How to Apply : Egon Zehnder has been exclusively retained by The Rockefeller Foundation (“Foundation”) to search for a VP, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion located in New York, NY. Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to RockefellerDEI@egonzehnder.com .
Please do not contact The Foundation directly; all resumes sent to the Foundation will be routed to Egon Zehnder for handling and will delay the consideration of your application. The Rockefeller Foundation is an equal opportunity employer.
Pay Range: $213,779 - $298,450. 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.
Position Overview
The Rockefeller Foundation seeks a Vice President, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. This role will report to the Chief Operating Officer and serve as a member of the Foundation’s Senior Leadership Team. This is a critical leadership role; one that requires a thoughtful, collaborative, and agile individual to lead transformational change at the global and regional enterprise level.
This leader will work across business operations, programmatic work, communications, and investments to shape and deliver a DEI strategy that will impact people within and beyond the walls of the Foundation. This role is focused on developing a holistic strategy to ensure that values and standards of Social Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are integrated across our global work. The position oversees and monitors the implementation of this strategy; provides thought leadership, represents the organization at DEI events, and serves as an enterprise spokesperson and ambassador.
A proven Diversity, Equity and Inclusion leader entering The Rockefeller Foundation today will have the opportunity to guide practices, processes, and programs that support the Foundation’s broad goals. Their efforts will directly influence and inform the delivery of the Foundation’s mission, will enhance leadership accountability, and will catalyze participation across the organization to ensure that the DEI strategy and policies are driving internal and external community impact.
This is a highly collaborative position that requires a leader who will invest in and engage partners to evolve and deliver the long-term DEI vision, commitment, and roadmap that is steadfast in its principles yet flexible enough for each team to implement authentically and sustainably.
Principal Duties And Responsibilities
DEI Policy Development and Implementation
- Develop a comprehensive policy framework to integrate values and standards of social justice and DEI across core business processes and programmatic work, oversee its implementation, and measure success. This is focused on but is not limited to program strategy, grants management, investing, capital mobilization, advocacy, policy development, communications, strategic learning, human resources, data science, procurement, and corporate sustainability.
- Identify and manage stakeholders up to the top leadership level, finding out their needs/issues/concerns and reacting to these by leading and coordinating the development of stakeholder engagement plans to support the communication of business information and decisions.
- Lead the detailed design and delivery of substantial projects within a social justice and DEI program, ensuring integration with other disciplines/ functions.
- Advise department leads to set ambitious performance objectives for the DEI and collect tangible data for measurement and reporting progress.
Internal client relationship management
- Collaborate with the Organizational Development and Learning team and Human Resources to build leadership commitment and capabilities, and to use structured change management and employee engagement and training approaches to drive acceptance of change and to embed desired culture and behaviors.
- Liaise with the DEI Staff Committee (and possibly Employee Resource Groups) and its leadership to implement staff-led initiatives, staff listening, co-creation, and collaboration.
- Lead the development of partnering relationships with senior executives throughout the organization, building high levels of professional credibility and mutual trust, and ensuring that internal clients have access to high-quality advice and guidance to support in delivering business strategy and plans.
- Collaborate with internal communications to share and enforce the DEI strategy and its relationship to the organization's mission, vision, and values; clarify the actions needed to implement it within the areas of responsibility; motivate people to commit to these and to doing extraordinary things to achieve the organization's mission to advance the wellbeing of humanity.
Organizational Representation
- Represent the organization in a variety of industry and professional forums to promote The Rockefeller Foundation.
- Liaise with the Communications, Policy, and Advocacy team to contribute to the organizational presentation, both internally and externally, and ensure genuine alignment with our enterprise brand and our core values of Transparency, Optimism, Accountability, Collaboration, Trust, and Equity.
Education, Experience, And Skills
- Dedication to learning and teaching others about attitudes and behaviors that impact an organization’s ability to achieve its goals, deepen impact, grow, and thrive.
- A recognized expert and leader in the field of social justice, and or diversity equity and inclusion.
- Generally expected to have 12+ years of experience in executive leadership roles with substantial experience in global diversity, inclusion, and equity work, preferably in large and complex organizations.
- Bachelor’s degree.
- Strong communication skills.
- Experience in collaboration, building partnerships, and leading by influence.
- International experience in the public or private sector preferred.
- An understanding of community impact including insight into employee engagement, grantmaking, fundraising, allocation of resources, advocacy, policy development, communications, and strategy development preferred.
- Willingness to travel
Qualifications And Competencies
- Balances Stakeholders: Anticipates and balances the needs of multiple stakeholders.
- 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.
- 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 and make opportunity universal and sustainable. Our focus is on scaling renewable energy for all, stimulating economic mobility, and ensuring equitable access to health care and nutritious food. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org and follow us on Twitter @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're 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, or liability for service in the United States Armed Forces.
The Rockefeller Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.