Manager, Convenings

Position Overview

The Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center on Lake Como has supported many breakthroughs through its residency and convening programs for over 60 years, bringing together the very best in their fields to solve the world’s most pressing problems. In addition, at Bellagio and elsewhere, The Rockefeller Foundation has supported fellows who are working at the leading edge of their respective fields. The Connected Leaders Platform (CLP) operationalizes these connections in service of the Foundation’s five-year climate strategy by driving the Foundation’s global convening capacity; designing high-level gatherings; deepening engagement with key leaders, corporations, governments, and non-profit organizations; and galvanizing networks. The Connected Leaders platform is a defining part of the Foundation’s unique model of change.

A staple of CLP’s convening work is The Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center, where the Foundation annually hosts around 1,000 people through 60 convenings. Convenings held at Bellagio have launched the Global Alliance for Vaccine Initiatives, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, and the Global Impact Investing Network, among many others.  

The Manager, Convenings, will report to and partner with the Director, Convenings, to support the foundation’s programmatic teams to use convenings to advance programmatic objectives; coordinate the day-to-day management of the Bellagio convening program including program outreach, due diligence, and selection; and the strategic design, relationship engagement, and impact-tracking for selected convenings. The Manager’s primary goal is to ensure that the Foundation is using convening as a strategic tool to drive impact for our programmatic teams and our network.

Pay Range: $123,174 - $164,539. 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

Programmatic Convenings

• Collaborate closely with the Director, Convenings, to refine and enhance the overall strategic vision for convenings. This includes developing design typologies, tactics, playbooks, and tools to ensure the delivery of impactful and high-quality convenings.
• Lead and manage key convening partnerships with RF program teams to advance programmatic objectives. This involves cultivating strong relationships with programmatic partners, assessing convening needs, and identifying strategies and resources to support those needs. 
• Manage the day-to-day planning and execution of select Signature Convenings, ensuring that all activities align with the Foundation’s strategic goals and objectives.
• Implement monitoring and evaluation processes for the convening program. Analyze survey data and qualitative impact summaries, track data in Salesforce, and develop actionable recommendations for improvement. Provide regular updates and reports to leadership as required.
• Manage the creation of communication products that show the impact of RF’s convenings. Identify storytelling opportunities and oversee the review and editing of content to enhance visibility and engagement.

Bellagio Convening Programming

• Partner with the Director, Convenings to manage the selection process for approximately 60 Bellagio convenings annually, including outreach, open call process facilitation, application review, due diligence, and selection, ensuring alignment with the strategic vision set by the VP of Convenings & Networks.
• Cultivate and manage relationships with internal and external conveners to ensure high-quality Bellagio convenings. Support strategic design and impact-tracking processes to maximize effectiveness.
• Develop and strengthen relationships with external conveners. 
• Foster strong internal relationships with key stakeholders across the Foundation, including the Bellagio, Italy team, and RF programmatic teams.

Education, Experience, and Skills

• Generally expected to have 7 years of relevant experience in program management, strategy, convenings, and/or related project management.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Excellent relationship skills, and ability to effectively represent RF in a convening capacity across a range of subjects.
• Effective written and oral reporting, analytical, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage complex processes, deadlines, and details.
• Ability to effectively manage work under significant time pressure and to high-quality standards.
• Computer proficiency in project management software, CRM system development, MS Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint, and the ability to learn new applications quickly.
• Ability to travel.

Qualifications and Competencies

• Data Oriented: Consistently achieves results, by approaching work informed by data.
• Directs Work: Provides direction, delegates, and removes obstacles to get work done.
• Manages Complexity: Makes sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.
• Strategic Learning: Actively learns through experimentation when tackling new problems, using both successes and failures as learning fodder.
• 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 the diverse perspectives and experiences of our team members. 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.