Job Description

 

THE OPPORTUNITY

Seattle Foundation has gone through significant growth and change over the past several years. The Foundation did a strategic refocus in 2020, shaping a framework that explicitly centers racial equity and inclusion as critical to everything they do. Alesha Washington, President & CEO, joined the Foundation in May 2022 and is guiding the Foundation towards honing its strategic focus and community impact, as well as strengthening operations and reimagining its business model for long-term sustainability. Seattle Foundation will only be as strong as the people who work there.

Developing a people and culture strategy that is truly “people-first” and ensuring that the team is supported and well positioned for success will be important for the Foundation’s long-term success. Ensuring this work is centered in equity, inclusion, and belonging is essential to the Foundation living their values as an organization. The hiring of a new Managing Director of People & Culture is central to this work, who will oversee the integration of the Foundation’s equity, inclusion, belonging, and justice work – bringing the work together into a cohesive strategy across the organization. The People & Culture team reports into the Foundation’s Executive Vice President, Michele Frix.

With this commitment top of mind, we are looking for a strategist to build and drive Seattle Foundation’s people and culture work, focused on fostering a healthy, inclusive, and vibrant organizational culture; advising senior leadership through ongoing change management that balances the care and well-being of staff; staff training and support; and shaping a comprehensive and integrated approach to diversity, racial equity, and inclusion across the Foundation. The MD of People & Culture will be a key thought partner to the senior leadership team. This leader will spearhead efforts to shape a people management and culture building strategy that is responsible for stewarding the overall employee experience – one that recruits, develops, retains, and engages staff in meaningful and joyful ways.

 

The MD of People & Culture will be the senior-most position overseeing organizational culture, talent management strategies, performance management, and staff relations and well-being. The MD of People & Culture will be a strong thought partner to the senior leadership team and collaborate effectively across the organization to align talent and culture strategies with organizational goals. We are seeking a dynamic and experienced MD of People & Culture to join our team and play a pivotal role in shaping our organizational culture and talent management strategies to help the organization advance the vision and mission at this critical time of rebuilding. The successful candidate will be responsible for fostering an inclusive and high-performance culture, attracting, and retaining top talent, and ensuring that our team is aligned with our mission and values. This leader currently manages three full-time employees and oversees outside vendors related to HR Operations and recruiting.

Key Responsibilities

Culture Development & Learning

• Develop and execute strategies to promote an inclusive organizational culture that aligns with the Foundation’s mission and centers on learning.

• Lead efforts to enhance employee engagement, well-being, and satisfaction.

• Partner with leadership to ensure the Foundation is an equitable and inclusive workplace where all employees feel valued and can thrive through staff trainings, coaching, and learning initiatives.

• Serve as a thought partner on efforts to increase effective collaboration across the organization and address and resolve conflicts between staff and teams.

• Work with leaders and teams to drive a culture that embraces and leverages each employee’s unique skills and strengths.

• Partnering with our Impact & Learning team, build and implement a comprehensive internal plan that aims to create a culture of learning for all employees. Serve as a key partner in Foundation-wide learning efforts, with a focus on opportunities to deepen staff understanding and ownership of our Blueprint for Impact.

• Lead workforce planning efforts to meet changing organizational needs, as a key thought partner to the senior leadership team and people managers. Collaborate with senior leadership to align talent and culture strategies with organizational goals.

Diversity, Racial Equity, & Inclusion

• Champion diversity, racial equity, and inclusion initiatives, ensuring that they are integrated into all aspects of our organization.

• Building the Foundation’s history, design a comprehensive and aligned approach to integrating our efforts to support racial equity, justice, inclusion, and belonging. Facilitate the work of the Diversity Equity Inclusion Council and provide support to staff-led affinity groups.

• Ensure the Foundation maintains ongoing learning and innovation of organizational practices that center racial equity and inclusion.

Employee Experience & Well Being

• Drive people management efforts across the Foundation, focused on attracting, selecting, developing, and retaining employees. Lead and mentor the people & culture staff and oversee the day-to-day operations of the department.

