Senior Director, Executive Strategy & Initiatives

Job Description

Job Description

Chaloner has partnered with Pivotal on their search for a Senior Director, Executive Strategy & Initiatives.

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 and operationalizes the Principal’s Leadership, Influence, and Voice (LIV) strategy, is responsible for the network function, and advances key initiatives that create opportunities for external collaboration and impact on behalf of the Principal. This role develops the LIV strategy and manages large-scale, high-priority, and cross-organizational projects to ensure effective decision-making, cross-team collaboration, and successful implementation to drive the Principal’s impact. 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 and influence are amplified and sustained. This position cultivates a strong, direct, and trusted consultative relationship with the Principal, advising on the LIV strategy.

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

Principal’s LIV Strategy & Thought Leadership

• Guide the strategic direction for the Principal’s Leadership, Influence, and Voice strategy.
• Develop and implement frameworks and processes that enable the Principal to use their platform effectively for impact.
• Lead 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 leadership and influence.
• Responsible for cross-cutting workstream management, including:
• Managing workflow, meetings, and strategic planning, including quarterly deliverables and coordination across teams.
• Conducting research on key issues, barriers, messaging, and opportunities.
• Engaging external experts through exploratory conversations (inbound and proactive).
• Synthesizing insights into actionable recommendations for multiple audiences.
• Serve as a trusted senior advisor to the Principal

Strategic Initiatives & Ecosystem Activation

• Drive high-impact initiatives and cross-functional projects that advance the Principal’s LIV vision.
• Proactively surface, design, and operationalize new opportunities that empower others to drive change aligned to the Principal’s goals and deliver measurable value.
• Build partnerships, foster collaboration, and create spaces for collective action on key issues.
• Integrate network strategy into broader organizational priorities through cross-functional collaboration.
• Maintain strong network systems and collaboration infrastructure to support sustained connection and knowledge sharing.

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.
• Proven ability to speak candidly and persuasively to Principals and/or C-suite level leaders.
• Proven ability 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, including executive communications expertise, 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.

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 View email address on ziprecruiter.com for assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process.

Interested candidates should apply by using the application form. Chaloner will review all applicants and, upon qualification, contact you to determine next steps.