Senior Vice President, US Program & Policy

How to Apply : Egon Zehnder has been exclusively retained by The Rockefeller Foundation (“Foundation”) to search for a Senior Vice President, US Program & Policy located in Washington, DC. Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to rockefellerSVPuspp@egonzehnder.com .

Position Overview

The Senior Vice President (SVP), US Program & Policy will lead the Foundation’s domestic programmatic work while driving a global policy strategy that influences policymakers, the private sector, government, non-government actors, thought leaders, and grassroots groups to advance the Foundation’s priorities. The SVP will report to the Foundation’s President and will inherit several existing, high-impact projects that RF is driving alongside strategic partners, including:

• Economic Opportunity Collective (EOC) – a multi-stakeholder partnership aimed at mobilizing capital for small businesses in the United States
• Invest in Our Future (IOF) – a coalition of philanthropies focused on ensuring communities around the country can access the benefits of US climate policy equitably
• Pro-Working Family Tax Policy Initiative – a portfolio of grantees committed to effectively using fiscal policy to reduce economic inequality in the U.S. and support working families.
• Global Economic Recovery (GER) – a global policy coalition focused on improving the quantum and quality of development finance to support progress on global climate and development goals.
  
  

Beyond these discrete projects, the SVP will have an initial team of policy experts leading a range of work that actively engages with domestic (e.g. US Congress, US Administration, think tanks, etc.) and global (G7, G20, etc.) on facilitating progress on issues core to RF’s mission. This team also drives a portfolio of work around protecting democracy globally.

Going forward, the SVP will have an opportunity to develop a comprehensive strategy that expands on the Foundation’s existing work and provides explicit pathways to impact. In so doing, the US Program & Policy team will be expected to proactively engage various internal collaborators across the Foundation’s core programmatic areas (power, food, health, and finance), other cross-functional teams (e.g. the Foundation’s Connected Leaders Platform and Communications teams) and building, supporting and managing relevant multi-stakeholder coalitions with outside partners.

Pay Range: $348,231 - $521,035. This represents the present low and high end of the Foundation’s pay range for this position. Actual pay will vary based on various factors, including but not limited to experience.

Work Schedule: This role is on a hybrid work schedule, and required to be in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Principal Duties And Responsibilities

• Develop a global policy strategy, building on the Foundation’s existing work as detailed above, to drive concrete policy outcomes that deepen and expand the Foundation’s global impact, including forging deep collaborations with the Program teams to support the policy and advocacy capacities as aligned with the Foundation’s impact in Power, Health, Food, and Innovative Finance.
• Oversee the development and implementation of a US-focused program strategy, building on the Foundation’s existing work as detailed above.
• Build and maintain relationships with relevant policy collaborators, including government officials, international organizations, NGOs, and think tanks to further RF impact priorities.
• Lead the US Program & Policy team, including oversight of strategic priorities and goals and supporting the day-to-day oversight of the team.
• Supervise the US Program & Policy budget and grant/contract portfolio, optimizing impact, resource allocation, and cost-effectiveness.
• Engage deeply and regularly with other RF teams, including but not limited to other program teams, the Communications team, the Connected Leaders Platform, and others to support org-wide priorities, assisting them with domestic programmatic priorities and global policy objectives.
• Provide policy expertise and guidance to the Foundation’s leadership and staff.
• Establish metrics and processes to monitor and evaluate the impact of the team’s initiatives.
• Prepare regular reports for the Foundation’s leadership/Board.
• Oversee and implement special US programs or policy projects with the President.
• Lead outreach to government, private sector, and NGO officials, designing and executive strategies geared to directing resources to the Foundation-identified objectives with a policy & advocacy lens.
• Identify, research, and effectuate robust partnership strategies that align with the Policy & Advocacy team goals and bring additional monetary and “in kind” contributions to the Foundation and its private charity arm, RFCC when appropriate.
• Advocate for the Foundation’s positions on international stages, including global forums, conferences, and through direct engagement with international policymakers.
• Collaborate with RF’s regional offices to ensure that international policy initiatives are culturally sensitive and appropriately tailored to the regions in which they operate.
• Keep abreast of global political, social, and economic trends that could impact the Foundation’s work and adjust strategies accordingly.
  
  

Education, Experience, And Skills

• A bachelor's Degree in a related field is required; a master’s or terminal degree is preferred.
• A minimum of 15+ years of relevant work experience, including experience in a leadership role required.
• Significant policy-shaping experience. A strong track record and ability to build effective relationships with senior public sector leaders at the US and global levels.
• Significant proven experience with sophisticated digital strategies and data analytics approaches to advance the Foundation’s digital strategy.
• A deep understanding of the latest policy issues and changes and how those impact the work of the Foundation.
• A sound understanding of research methodologies and data analysis, and an ability to translate research into compelling communications products.
• An innovative attitude and approach to engaging with audience groups in new and “out of the box” ways.
• Experience building high-performance teams and fostering a positive employee experience in organizations.
• A natural mentor, coach, and facilitator of people relationships.
• Strong collaborator who embraces the reality that we can go further, together.
• Critical thinking and planning.
• A global network and market knowledge.
• Leadership and project management skills.
• Entrepreneurial, curious mind, risk-taking, working at a fast pace, yet accountable always.
• Influencing others with the ability to garner support and advocacy from cross-functional organizations.
• Demonstrated superior presentation and communication skills.
• Organizational and financial skills, including the ability to develop and oversee budgets.
  
  

Qualifications And Competencies

• Builds Networks: Effectively builds formal and informal relationship networks inside and outside the organization.
• Cultivates Innovation: Creates new and better ways for the organization to be successful.
• Develops Talent: Develops people to meet both their career goals and the organization’s goals.
• Drives Vision & Purpose: Paints a compelling picture of the vision and strategy that motivates others to action.
• Project management: Strong project management skills are needed to design strategies and execution.
• Values Differences: Recognizes the value of different perspectives and commits to inclusion, equity, and diversity in every aspect of work.
  
  

About The Rockefeller Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation that enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We make big bets to promote the well-being of humanity. Today, we are focused on advancing human opportunity and reversing the climate crisis by transforming systems in food, health, energy, and finance. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at http://rockefellerfoundation.org and follow us on X @RockefellerFdn .

The Rockefeller Foundation offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that includes health insurance programs, tuition reimbursement and student loan repayment, a generous 401K, parental leave, and various forms of paid time off, all to help our employees feel energized, cared for, and engaged.

As an organization, we focus on six values to advance our culture and continue our success. We are dedicated to being Transparent, Optimistic, Accountable, Collaborative, Trusted, and Equitable. We operate from a strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in everything that we do. It is not only the right thing to do – we could not make an impact without our team members' diverse perspectives and experiences. We expect all employees at the Foundation to contribute by developing their unique perspectives and talent, challenging conventional wisdom through evidence and reason, and amplifying marginalized voices.

The Rockefeller Foundation is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity and compliance with all federal, state, and local laws concerning employment discrimination, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. To this end, the Foundation ensures equal opportunity to all employees and applicants regardless of race, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, lawful alien status, physical, mental, and medical disability, veteran status, liability for service in the United States Armed Forces, or any other protected status.

The Rockefeller Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.