The Foundation

We are the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world. Founded on a simple premise: people everywhere, regardless of identity or circumstances, should have the chance to live healthy, productive lives. We believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve. We provide an exceptional benefits package to employees and their families which include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contribution, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in several employee communities. As a workplace, we’re committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally.

The Team

The Gates Foundation’s U.S. Program (USP) works to ensure all students in the US have access to educational opportunities, from Pre-K to postsecondary, that enable them to develop the knowledge, skills, and agency needed thrive as adults and contribute to their communities. Our goal is to make sure more students are on track to obtain a postsecondary credential with labor market value such that race/ethnicity and income are no longer predictors of student success.

Within USP, the Pathways strategy works to support all students – particularly Black, Latino, and Indigenous students and students from low-income backgrounds – to access the learning opportunities, mentorship, and navigation supports to transition successfully from high school to postsecondary education, and then acquire credentials of value and gain professional skills, agency, and social capital needed to thrive in the workforce.

Application Deadline: Friday, September 5th

Your Role

We are seeking an exceptional candidate for the role of Deputy Director, Strategy, Planning & Management (DDSPM). This leader will thrive on tackling complex challenges and collaborating to design solutions that drive transformational change in the lives of students as they pursue postsecondary pathways. The ideal candidate is skilled at working across disciplines, bridging diverse areas of expertise, and influencing change in a fast-paced environment. We are looking for a senior leader with at least 10 years of experience at the intersection of performance management, change management, and U.S. education.

The DDSPM will serve as a key member of the USP Pathways Strategy, Planning & Management (SPM) team and as part of the Pathways Leadership Team. In this role, you will lead strategic and operational planning and oversee the execution of integrated program areas. Responsibilities include guiding strategy performance management, strategic planning and budgeting, pipeline and portfolio management, business analysis, and the alignment of business strategies across the foundation. You will also oversee learning, measurement, and evaluation functions, while driving process improvements, and shaping policies and procedures.

This role also involves managing direct reports, which includes hiring and developing the talent needed to achieve the foundation’s goals. You’ll be expected to guide employees through onboarding, communicate performance expectations, and ensure alignment on objectives. In addition, you’ll integrate project and change management practices, foster a culture of feedback and coaching, monitor progress and accountability, support professional development, and recognize both accomplishments and lessons learned.

What You’ll Do

• Ongoing strategy development and progress monitoring; responsible for evaluation of function and core processes. Cultivate insights to communicate portfolio allocation and progress.
• Oversee alignment of objectives, metrics, and targets throughout the entire portfolio, leveraging rigorous data and rapid-cycle learning to inform strategic decisions.
• Develop and execute portfolio management approach that fosters great stewardship, planning, and resource allocation. Stand up a portfolio‑level risk‑management routine to surface, track, and mitigate financial, reputational, and programmatic risks across grants.
• Drive alignment of team’s work to strategy and implementation plans. As needed, leads refresh of strategies.
• Provide feedback and advisory support to program teams on development and management of major grants.
• Oversee overall rhythm of business across team.
• Oversee knowledge management & process improvement for the team, codifying processes, templates, and playbooks for consistent internal execution standards.
• May work with Director to design organization structure, promote culture and values, and facilitate retreats and collaboration within team.
• Orchestrate alignment with other Foundation teams, convening key members across teams so that insights flow both ways and efforts stay harmonized.
• Champion common data infrastructure and emerging tech, e.g., AI enabled tools to use on our team, so we lead by example in staying ahead of technology shifts.
• Model and coach equitable decision-making, inclusive behaviors & actions; address escalated issues in a timely fashion.

Your Experience

• 10+ years of related experience, including in U.S. secondary and/or postsecondary education.
• Advanced degree (preferably MBA although not required if previous work experience validates prior learning related to strategy, operations, financials and people management)
• Deep knowledge of strategy development and execution, design of performance management system of goals, targets and monitoring process.
• Demonstrated ability in portfolio design and management to create optimal investment mix to drive to a set of outcomes, bridging a wide range of expertise within a large philanthropic and grant making enterprise.
• Proven strength in structured problem solving and strategic business planning, with the ability to easily identify and communicate frameworks to analyze issues.
• Adept in strategic and operational planning, including critical-path thinking, detail orientation, setting priorities, and planning.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to identify and communicate external and internal dynamics, as well as articulate implications for strategy, priorities, and team evolution.
• Demonstrated ability to build consensus and lead people and teams to effectively achieve clear, yet complex goals and objectives.
• Proven ability to drive change in matrixed environments and influence without formal authority.
• Demonstrated passion for the Foundation’s values with a commitment to deliver results against the Foundation’s mission.

Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.

The salary range for this role is $233,600 to $362,200 USD. We recognize high-wage market differences in Seattle and Washington D.C., where our offices are located. The range for this role in these locations is $254,700 to $394,700 USD. As a mission-driven organization, we strive to balance competitive pay with our mission. New hires salaries are typically between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint. Actual placement in the range will depend on a candidate’s job-related skills, experience, and expertise, as evaluated during the interview process.

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Hiring Requirements

As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

Candidate Accommodations

If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request here.

Inclusion Statement

We are dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We strive for a global and cultural workplace that supports ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion — of voices, ideas, and approaches — and we support this diversity through all our employment practices.

All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve our mission will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and prior protected activity.