Senior Program Officer, Technology and Innovation

The California Health Care Foundation (CHCF) is an independent, nonprofit philanthropy dedicated to improving California's health care system so that all Californians, especially those with low incomes and those facing the greatest barriers, can access the care they need. We partner with leaders across the health care safety net to provide the data and resources needed to make care more just and to drive meaningful improvement in a complex system.

We are seeing a Senior Program Officer to join the CHCF Technology and Innovation team. This role is an opportunity to help shape how emerging technologies such as AI, digital tools, and data exchange solutions support better care and stronger outcomes for Californians with low incomes. Ideal candidates are systems thinkers who understand both the promise and the practical challenges of integrating technology into the Medi-Cal and safety-net ecosystem.

You will guide a portfolio of grants, partnerships, and learning efforts designed to ensure that innovation efforts reflect the needs of providers, payers, and patients across the state. You will also help surface lessons from the field and elevate insights that can influence policy and accelerate the adoption of people-centered technology approaches.

About the California Health Care Foundation

CHCF works to improve the health care system so that all Californians have access to the care they need. We focus especially on ensuring the system works for Californians with low incomes and for communities that have historically faced the greatest barriers to care.

Our organizational priorities are concentrated in four areas :

• Making care affordable : Making health care more affordable for all Californians while addressing unsustainable spending across the system.
• Strengthening and diversifying the health workforce. Addressing critical workforce shortages and improving the cultural and language competencies of health professionals.
• Delivering better care. Improving access and care for people with complex needs, such as those experiencing homelessness or serious mental illness.
• Making care just. Removing structural barriers that prevent people of color from accessing high-quality care and transforming health care systems to uphold dignity for all.

About the Technology and Innovation team

A key area in CHCF's work is technology and innovation. With the addition of a new Senior Program Officer on this team, we are focusing our work firmly on technology in the safety net. We believe technology holds tremendous potential to make care more accessible, efficient, and equitable for Californians who need it most-particularly Medi-Cal enrollees and the communities that have historically been left behind.

Our work accelerates the adoption of promising technologies and data solutions through multiple approaches : investing directly in technology companies via the CHCF Innovation Fund, exploring how artificial intelligence can be deployed responsibly to improve care delivery and reduce administrative burden, and advancing critical infrastructure improvements like secure data exchange. By partnering with innovators, policymakers, and safety net leaders, we're ensuring that technology serves as a powerful tool for advancing health equity across California.

Position Overview

The Senior Program Officer contributes to CHCF's mission by advancing the team's strategy to integrate emerging technologies into California's health care safety net. This role leads work that supports technology adoption, aligns investments with CHCF's priorities in health equity and delivery system improvement, and strengthens the foundtion's understanding of how tools such as AI, health IT, and data infrastructure can support better care.

This position manages a portfolio of grants and contracts, conducts research and analysis to inform program decisions, and collaborates with colleagues across CHCF to incorporate technology considerations into broader initiatives. The Senior Program Officer works closely with external partners, including state agencies, health plans, providers, technology companies, and community stakeholders.

This is a full-time, exempt position based in CHCF's Oakland Officer, reporting to the Director of the Innovation Fund, and requires two in-office days per week (Tuesday and Wednesday), with occasional flexibility for a third day (Thursday).

What You'll Do

Advance CHCF Goals Through Technology Strategy and Innovation

Lead Grantmaking and Technology Investment Efforts

Engage Stakeholders and Strengthen the Innovation Ecosystem

Generate Insights Through Research, Analysis, and Thought Leadership

Collaborate Across CHCF and Contribute to Organizational Learning

Minimum Qualifications

Skills and Competencies

Other Qualifications

Salary and Benefits

The full salary range for this position is $172,000 to $258,000. The starting salary for this role is $201,000 and is not negotiable.

The foundation provides a generous benefits package that include medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and long-term care insurance; commuter assistance or paid parking; employee assistance and wellness programs; educational assistance; paid time off; and 401(k) retirement benefits.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The California Health Care Foundation is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff and will honor your experiences, perspectives, and unique identity. We believe the power of diversity enriches all of us by exposing us to a range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design, and deliver solutions. Read more about CHCF's diversity, equity, and inclusion vision.

The California Health Care Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Employment offers will be contingent on a background check that is limited in scope and compliant with best practices for Fair Chance Hiring. We welcome formerly incarcerated people to apply for this role.