Principal Program Manager, AI Coalition

Blackbaud•Charleston, SC

1d•$117,200 - $157,500•Remote

About The Position

Blackbaud is igniting a global movement to accelerate responsible and transformative AI adoption across the social impact sector. To scale this leadership, we are seeking a visionary Principal Program Specialist for the Strategic AI Coalition for Social Impact - a high‑visibility role driving one of the company’s most strategic industry initiatives. This program lead will expand the coalition’s reach, increase both the volume and diversity of participating organizations, and spearhead initiatives designed to remove the barriers to successful AI adoption across the social impact sector. The work begins with launching and scaling the AI Certification for Social Impact, establishing the foundational knowledge and confidence organizations need to adopt AI responsibly. Over time, this role will architect a growing roadmap of initiatives, including standards, playbooks, cross‑sector pilots, Blackbaud Institute efforts, and collaborative learning programs that unify the sector, accelerate AI readiness, and position Blackbaud as the trusted convener for responsible, transformative innovation.

Requirements

10+ years in program management, industry leadership, coalition building, partnership development, or related roles.
Experience working in technology, nonprofit/social impact, education, philanthropy, or public sector strongly preferred.
Proven success scaling programs, communities, or initiatives across multiple stakeholder types.
Demonstrated excellence in relationship management, communication, and strategic influence.
Strong organizational and operational skills with a bias toward execution and measurable outcomes.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with AI, Responsible AI, digital transformation, or data literacy programs is a plus (expert-level not required).

Responsibilities

Lead, operationalize, and scale the AI Coalition for Social Impact, ensuring it becomes the premier collaborative body for AI adoption.
Build and execute a growth strategy to significantly increase coalition membership by volume, type, and diversity of organizations.
Develop and manage a multi‑year portfolio of coalition initiatives, starting with the AI Certification for Social Impact and expanding into emerging needs (e.g., sector benchmarks, working groups, toolkits, joint research, pilots, and advocacy).
Serve as the primary relationship leader for coalition members, ensuring high engagement, clear communication, and measurable value.
Cultivate partnerships with industry groups, academic institutions, technology collaborators, funders, and government organizations to expand reach and impact.
Facilitate advisory groups and working committees that guide program direction and content.
Design and facilitate coalition programming, including convenings, webinars, workshops, pilots, roundtables, and executive briefings.
Build and maintain operational frameworks, governance structures, onboarding processes, and resource hubs for coalition members.
Set and monitor KPIs related to membership growth, engagement, program adoption, and sector impact.
Partner with Blackbaud’s Data & AI, Product, Marketing, Industry, and Blackbaud Institute teams to produce influential content including co‑developing playbooks, research insights, case studies, best‑practice frameworks, and sector benchmarks that equip organizations to adopt AI responsibly and effectively.
Represent the coalition externally through high‑impact speaking engagements, conferences, webinars, and media opportunities—amplifying both coalition work and Blackbaud Institute research to shape the sector’s understanding of responsible AI and the future of social impact innovation.
Collaborate with Product, Marketing, Customer Success, Legal, and L&D to ensure coalition initiatives align with Blackbaud’s Responsible AI strategy, customer needs, and go‑to‑market motion.
Support the scaling and adoption of the AI Certification for Social Impact across the industry and inside Blackbaud.