Director, Business Process & Systems Innovation bei The Rockefeller Foundation

Position Overview

The Director of Business Process & Systems Innovation supports the development and continuous improvement of the core systems that enable The Rockefeller Foundation’s philanthropy. Anchored in RockForce - our Salesforce-based platform for grantmaking, contracts, donations, and program-related investments (PRIs) - this role helps shape processes, data practices, and user experience to ensure the platform adapts to the Foundation’s evolving needs. Positioned at the intersection of mission strategy, operations, and technology, the Director ensures RockForce continues to align with organizational priorities but also anticipates how philanthropy will be practiced 5–10 years from now. 

Reporting to the VP, Operations & Organizational Insights, IT, and business units across the Foundation, the Director translates strategic direction into practical solutions that improve efficiency, strengthen data insights, and enhance the user experience. The Director identifies opportunities to apply emerging tools such as AI, automation, and advanced analytics. By championing a culture of curiosity, learning, and adoption, this role transforms systems into enablers of bold action and enterprise-wide effectiveness.

Pay Range: $183,380 - $214,245. This represents the present low and high ends of the Foundation’s pay range for this position. Actual pay will vary based on various factors, including but not limited to experience.

Work Schedule: This role is on a hybrid work schedule, and required to be in the office on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Business Systems Management & Delivery

• Translate organizational priorities into system requirements and enhancements in partnership with the VP, Operations & Organizational Insights, IT, and Salesforce administrators.
• Serve as day-to-day business owner for RockForce, ensuring updates, workflows, and features support staff needs and align with established strategy.
• Manage the enhancement pipeline, balancing user feedback, system capabilities, and organizational priorities.
• Identify and evaluate emerging tools and technologies - including automation, reporting, and analytics - that can strengthen system performance and business processes.
• Establish and monitor clear metrics to track system performance, user adoption, and business impact, and recommend adjustments as needed.

Governance & Data Practices

• Support governance frameworks that ensure the scalability, security, and reliability of RockForce and related systems, in partnership with IT.
• Lead enterprise data and system integration efforts, aligning RockForce, RFCC, Salesforce, ERP, document management, and knowledge systems to enable interoperability, streamlined workflows, and shared reporting.
• Own and maintain the Foundation-wide data taxonomy, ensuring consistency, usability, and quality across systems in collaboration with IT, Operations, and Program Strategy.
• Partner with IT to establish and enforce data standards and integration protocols that uphold enterprise data strategies.
• Advance long-term data practices - including preservation, migration, and readiness for advanced analytics - in collaboration with IT and Knowledge Management.
• Monitor data quality and system performance, escalating issues and recommending improvements as needed.

User Experience & Change Enablement

• Translate staff needs into intuitive workflows and process improvements that enhance adoption, efficiency, and impact.
• Partner with IT to anticipate and resolve system challenges, coordinate testing, and implement solutions that continuously improve business processes. 
• Ensure RockForce provides robust analytics and reporting that are intuitive and accessible, empowering staff to generate insights, interpret data with confidence, and take action through self-service tools.
• Lead change management and communication efforts for enhancements, ensuring transparency and user engagement.
• Develop accessible and engaging training materials and guides in partnership with Organizational Learning & Development.

Education, Experience, and Skills

• Generally expected to have at least 10 years of experience in business systems, enterprise platforms, or operations technology, ideally within philanthropic or nonprofit organizations.
• Bachelor’s degree; advanced degree in Business, Information Systems, Nonprofit Management, or related field preferred.
• Expertise in leading Salesforce-based systems with demonstrated success managing cross-departmental system implementations and ongoing platform improvements.

• Experience with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and their integration with Salesforce or other platforms.
• Strong understanding of data practices and business process design, with the ability to translate organizational needs into functional solutions.
• Proficient in leveraging product management tools like Jira to translate business needs into actionable tickets, track progress, and ensure timely delivery of features.
• Prior experience working in or closely with grantmaking institutions strongly preferred; understanding of the philanthropic funding lifecycle (grants, contracts, donations, and PRIs) is a plus.
• Excellent communication skills and experience leading change management and training for diverse user groups.
• Collaborative, problem-solving orientation with commitment to continuous improvement.
• Salesforce certification strongly preferred.

Qualifications and Competencies

• Balances Stakeholders: Anticipates and balances the needs of multiple stakeholders. 
• Develops Talent: Develops people to meet both their career goals and the organization’s goals. 
• Directs Work: Provides direction, delegating, and removing obstacles to get work done. 
• Manages Complexity: Makes sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems. 
• Values Differences: Recognizes the value of different perspectives, commits to being self-aware and respectful, and seeks to learn from new and different voices.

About The Rockefeller Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation that enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We make big bets to promote the well-being of humanity. Today, we are focused on advancing human opportunity and reversing the climate crisis by transforming systems in food, health, energy, and finance. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at http://rockefellerfoundation.org and follow us on X @RockefellerFdn.

The Rockefeller Foundation offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that includes health insurance programs, tuition reimbursement and student loan repayment, a generous 401K, parental leave, and various forms of paid time off, all to help our employees feel energized, cared for, and engaged.

As an organization, we focus on six values to advance our culture and continue our success. We are dedicated to being Transparent, Optimistic, Accountable, Collaborative, Trusted, and Equitable. We expect all employees at the Foundation to contribute by developing their unique perspectives and talent, challenging conventional wisdom through evidence and reason, and amplifying marginalized voices.

The Rockefeller Foundation is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity and compliance with all federal, state, and local laws concerning employment discrimination, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. To this end, the Foundation ensures equal opportunity to all employees and applicants regardless of race, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, lawful alien status, physical, mental, and medical disability, veteran status, liability for service in the United States Armed Forces, or any other protected status. 

The Rockefeller Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.