• Support cross-team efforts to reimagine the Foundation’s performance management and review process.

• Strengthen and implement an employee relations plan focused on internal communications, recognition, and connection with team members. Partner with internal stakeholders and leaders to imagine and implement strategies for employee engagement and retention.

• Serve as a trusted resource for employees, addressing their concerns and fostering positive relationships.

• Promote employee well-being by implementing wellness programs and initiatives, and managing staff who plan All-Hands gatherings and internal learning programs.

Talent Acquisition, Onboarding & Retention

• Oversee the recruitment and selection process to attract top talent to the organization, including through outside recruiters.

• Develop and implement a comprehensive onboarding program to integrate new employees into the Foundation’s culture; ensure all staff have a consistent entry into the organization and access to the tools, resources, and information they need to be successful in their role.

• Create and manage strategies for talent retention, career development, and succession planning.

Performance Management & Leadership Development

• Establish and oversee performance management processes, including goal setting, regular feedback, and performance evaluations.

• Work with department heads to identify opportunities for skill development and training.

• Design and deliver leadership development programs to nurture and grow our leadership talent and people managers.

Compliance & Policies

• Ensure compliance with all relevant employment laws and regulations.

• Develop and update HR policies and procedures as needed.

• Communicate HR policies, initiatives, and updates to employees effectively.

• Oversee outside vendors related to HR Operations and recruiting.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

The ideal candidate will have the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:

PEOPLE-CENTRIC LEADER
The Managing Director of People & Culture will bring a leadership philosophy that centers staff in the work. They will be a highly responsive leader for the team, resolving immediate issues while solving root causes strategically and inclusively. This candidate will lead in service of staff, and by extension, the community in which the Foundation supports. They will be committed to developing staff, providing the tools, education, and support to allow them to flourish in their roles. This leader will promote a culture where everyone feels valued, fostering a sense of belonging across the organization. Ideal candidates will have training and expertise in talent management, organizational development, change management and culture building, adult learning, and diversity, racial equity, and inclusion work. They will be entrepreneurial in nature, with demonstrated experience building successful strategies and infrastructure within this scope of work from the ground up.

TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER
The MD of People & Culture will be a strategic thinker and a hands-on leader with the experience to understand and balance a complex array of organizational needs. With an entrepreneurial spirit, a measurable track record of articulating Human Resource needs, and an outcome-driven mindset, the MD of People & Culture will serve as a strategic advisor across all teams and the Senior Leadership Team. A successful MD of People & Culture will be skilled at high level shaping of strategy down to executing and sustaining process details. They will have the ability to clearly and consistently communicate critical areas for change, while increasing the understanding of those affected by the change. They will bring a natural ability to build consensus, challenge others to improve, and foster cohesion within the organization. An inclusive leader, they will be committed to embedding equity and justice into human resource and organizational structures, culture, programs, and processes that guide the Foundation internally as well as externally.

PASSION FOR THE MISSION
The MD of People & Culture will have a passion for the mission of the Foundation and the organization’s history, model, and potential for future impact. This leader will be driven by the opportunity to impact the communities the Foundation serves. They will feel a sense of ownership to accelerate change by motivating and empowering others to contribute to a shared vision and purpose. They will model openness, honesty, humility, and accountability to colleagues. This leader will ensure the health of the Foundation’s culture overall and proactively seek opportunities to highlight positive contributions to long-term success. The MD of People & Culture will be an empathic leader, treating others with respect.

RELATIONSHIP BUILDER
The MD of People & Culture will be an emotionally intelligent leader who has deep comfort connecting with people of different philosophies, backgrounds, and cultures. They will have the ability to build trust quickly, while fostering an environment of collaboration and partnership. They will also be able to build bridges and lead through influence. The MD of People & Culture will work to develop relationships with the team to ensure positive outcomes for the organization, identifying organizational efficiencies and leveraging opportunities to advance the Foundation’s mission, policies, and practices. This leader will seek to understand the perspectives of team members from across the organization while setting clear objectives for the HR function.

