What are the responsibilities and job description for the Program Director position at The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation?

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 reduce the growing threat of climate change, advance gender equity and governance, and reimagine the economy and society. 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 $12.8 billion with annual awards of grants totaling almost $600 million. More information about the Hewlett Foundation is available at : www.hewlett.org

The foundation has approximately 130 employees, in programmatic, operational, and investment roles, and is located in the San Francisco Bay Area. Across the organization, our employees are challenged with meaningful work, have the resources for ongoing professional development and learning, and contribute to a collegial and engaging environment where they can thrive. We are committed to fostering a culture of inclusion as part of our guiding principles and encourage individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply.

ABOUT THE EDUCATION PROGRAM

The Education Program seeks to provide grants that support students across the United States with rigorous, relevant, and innovative educational opportunities so they are equipped to lead the world they live in and positively impact the future of their communities. In 2023, the Education Program proudly awarded 134 grants that totaled over $54M.

The Program's grantmaking focuses on two strategies designed to revitalize and advance a positive and robust vision of public education :

K-12 Teaching and Learning : Grants are made in the effort to promote the adoption of high-quality educational experiences in public schools and that support problem solving, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and the development of academic mindsets. Investments have been made in approaches that center student success and collective experiences in schools that center student identity and shared achievements.
Open Education : Investments are made with the intent to democratize and personalize learning, strengthen pedagogy, and energize classrooms in the effort to ultimately build systems of learning that center student success and collective experiences. The strategy aims to combine access to open educational resources with professional development to ensure that such materials are used to provide more effective teaching and learning.

Reporting to President Amber Miller, the Program Director of Education serves a term of eight years. The Program Director is responsible for managing and directing all program-related activities and grant decisions. The Program Director is a member of the foundation's senior staff and is responsible for selecting, implementing, and managing goals, strategies, and initiatives to achieve the program's objectives and the foundation's goals. This person will be an eager collaborator when appropriate with other program directors and staff throughout the foundation.

This position represents an exciting opportunity for a seasoned education leader who is passionate about helping to improve education, particularly within U.S. K-12 public school systems. This new leader will work in partnership with an engaged and ambitious president and leadership team and a mission-oriented and driven team of program officers and associates to ensure the impact and influence of the Education Program in the philanthropic sector. The Program Director will be a strategic, systems-level thinker who has deep experience with both the education policy and practice landscapes; understands the work of philanthropy; is familiar with program evaluation and assessment; is eager to analyze the emergence of new technologies in education; and believes that empowering grantees and their communities is the most effective way to support their work.

The Program Director will provide a comprehensive, forward-looking vision for the education portfolio, honoring Hewlett's commitment to current strategy areas, while bringing their own expertise, experience, and perspective to bear in shaping future directions for the portfolio.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to :

President

Current Direct reports :

Education Program Officers (5)

Education Program Operations Manager (1)

Other key relationships :

Program Directors

Chief Communications Officer and Senior Adviser to the President

Chief Financial Officer

General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Grantees and organizations operating in Education Program area

Foundations and other funders operating in similar or adjacent fields

Thought leaders and policy makers

KEY OBJECTIVES

Ensure the Education Program remains true to its guiding principles and education strategies, while also driving the development of innovative, sophisticated initiatives to promote its ongoing impact and influence.

Capitalize on the Education Program's strengths, specifically its ability to attract, retain, and develop top talent, creating conditions that allow people to do their best work.

Build and sustain a culture of learning, curiosity, integrity, and mutual respect, fostering collaboration, and accountability across the program.

Engage substantively with staff in the Education Program and across the foundation's programmatic areas; identify distinctive ways to create impact through internal partnership, providing leadership, counsel, and support for interdisciplinary initiatives.

Proactively identify and develop funding coalitions with a wide range of external partners, expanding the Education Program's reach and catalyzing greater impact in the field.

Uphold the continued commitment of the Education Program's commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging across the portfolio.

Champion Hewlett's mission and the work of its grantees and partners and serve as an authentic and compelling internal and external spokesperson.

