California Communities Director

California Communities Initiative Overview

Since its inception, the Foundation has sought to ensure that the promise and possibility of California is attainable for all. Today, the California Communities Initiative (CCI) team works to achieve the Foundation’s three goals, with a particular focus on the goal of investing in families and communities. CCI supports partners working in six counties (Fresno, Monterey, San Benito, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and San Mateo) and at a statewide level to promote resilient and vibrant communities where families thrive and can build the lives they want.

Reflecting community priorities, CCI focuses on ensuring that:

• Families have stable, affordable housing, so they can put down roots and be active in their communities;
• Everyone, regardless of income or zip code, has access to clean air and water and safe green spaces for recreation, so they can be healthier and build resilience to the effects of climate change; and
• Individuals and families have trusted local organizations they can turn to for support, resources, and a sense of community.

CCI seeks to connect communities to Sacramento to scale community-led solutions and ensure policies reflect the experiences of people and families across our state.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Vice President for Families and Communities and working in close partnership with the Director of the Children and Families initiative, the California Communities Initiative Director (Director) will lead a team of eight to implement effective grantmaking within the Board-approved California Communities initiative, and support teamwork within the Foundation and with external stakeholders.

Manage an Experienced Team. As one of their most critical responsibilities, the Director will inspire and engage the team, build trust, and facilitate thought partnership in support of program goals. The Director will be comfortable exercising discernment about when to lead from the front and when to elevate their team’s expertise. They will support the professional growth of all team members. They will cultivate a positive, productive, innovative, highly collaborative, and feedback-rich team culture.

Represent the Work. Building on the CCI’s team’s expertise, the Director will have the opportunity to shape cohesiveness of strategy and its impact on the broader mission of the Foundation. The Director will be comfortable representing the team within Leadership and the Board, building alliances within the Foundation, and elevating the work of CCI.

Provide Strategic Direction with California Expertise. The Director will bring a clear and current understanding of California to effectively navigate the state’s public and private sector, and state, county and local-level infrastructures. They will monitor the changing landscape, trends, and developments to ensure that the Foundation is selecting objectives and deploying resources as effectively as possible to achieve CCI’s goals.

Connect and Collaborate. The Director will have the opportunity to build systems that invite and formalize cross-initiative thought partnership, co-funding, and broader collaboration between CCI and the rest of the Foundation. They will have the emotional intelligence to navigate interpersonal dynamics and complex systems to open new doors and create opportunities both within and outside of the Foundation. The role will partner with peer initiative Directors and actively participate in the People Manager Cohort and the Goal Leadership Team. They will also work closely with the Grants and Data Operations team and General Counsels’ Office to ensure accuracy and adherence to grantmaking policies, procedures, processes and timeline. The Director will build upon current grantmaking, incorporating input from the President, Trustees, and colleagues across the Foundation to successfully develop and implement this initiative.

Direct Change Management. The Director will build and sustain strategic clarity in the midst of changes in the operating environment. They will need to possess the foresight to anticipate and prepare for changing variables and the ability to recognize how to respond to unexpected challenges that may emerge.

Desired Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess the attributes above and many of the following professional abilities and experiences.

Mission and Values Alignment

Passion for, and belief in the goals and commitments of the Foundation.

Commitment and care for California communities.

Knowledge and Experience

• A minimum of 8-10 years of experience working on issues within California on subject matter closely related to the work of CCI, ideally at both policy and community levels.
• Deep knowledge of relevant concepts, trends, and issues including housing, environment, and social determinants of health.
• Understanding of and experience working within California public sector, nonprofit and for-profit private sector, state, county and local-level infrastructures and ecosystems.
• An advanced degree in a related field, or equivalent education or work experience in non-profits and/or sectors related to CCI.

Organizational and Team Leadership

• Demonstrated track record of excellence in leading and managing people, projects, and teams and comfort with matrixed management structures and processes.
• Experience using evidence and sound judgment to lead strategy, teams, and develop and maintain effective, productive programmatic partnerships.
• Demonstrated people management skills with considerable experience attracting, coaching, developing, evaluating, and retaining professional staff.
• Proven managerial talent in budgeting, staffing, and performance management.

Communication and Management

• Skilled communicator with exceptional interpersonal, facilitation, and written and oral communication skills.
• Leader deeply committed to inclusion and creating a workplace that is supportive of difference; success at navigating cross-cultural communication and diverse teams.
• Independent and decisive leader with clarity of thought, who demonstrates initiative, responsiveness, pragmatism, open-mindedness, and thoughtfulness. Displays comfort in admitting what they do not know and asking for input.
• Diplomatic and respectful approach to problem-solving; demonstrated ability to thrive in a team-based and collegial workplace.

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to work in a nonpartisan, productive, and collaborative manner across the ideological spectrum.
• Comfortable with ambiguity, a fast pace of work, and risk-taking inherent in a highly dynamic setting; can move start-up projects from concept to completion and adapt as needed based on learning and input from others.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning and the use of data and evidence for decision making.
• Experience in the design and facilitation of meetings and agile internal planning processes.
• Meticulous adherence to compliance, due diligence, and cost-effective processes.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products (e.g., Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and a willingness to learn and become proficient with Foundation systems.

Compensation and Benefits

The position is full-time. The salary range for this position is $255,000-$317,000 annually. This salary range is an estimate, and the actual salary may vary based on various factors, including without limitation individual education, experience, tenure, certification, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data. Offers are based on the candidate’s years of experience and our practice of upholding salary equity within the foundation.

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation offers excellent benefits for eligible employees. Current benefits include medical (HMO and HDHPs), dental and vision coverage; 15% employer contribution to employee retirement plan; life insurance, disability insurance, vacation, and sick leave; an adoption benefit; fertility benefit; a financial wellness program; health advocacy services, paid time off to volunteer for nonprofit organizations; matching gifts for employee contributions to tax exempt organizations; commute assistance; and tuition assistance.

Hybrid Work Policy

The Packard Foundation’s current Hybrid Work Policy is that staff are expected to be in the Los Altos office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays each week with some additional days required. Some travel is required throughout California and nationally.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Foundation is an equal employment opportunity employer, which means we recruit, hire, assign, train, promote, compensate, provide benefits, discipline, and discharge (and all the other terms and conditions of employment) based on merit, qualifications, job requirements, and other legitimate business factors.

To Apply

This search is being led by Phuong Quach and Sharon Gerstman of NPAG. Please apply using this link: https://www.npag.com/packard-ccdir.