How to hire a Program Officer

How to hire a program officer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step program officer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a program officer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new program officer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a Program Officer do?

Post A Program Officer Job For Free, Promote It For A Fee

Post Free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the program officer you need to hire. Certain program officer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine Employee vs Contractor Status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A program officer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, program officers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of program officer salaries for various roles:

   Type Of Program Officer	Description	Hourly Rate
   Program Officer	Social and community service managers coordinate and supervise social service programs and community organizations. They manage staff who provide social services to the public.	$25-56
   Residential Manager	A residential manager coordinates and oversees all activities that happen in a residential building. They work with their employers to market their apartments and ensure all the occupants qualify to be in the building... Show More	$13-25
   Youth Coordinator	A youth coordinator is mainly focused on developing and facilitating programs for children in various settings that enhance and support personal youth education and development. As a youth coordinator, you need to understand recreational and Educational Services and activities with strong leadership skills... Show More	$12-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Project Management
   • Program Management
   • Excellent Interpersonal
   • PowerPoint
   • Public Health
   • Professional Development
   • Technical Assistance
   • Private Sector
   • Program Development
   • Logistics
   • Excellent Organizational
   • Data Collection
   • Financial Reports
   • Capacity Building

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage request for proposals (RFP) processes, and oversee contractors/vendors for research-relate activities.
   • Manage a political party strengthening program in Colombia and a civil society strengthening program in Peru from NDI's main office.
   • Lead the introduction and upgrade of wireless infrastructure at remote locations to ensure adherence with internal and international wireless standards.
   • Follow privacy guidelines (HIPAA).
   • Increase immunization coverage for the different age groups.
   • Improve store rates for hitting all internal sales and QA goals.

   More Program Officer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your program officer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A program officer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a program officer in Arkansas may be lower than in California, and an entry-level program officer usually earns less than a senior-level program officer. Additionally, a program officer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average program officer salary

   $79,553yearly

   $38.25 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level program officer salary

   $53,000 yearly salary

   Updated June 17, 2025

   Average program officer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	California	$109,962	$53
   2	Washington	$94,654	$46
   3	Arizona	$86,486	$42
   4	New Jersey	$85,151	$41
   5	Texas	$83,477	$40
   6	Oregon	$81,955	$39
   7	Connecticut	$81,095	$39
   8	Minnesota	$80,430	$39
   9	New York	$77,690	$37
   10	Pennsylvania	$76,374	$37
   11	District of Columbia	$75,570	$36
   12	North Carolina	$74,819	$36
   13	Kentucky	$74,376	$36
   14	Illinois	$73,283	$35
   15	Virginia	$72,495	$35
   16	Georgia	$72,051	$35
   17	Maryland	$71,999	$35
   18	Massachusetts	$70,373	$34
   19	Montana	$67,423	$32
   20	Colorado	$67,122	$32

   Average program officer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	BNP Paribas	$123,783	$59.51
   2	Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation	$119,012	$57.22	1
   3	Low Income Investment Fund	$118,996	$57.21	3
   4	Citi	$118,061	$56.76	168
   5	State Street	$117,445	$56.46	12
   6	Barclays	$116,557	$56.04	2
   7	Morgan Stanley	$109,481	$52.64	45
   8	CoreLogic	$109,022	$52.41
   9	Merrill Lynch	$107,262	$51.57
   10	Stanford University	$106,842	$51.37	20
   11	Bank of the West	$106,722	$51.31
   12	American Red Cross	$104,016	$50.01	29
   13	Conrad N. Hilton Foundation	$103,385	$49.70
   14	Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation	$103,311	$49.67	12
   15	Dalberg	$103,196	$49.61
   16	MacArthur Foundation	$101,649	$48.87	1
   17	General Electric	$99,178	$47.68	34
   18	University of California-Berkeley	$98,198	$47.21
   19	Claims Conference	$95,905	$46.11	6
   20	William and Flora Hewlett Foundation	$95,650	$45.99	2