Maintain a strong and successful relationship with Hewlett's president and serve as a key member of senior staff.

Develop relationships with other senior staff members and work collectively to advance institutional priorities.

Identify, anticipate, and develop strategies and / or programmatic priorities to address changes in the philanthropic sector, as well as the social, political, and economic landscape, that may impact the Education Program, its strategies, and its priorities in the near or long term.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE

Leadership experience in or deep understanding of the landscape of public K-12 education and higher education in the United States; knowledge of global perspectives in education.

Extensive and progressive senior-level experience in education systems leadership, philanthropy, nonprofit leadership, public policy, and / or government; a proven record of strong leadership, management, and operational acumen.

A demonstrated ability to recruit, manage, and empower internal talent, building a strong team to operate collaboratively and perform at the highest level of leadership, quality, trust, and effectiveness.

Experience serving as an inspiring and authentic leader, communicator, and relationship builder on behalf of an organization or cause to a wide range of audiences.

Demonstrated ability to develop and execute strategy, manage and align resources, use data, implement plans with fidelity, identify challenges and assess progress, and address gaps to achieve strong results.

Authentic demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, with evidenced success in supporting action and progress within an organization.

Experience or familiarity with philanthropy and the work of foundations and an understanding of how philanthropy can influence actions in policy and practice.

Graduate-level academic degree in a related field.

CRITICAL LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES

Strategic Leadership

Provides clear leadership and understanding of the Education Program's priorities to contribute to the Foundation's mission, policies, strategies, operations, and evolving aspirations.

Anticipates future challenges and opportunities; illuminates and builds awareness of emerging priorities and potential opportunities consistent with Hewlett's principles, systems, and approach; and works with the president, senior staff, and other partners to proactively adjust the Education Program's direction accordingly.

Balances short-term decision-making, while conveying a long-term vision for how the Education Program's strategies can evolve to drive greater impact and results.

Develops strong collaborative relationships with the president and senior staff, ensuring that leadership is aligned to set and achieve the foundation and Education Program's priorities.

Inclusive Orientation

Engages, inspires, and empowers a diverse, motivated, and high-performing team, bringing out each team member's personal best, while modeling a passion for Hewlett's mission and the Education Program's priorities and delegating leadership as appropriate.

Holds the program area accountable for its commitments, providing clarity, fairness, and constructive feedback, and motivates team members to reach their full potential as they achieve organizational goals. Invests in and promotes professional development and wellness for self and staff.

Builds and sustains a culture in which every member of the team can be supported in their work. Partners with staff members as they think proactively and boldly about the future.

Collaborating and Influencing

Articulates the Education Program's strategies, culture, core purpose, and impact effectively and with passion and serves as an authentic and compelling internal and external spokesperson for the foundation.

Cultivates and builds relationships with current and potential partners across the sector that are central to the Education Program's strategies, ultimately amplifying the work of the Program and elevating Hewlett's impact.

Maintains impeccable credibility through strong policy acumen, integrity, and ability to create and maintain strong relationships built on trust and transparency with staff, grantees, and partners across the sector.

Effectively provides external leadership and engages in meaningful dialogue on critical program issues as they intersect with the foundation's work, mission, and goals.

OTHER PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

Intellectually curious with a love of learning.

Strong emotional intelligence, humble, inclusive, courageous, collaborative, and confident enough to listen openly to differing views, empower others, make challenging decisions, and share credit.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Able to fully embrace living and working in the Bay Area.

COMPENSATION

The estimated annual base salary range for this position is $450,000 to $500,000, but the final base salary will be dependent on the individual's skills, experience, abilities, and qualifications. In addition to the annual salary, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation offers a strong benefits package.

APPLICATIONS AND NOMINATIONS

If you wish to submit application materials or nominate someone to serve as the next Program Director of Education of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, please email : HewlettEDPD@spencerstuart.com

NON-DISCRIMINATION

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation embraces the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging 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.

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 senior staff are currently expected to work from the Hewlett Foundation office at least three times per week (unless traveling for business). While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to spend extended periods of time at a computer.

Salary : $450,000 - $500,000

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