Vice President, Civic Innovation na The Rockefeller Foundation

Position Overview

The Rockefeller Foundation’s U.S. Program & Policy (USPP) team is launching a new strategy to empower communities to navigate and prosper in the face of economic and technological disruption. As part of this effort, the Foundation is establishing a new Civic Innovation program to strengthen state and local governments’ capacity to meet today’s challenges and better serve their communities.
 
 The Vice President, Civic Innovation will lead this newly established program area, developing and managing a portfolio focused on government effectiveness, efficiency, and community capacity-building. This leader will build a high-performing team, cultivate a strong network of grantees and partners, and pursue innovative approaches, including responsible uses of artificial intelligence, to support government problem-solving.
 
 The Vice President will also work closely with colleagues across the Foundation, including the U.S. Economic Opportunity team, to identify collaboration opportunities in states and communities. The role requires a strategic leader with deep experience in government effectiveness and innovation, strong management capabilities, and the ability to represent the Foundation externally as a trusted partner and thought leader.

Pay Range: $248,175 - $284,510. This represents the present low and high end 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

Program Strategy & Leadership

• Lead the design, development, and execution of the USPP Civic Innovation portfolio, ensuring alignment with Foundation strategy and impact goals.
• Guide investments that strengthen government effectiveness and build community capacity.
• Explore and advance innovations, including artificial intelligence, to enhance government performance.

Partnerships & Networks

• Build and maintain a network of grantees, partners, peer funders, and thought leaders to enable impact at scale.
• Pursue collaborative opportunities with external stakeholders to amplify impact and expand resources.
• Represent the Foundation and Civic Innovation program in key forums, convenings, and coalitions.

Team Leadership & Management

• Manage the Civic Innovation team, setting clear goals and expectations and ensuring strong individual and team performance.
• Provide coaching, development, and performance management to team members.
• Contribute to a positive, inclusive, and high-performance culture across USPP.

Collaboration & Integration

• Partner with the U.S. Economic Opportunity team and other Foundation colleagues to identify cross-program synergies.
• Support broader USPP strategic priorities and contribute to leadership discussions and decision-making.

Education, Experience, and Skills

• Minimum 12+ years of relevant experience, with at least 5+ years of management/leadership experience.
• Significant experience working in or with government agencies (state or local preferred), or with NGOs focused on strengthening government performance.
• Experience in philanthropy or partnership-based program design strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success managing teams and driving impact at scale.
• Strong understanding of policy, governance, and innovation ecosystems in the U.S. context.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to represent the Foundation externally with credibility.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.

Qualifications and Competencies

• Balances Stakeholders: Anticipates and balances the needs of multiple stakeholders.
• Cultivates Innovation: Creates new and better ways for the organization to be successful.
• Develops Talent: Develops people to meet both their career goals and the organization’s goals.
• Drives Vision & Purpose: Paints a compelling picture of the vision and strategy that motivates others to action.
• 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.