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Program Officer, Strategic Initiatives

Position Summary

Reporting to the Program Manager for Strategic Initiatives, the Program Officer is responsible for the development of new funding programs and the management of the full life cycle of the grant process within Strategic Initiatives. Grants within this department can range across any core funding area of the Foundation’s mission and currently include projects in such fields as complexity, evolutionary biology, neuroscience, and psychology. The Program Officer works with a team to oversee and coordinate the activities of the Foundation's grant‐making within this program area, including supporting the development of new projects, communicating with applicants and grantees, and helping to lead the assessment of grant outcomes and impact.

The ideal candidate for this role a highly organized person with superior writing and communication skills, as well as knowledge and technical experience in working across the different academic disciplines engaged by the John Templeton Foundation. The candidate should have at least five years of experience within an academic or foundation setting. A bachelor’s degree is required; a higher degree in mathematics, natural sciences, or physical sciences is preferred.

The John Templeton Foundation provides support for research and the dissemination of research in a variety of areas. Typically projects involving research and dissemination do so in the context of different, specific Big Questions that lie within and at the intersection of multiple disciplines. The Foundation supports work that seeks to uncover the fundamental nature of reality, including work in physics, biology, philosophy, theology, mathematics, and the social and human sciences. In addition, the Foundation supports research and programs in areas such as Freedom and Free Enterprise, Genetics, and the discovery and nurturing of Exceptional Cognitive Talent and Creativity.

It is essential for the successful candidate to understand and support the Foundation’s mission as a whole, as well as Sir John Templeton’s specific philanthropic intentions.

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MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the John Templeton Foundation is to serve as a philanthropic catalyst for discovery in areas engaging life's biggest questions. These questions range from explorations into the laws of nature and the universe to questions on the nature of love, gratitude, forgiveness, and creativity.

Our vision is derived from Sir John Templeton's commitment to rigorous scientific research and related scholarship. The Foundation's motto “How little we know, how eager to learn” exemplifies our support for open-minded inquiry and our hope for advancing human progress through breakthrough discoveries.