COMPANY OVERVIEW
Founded by Melinda French Gates, Pivotal is a group of organizations working to accelerate the pace of social progress for women and young people in the U.S. and around the world.
Inspired by our founder, we reach across communities and sectors to bring together innovative thinkers who can scale up proven ideas and catalyze new ones. We learn from their experiences, amplify their resources, and support them as they lead.
Pivotal includes Pivotal Philanthropies, focused on charitable grantmaking and impact investing; Pivotal Initiatives Fund, focused on policy and advocacy work; and Pivotal Ventures, focused on direct investments and partnerships.
ROLE DESCRIPTION
The Senior Director, Executive Strategy & Initiatives works across multiple entities within the Pivotal ecosystem. This position leads the strategy, development, and activation of the Principal’s network, relationships and community-building efforts. This leader will be responsible for translating relationships into influence, partnerships into action, and networks into communities capable of advancing social progress.
This role advances key initiatives that create opportunities for external collaboration and philanthropic impact on behalf of the Principal, managing large-scale, high-priority, and cross-organizational projects to ensure effective decision-making, cross-team collaboration, and successful implementation. This individual builds and mentors a high-performing team, including external partners and consultants, and aligns work across multiple entities to ensure the Principal's leadership, influence, and network are amplified and sustained. This position cultivates a strong, direct, and trusted consultative relationship with the Principal in support of her leadership and network strategies.
The ideal candidate brings deep experience in network leadership, coalition building, stakeholder engagement, and systems change, along with the ability to operate strategically across philanthropy, policy, advocacy, and social impact ecosystems.
ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Initiatives
- Drive high-impact initiatives and cross-functional projects that advance the Principal's
- Identify, cultivate, and steward trusted relationships with key network members, both within Pivotal’s existing network and through proactive identification, to unlock impact.
- Identify opportunities to align leaders, cultivate strategic partnerships, and convene key stakeholders to advance Pivotal and the Principal’s priorities.
- Build partnerships, foster collaboration, and create spaces for collective action on key issues.
- Proactively surface, design, and operationalize new opportunities that empower others to drive change aligned to the Principal’s goals and deliver measurable value.
- Develop convening strategies that move beyond events to sustained engagement and action.
- Mobilize relationships and networks around priority initiatives and opportunities.
- Develop, execute, and maintain a thriving and comprehensive network strategy.
- Maintain strong network systems and collaboration infrastructure to support sustained connection and knowledge sharing among key stakeholders.
Principal's Network Strategy
- Build and lead the function as a coordinated, strategy-driven engine, centered on Pivotal and the Principal’s shared priorities.
- Lead the strategy and operational infrastructure required for effective network activation and serve as the strategic integrator for the broader organization.
- Advance the Principal’s leadership strategy by contributing to frameworks and processes that enable the Principal to use their network and platform effectively for impact.
- Support strategic planning, issue and network management in support of the Principal's priorities.
- Cultivate trusted relationships with key stakeholders, partners, and advisors to amplify the Principal's network, influence, and long-term impact.
- Serve as a trusted senior advisor to the Principal.
Team Leadership & Management
- Lead, train, and mentor direct report(s), providing direction through clear expectations and regularly conducting check-ins and providing performance feedback while supporting individual development.
- Interview, hire and onboard new team members.
- Oversee team operations, budget, and resourcing to deliver outcomes and impact aligned with evolving priorities.
- Foster a collaborative and accountable team culture that supports innovation in advancing the Principal’s work.
- Evaluate and triage inbound requests from the Principal, Executive Leadership Team (ELT), and other key internal and external partners, either responding directly or routing appropriately.
- Resolve critical team challenges with strategic and values-aligned approaches.
- Foster equity and belonging are embedded in team values and practices, consistent with organizational values and legal requirements.
- Position the function as a collaborative, strategic, and trusted partner within the organization.
Perform other job-related duties as assigned.
CORE COMPETENCIES
To perform this role successfully, individuals must demonstrate the skills and behaviors aligned with our Pivotal Principles that define what success looks like across all roles. These competencies reflect the expectations for how we work together, lead, grow, and deliver impact for all employees regardless of function or level.
Build and Maintain Trust
Act with integrity and foster an inclusive and collaborative work environment.
- Is Inclusive – Advance a culture of equity and belonging.
- Act with Integrity – Tell the truth, take responsibility for your actions, meet your commitments, and act ethically.
- Collaborate – Build trusting relationships and treat people with dignity and respect.
Drive Impact
Deliver high-quality work that is aligned with Pivotal Strategic Initiatives.
- Solve Problems – Identify issues and seek diverse perspectives to develop potential solutions.
