Company Name
William + Flora Hewlett Foundation
Company City
Menlo Park
Company State
CA
Job Location
Menlo Park, CA
Company Information
About the Foundation
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation invests in creative thinkers and problem solvers working to ensure that people, communities, and the planet can flourish. Together with our partners, we are harnessing society’s collective capacity to solve our toughest problems — from the existential threat of climate change to persistent and pervasive inequities, to attacks on democracy itself. A nonpartisan philanthropy, the Hewlett Foundation has made grants in the U.S. and globally for nearly six decades based on an approach that emphasizes long-term support, collaboration, and trust.
Globally, we make grants to address both longstanding and emerging challenges like our efforts to advance gender equity and governance, reimagine the economy and society, and reduce the growing threat of climate change. Our U.S. efforts prioritize strengthening democracy, advancing education for all, and supporting community-led conservation. In the San Francisco Bay Area we call home, we make grants to support meaningful artistic experiences in local communities and support regional foundations working on critical issues such as housing. All of our grantmaking also invests in advancing racial justice and in strengthening the effectiveness of our grantees, and of philanthropy itself. The Hewlett Foundation’s assets are approximately $13 billion with annual awards of grants totaling more than $550 million. More information about the Hewlett Foundation is available at: www.hewlett.org
About the Effective Philanthropy Group
The Effective Philanthropy Group is designed to work collaboratively with all program and operational teams on issues of cross-foundation relevance, providing support in the areas of strategy, evaluation, organizational effectiveness (OE) and general philanthropic practice. It is a hybrid team that includes some grantmaking and some internal strategic functions. The Strategy Officer reports to the Director of the Effective Philanthropy Group. The team ethos which guides its work is: shift power, advance equity, and center people. The team values are equity, inclusion, joy, openness, and partnership.
About Strategy at the Hewlett Foundation
Each of the foundation’s programs develop strategies that guide their grantmaking and other activities based on a four-part framework that the Hewlett Foundation uses, Outcomes-Focused Philanthropy that is currently being refreshed. Questions explored include: (1) long-term goals—what we ultimately hope to achieve in response to a specific problem; (2) intermediate goals–; 3) a theory of action—how we hope to achieve our goals; and (4) ways of evaluating progress, learning, and adapting—how we will know whether we are advancing toward our goals, why or why not, and how to course correct as needed. Hewlett’s framework is deeply and continuously shaped by learning and adaptation, with a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice.
Job Description
The purpose of the Strategy Officer’s role is to:
- In partnership with program staff, inform and strengthen the foundation’s strategies and initiatives so they are better equipped to achieve their goals.
- Strengthen program staff’s understanding and practice of strategy in general and in how it is practiced at the Hewlett Foundation, so they are better equipped to carry out their work effectively, while learning and adapting all along the way.
- Support the continuous improvement of the foundation’s approach to strategy and its overall approach to philanthropic practice to be efficient, effective, and highly responsive to program needs (and to the needs of grantees and communities, and collaboration with other funders).
- Actively contribute to and learn from relevant fields and the sector and in partnership with the EPG team.
Specific Responsibilities
- Guide and support individual program team members and program teams in various stages of strategy development and implementation, adjusting the type, intensity and duration of support based on colleagues’ needs. Guidance and support can take a range of forms, including serving as a thought partner to program staff by asking questions and challenging assumptions; helping design and facilitate meetings; reviewing board memos and other strategy documents; providing examples and reviewing strategy consultants’ scopes of work, and developing tools and resources and templates. At critical junctures, in partnership with the Evaluation Officer and/or a program’s learning and evaluation partner, ensure that program learning is discussed and incorporated into strategies.
- In partnership with the EPG Director and in alignment with guidance from the President, develop, implement, and continuously improve the foundation’s approach to philanthropy and strategy, incorporating feedback from internal program and administrative colleagues and external partners, and teaming with colleagues to update content as needed.