4. Writing a Program Officer Job Description

   A program officer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a program officer job description:

   Program Officer job description example

   Overview of ACLS
   Formed a century ago, the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) takes its name from its work supporting 79 scholarly organizations. As the leading representative of American scholarship in the humanities and interpretive social sciences, ACLS upholds the core principle that knowledge is a public good. In supporting its member organizations, ACLS utilizes its endowment and $34 million annual operating budget to expand the forms, content, and flow of scholarly knowledge because we value diversity of identity and experience. We collaborate with institutions, associations, and individuals to strengthen the evolving infrastructure for scholarship. In all aspects of our work, ACLS is committed to principles and practices in support of racial and social justice. ACLS’s strategic plan outlines four strategic priorities: encouraging scholars and scholarship responsive to diverse audiences; strengthening relationships among our core constituencies within the academy and our partners beyond the academy; lifting the public profile of humanistic knowledge; and empowering staff and partners to work responsibly and inclusively.
   Overview of Department
   The US Programs team administers an evolving set of programs that respond to issues in scholarship and higher education by supporting humanities scholars at different career stages and at a variety of higher education institutions. In the most recent competition year, ACLS drew on the expertise of more than 600 peer reviewers to make awards totaling $25 million to nearly 400 scholars. The team prizes collaboration, flexibility, creativity, and problem-solving, and we seek colleagues who will join us in our efforts to improve our programs and processes so that they are more accessible, equitable, inclusive, responsive, and effective.
   Job Summary
   ACLS invites applications for a for a 12-month leave replacement position at the rank of Program Officer. The Program Officer will join the US Programs team in its efforts to maintain and enhance the Council's rigorous peer-review processes and contribute to the direction of ACLS’s evolving portfolio of fellowship and grant programs. The Program Officer also will work closely with the US Programs team and other senior staff to develop and implement programming that supports humanities scholars at different career stages and at a variety of higher education institutions. ACLS will provide the incoming Program Officer with opportunities for professional development (training, conference attendance, etc.).
   Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
   Program management : help operate and improve all aspects of the annual application and selection process recruit peer reviewers and program advisors update ACLS’s web-based portals for applicants, fellows, and reviewers support selection committees in their deliberations coordinate activities with other ACLS departments as necessary, including international programs, communications, and finance
   Convening and support for scholars : convene scholars, learned society, and higher education leaders around issues of shared interest in the humanities develop programming for scholars to support professional development and collaborative projects partner with learned societies, humanities organizations, and other funders on joint programming Program evaluation and research : compile reports to funders and the board gather and present information on program outcomes and developments in humanities scholarship to audiences within and beyond the academy conduct research (using both internal data on ACLS programs as well as external sources) to assist in the analysis of existing programs and the development of new initiatives maintain a consistent system to organize and access data and research
   
   Required qualifications: PhD in humanities or social science discipline Strong written and oral communication skills, with a keen ability to adapt communication style to different audiences Diplomacy and discretion with confidential information Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail Ability to multi-task and prioritize long-term projects and short-term assignments in a deadline-driven environment Facility both for working collaboratively with a team and for working independently Analytical and creative problem-solving capacity Excellent interpersonal skills with a track record of working effectively on a team Ability to take initiative and respond flexibly to evolving circumstances Proficiency in MS Office, particularly Word and Excel Must be willing and able to travel to multi-day events in New York or elsewhere in the United States approximately six times per year, in particular in the first half of 2023.
   Office policy and salary: Candidates will be required to show proof of being fully vaccinated (including booster) against COVID-19 upon commencing employment. Reasonable accommodations will be considered on a case-by-case basis for exemptions to this requirement in accordance with applicable law. Salary range: $75,000 - $85,000 per year

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right program officer for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your program officer job on Zippia to find and recruit program officer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit program officers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new program officer

   Once you've found the program officer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new program officer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign Up To Download Full List

   Sign Up

How much does it cost to hire a program officer?