- Propel Work Forward – Take initiative, prioritize work appropriately, and complete work on time.
- Center Stewardship – Use resources responsibly, consider and manage risk, and follow Pivotal policies and procedures.
Learn and Grow
Demonstrate a commitment to continuous individual and organizational development.
- Contribute Constructively – Participate in advancing individual, team, and organization-wide well-being and resilience.
- Occupy Growth-Mindset – Embrace challenges, learn from mistakes, and focus on improvement.
- Share Knowledge – Document work appropriately, assess outcomes, and share explicit and tacit learning.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Minimum 12 years of relevant experience working with philanthropists and/or influential public figures or an equivalent combination of advanced training and experience in social impact.
- Minimum 8 years leading others, with demonstrated commitment to staff development and experience fostering equity and belonging within a team.
- Adept at managing external agencies.
- Track record of successfully managing large-scale, high priority projects with extended timelines, significant budgets, and complex partner dynamics.
- Able to speak candidly and persuasively to Principals and/or C-suite level leaders.
- Demonstrated capability to lead high-stakes, cross-functional projects from end to end, engaging key partners and making sound, strategic decisions..
- Proven ability to design effective strategies to advance organization-wide priorities.
- Ability to maintain a strategic perspective while delivering high-quality, detailed work.
- Excellent written, oral, and presentation communications skills, tailoring messaging for multiple audiences, experience in collaboration, and track record of drafting memos, strategy documents, and presentations.
- Skilled in working with senior leaders and leadership teams across an organization.
- Strong technical and data analysis skills, including quantitative data interpretation, drawing insights from data, and rapid synthesis of large volumes of research.
- Proficiency using Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and SharePoint).
- Fluency in use of systems necessary to role (e.g., Salesforce, Workday).
- Willingness and ability to travel as needed.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Ability to draw connections across disparate data points and opportunities to provide leadership in ‘vision’ development and to implement multiple strategies to achieve vision.
- Deep experience working in and on social progress, including experience and expertise in philanthropy, communications and/or program areas related to gender equity.
- Experience and ease with public speaking and communicating to a range of audiences.
EMPLOYMENT DETAILS
The salary range for this position is $292,200 - $309,600 per year. This is a full-time position based in Pivotal's Kirkland, WA or Seattle, WA office. Remote may be considered for exceptionally qualified US-based candidates in certain geographic locations who are willing to travel.
Benefits for full-time employees currently include medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and long-term care insurance, fertility benefit, caregiving support, 144 hours of vacation, 96 hours of sick leave, 401k, HSA, FSA, an opportunity to earn a discretionary annual target performance bonus and more. Eligibility for and the amount of benefits provided are governed by the terms of the applicable plan documents.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, in Pivotal’s discretion, with or without notice.
Pivotal values diversity and is strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all employees and all applicants seeking employment. All employment decisions at Pivotal are based on the candidate’s or employee’s capabilities and qualifications without regard to race (including traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles such as afros, braids, locks, and twists), color, creed, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship or immigration status, caste, veteran or military status, marital, parental, or familial status, disability (including sensory, physical, or mental disability), medical condition, genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristics, domestic violence victim status, political ideology, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable law.
Pivotal complies with federal, state, and local equal opportunity and disability laws and makes reasonable accommodation consistent with those laws for applicants and employees with disabilities. Please contact [email protected] for assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process.
Applications may be submitted via the Pivotal Careers page.
Skills Required
- Minimum 12 years of relevant experience working with philanthropists and/or influential public figures
- Minimum 8 years leading others
- Adaptive management of external agencies
- Track record of managing large-scale, high priority projects
- Proven ability to speak candidly and persuasively to Principals and/or C-suite level leaders
- Proven ability to lead high-stakes, cross-functional projects
- Excellent written, oral, and presentation communications skills
- Strong technical and data analysis skills
- Proficiency using Microsoft 365
- Fluency in use of systems necessary to role (e.g., Salesforce, Workday)
- Willingness and ability to travel
What We Do
Founded by Melinda French Gates, Pivotal Ventures accelerates social progress in the United States by removing barriers that hold people back. Pivotal Ventures expands opportunity and accelerates equality in the United States through high-impact investments, partnerships, and advocacy. We focus on areas where social progress has stalled—and where we can have the biggest impact. Like Melinda, we’re clear-eyed about the stubborn problems our country faces. But we also see those problems as potential turning points in our nation’s story. Our impatience with the status quo is fueled by an optimism that progress is always possible—especially when we seize the moment together. We do not review or return unsolicited requests for funding or other types of support. For media inquiries, please reach out to [email protected]