- Orient and onboard new program staff on the foundation’s approach to strategy and support external strategy consultants who work with program staff on the foundation’s overall approach.
- Identify opportunities to share strategy-related experiences and insights across program teams and develop and deliver trainings, workshops, learning sessions, and tools to help program staff continuously improve their work.
- Partner closely with internal and external collaborators:
- With other EPG team members, especially the Director, Evaluation Officer, and Organizational Effectiveness Officer, in their support of Hewlett program staff so that EPG’s work with teams is cohesive, consistent, and mutually reinforcing.
- With colleagues in Communications, Learning and Operations (GLO), Legal, and the Culture, Race and Equity team.
- Participate in Program Director Forums (as needed) and Program Officer meetings; coordinate with the Organizational Learning Officer to design and deliver learning sessions related to strategy as needed.
- With peers across the philanthropic field, by sharing the foundation’s approach to strategy—including what we are learning and how we are adapting to changing circumstances—to contribute to the field’s ongoing learning and improvement.
- Stay current on the field of strategy and various approaches in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector, sharing best practices with foundation staff and representing Hewlett’s approach to strategy externally. This includes but is not limited to reading, researching, connecting with peers at other foundations, participating in or convening learning and/or practice communities, and attending conferences.
- Manage projects within EPG or across foundation programs and department, with an orientation of inclusion and timeliness.
Compensation and Benefits
The Hewlett Foundation is committed to providing compensation that is competitive within the philanthropic sector. We offer a generous total compensation package that emphasizes both base salary and comprehensive benefits. The salary range for this role starts at $180,000 – $226,000. Offers are based on the candidate’s years of experience and our practice of maintaining salary equity within the foundation.
This position is exempt and full-time.
Job Qualifications
Skills and Experience
The Strategy Officer should possess the following professional qualifications and personal attributes:
- Deep track record in strategy development, strategy implementation, and/or program management within the nonprofit, philanthropy and/or strategy consulting fields. Internal or external client service experience (including project scoping, timeline and project plan development) highly desired.
- Ability to think and act strategically, consistent with the foundation’s goal-oriented, flexible and adaptive approach to philanthropy; brings strong analytical, project management and creative problem-solving skills with demonstrated attention to detail.
- Outstanding interpersonal, relationship management and facilitation skills. Appreciation for organizations as complex dynamic systems. Team player.
- Ability to work collaboratively with diverse individuals and across teams while recognizing that partners and stakeholders may have competing priorities and availability.
- Demonstrated excellent writing, speaking and facilitation skills, able to process complex information and present ideas in a pragmatic, compelling manner in a range of settings and modalities.
- A deep commitment to the core values and principles of the Hewlett Foundation, with a demonstrated individual and collective commitment to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice—particularly racial justice.
- Possesses personal and professional integrity, high quality standards, excellent judgment, a learning orientation, flexibility, good humor, motivation, modesty, and graciousness.
- Strong computer skills and familiarity with MS Office
Physical Demands/Work Environment
The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The position is based in Menlo Park, California. Staff are working in a hybrid environment and currently expected to work from the Hewlett Foundation office at least 2-3 times per week (Tuesdays and Wednesdays are required). While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to spend extended periods of time at a computer. The Foundation requires all staff, vendors, and visitors accessing the office to be fully vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
How to Apply
Viewcrest Advisors is supporting with the Hewlett Foundation on this search. Please send your resume and cover letter to:
Email:
Application deadline: June 25, 2024
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation embraces the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion both internally, in our hiring process and organizational culture, and externally, in our grantmaking and related practices. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, cultures, and experiences.
Viewcrest Advisors is committed to social justice and access to opportunity, and actively cultivates relationships with individuals who have varied life experiences as well as the skills needed to lead strong, innovative programs and organizations. In addition, the organization is committed to your privacy and to protecting your personal data; for more information, please visit: www.viewcrestadvisors.com.