Director, Systems ; WKKF

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, a leading national philanthropy helping communities create the conditions children need to thrive, is seeking nominations and applications for a Director of Systems Change. In recent years, the foundation has sharpened its focus on improving conditions for vulnerable children. Systems Change investments constitute the foundation’s national body of work that advances the mission of the foundation in three key focus areas: thriving children, working families, and equitable communities.

Working in close partnership with the Vice President for Program Strategy, the director will oversee the foundation’s work to influence and promote conditions that lead to transformational and systemic change for children and families. This work includes strategy implementation, priority setting, collaboration and knowledge sharing across the foundation with other directors, and relationship development with grantees, external partners and stakeholders.

The ideal candidate will be a visionary leader with deep knowledge of the role philanthropy can and should play in systems change, including and especially the dismantling of structural racism. He/she/they will have significant experience in grantmaking strategy with a specialty in content areas that target the wellbeing of children. Economic equity, food systems, education quality and health equity are preferred areas of expertise grounded in the foundation’s DNA of community engagement, leadership and racial equity.

The new director will also be a seasoned manager skilled in empowering highly talented individuals to seek out innovative ways to drive toward the mission. He/she/they will have experience in program alignment and evaluation and will leverage their expertise into knowledge sharing opportunities across the foundation.

Success in this role requires significant leadership experience (10+ years) in regional or national grantmaking, an anti-racist approach to the work of grantmaking and a demonstrated knowledge of and appreciation for emergent trends in grantmaking. The ideal candidate will be an innovative, energetic leader, who is excited about the opportunity to balance work as a senior manager, strategist and thought-partner. He/she/they will be a talented communicator who is able to build rapport, trust and transparency internally and externally.

The director will build positive relationships especially among the grantmaking team while acting as a bridge between program staff and senior leadership. He/she/they will be a strong public communicator who seeks knowledge, first and foremost, from grantees but also engages in thought-partnership with national partners and stakeholders.

This search is being conducted by NPAG . Application instructions can be found at the end of this document.

In 1930, breakfast cereal pioneer Will Keith Kellogg donated $66 million in Kellogg Company stock and other investments “to help people help themselves,” launching the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The Foundation began its work in Michigan, but by the 1940s had expanded its work internationally and was breaking ground in areas such as rural children’s health, “mainstreaming” children with disabilities, and the development of the healthcare profession.

By its 50 th anniversary, the Foundation was among the world’s largest private philanthropic organizations. Its mission reflects the Foundation’s core priorities of thriving children, working families, and equitable communities, and the dynamic connection between the three.

“The W.K. Kellogg Foundation supports children, families, and communities as they strengthen and create conditions that propel vulnerable children to achieve success as individuals and as contributors to the larger community and society.”

To advance this mission, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation created a framework supported by an innovative matrixed organizational design to prioritize investment decisions and maximize effectiveness toward achieving the desired ends and improvements for children and their families. This new framework supports disciplined choices toward targeted outcomes and stronger alignment…