CHANGE AGENT
The MD of People & Culture will bring energy to inspire the team and the community that the Foundation serves to achieve new heights around equity, inclusion, and justice. They will have an exceptional ability to listen intently, think clearly, and respond effectively, empathically, and judiciously to a variety of challenges. This individual will be a proactive, collaborative change agent with the skills to challenge the status quo while remaining sensitive to the Foundation’s culture and place in the community. They will be experienced leading and managing organizational change, with a thorough, detailed, and wide-ranging perspective on the impacts of these changes on the culture and community. The MD of People & Culture will be consultative, promoting open dialogue across the Foundation, synthesizing divergent views, and coalescing the organization around shared values.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Hiring Range: $167,000 to $185,000+
Full Grade 37: $126,589 to $208,871++

+ The hiring range reflects SeaFdn policy to hire mid-range within the associated grade.
++ Per Washington State law, we disclose the full range of the associated grade for this position; this range is 100% of range and has not been adjusted.

BENEFITS & WORK LOCATION
Comprehensive medical, dental, vision and retirement provided day one of employment.

• 100% Paid by the employer: medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, LTD. 403(b) Retirement matched at 5%; increasing to 10% over time, 100% immediate vesting. Annual PTO: 3 weeks’ vacation, 2 weeks sick, 4 wellness days, 16 holidays. Other benefits: $1,200 remote work benefit, $750 wellness benefit, $1,200 transit benefit; optional Flex plan and dependent coverage.
• Work location: Flexible; can be hybrid or in-person, but the position requires some onsite meetings (e.g., team meetings, leadership check-ins, All-Hands monthly, etc.). Office located downtown Seattle; must live in WA state and comply with COVID-19 vaccination policy.

 

THE ORGANIZATION
“The heart and science of philanthropy” is the intersection of philanthropic passion and data-driven solutions to create lasting change. As the community’s foundation, Seattle Foundation’s mission is to ignite powerful and rewarding philanthropy to make Greater Seattle a stronger, more vibrant community for all.

We seek individuals to join our 60+ staff team who are committed to our vision of a stronger, more vibrant community for all; collaboratively finding solutions; continually improving; and going above and beyond in service of our philanthropic partners and the broader community.

We’re in the midst of an exciting evolution in our work. While the Seattle region is undergoing major economic growth, systemic failures across sectors continue to leave Black, Indigenous, and communities of color behind, placing our whole community at risk. Seattle Foundation is creating a dynamic path for philanthropy in a new, ambitious Blueprint for Impact. The Blueprint details a regional vision to engage a wide range of partners to address racial and economic inequities. The Blueprint takes shape in three core areas: a just democracy, an equitable economy, and a resilient environment.

 

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
Seattle Foundation envisions a thriving region of shared prosperity, belonging, and justice, where all individuals and communities have equitable access and outcomes, regardless of race, place, or identity. We are committed to advancing racial equity using an intersectional lens, and integrate our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts into all that we do. We hold ourselves accountable to uphold our organizational values, and strive to do better every day.

As an equal opportunity employer, Seattle Foundation does not discriminate in employment on the basis of age, race, creed, gender, religion, marital status, veteran’s status, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation. We welcome all candidates from a wide range of backgrounds who have the skills and are passionate about our work, and we strongly encourage applicants of color to apply.

 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING CONDITIONS
The work is performed remote, in an office setting, or a hybrid combination. All positions require the capability of working at a PC for extended periods. Team efforts with event support may require periods of physical activity involving standing, walking, and moderate lifting. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary functions of the role.

 

EXPRESS INTEREST

Koya Partners, the executive search firm that specializes in mission-driven search, has been exclusively retained for this engagement. Maleka Pensky and Casey Shea of Koya Partners have been exclusively retained for this search. To express interest in this role please submit your materials by filling out Koya Partners' Talent Profile or email Maleka and Casey directly at sfpeopleandculture@koyapartners.com. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.

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