideas, and resources to improve lives in the region. It is a 501(c)(3) organization established in 1919. Applicants are asked to submit a cover letter describing their interest in the role and what they would contribute to the organization. Applications can be submitted through the organization’s applicant tracking system, and if needed, by U.S. Postal Service. No phone calls are requested. The application deadline is Friday, July 10, 2026. The organization is an equal opportunity employer and maintains a workplace free from unlawful harassment, discrimination, and retaliation in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.