California Communities Director

## About The David and Lucile Packard Foundation

Founded in 1964 by David and Lucile Packard, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation is a family philanthropy dedicated to supporting leaders and organizations around the world working to invest in children and families, protect and restore the natural world, and create just and inclusive societies.

For more than six decades, the Foundation has advanced scientific innovation, championed reproductive health and rights, conserved and restored the natural world, and invested in the well‑being of children and families. The Foundation’s goals are to:

### Build Just Societies
Support a strong civil society and inclusive institutions and governance to build just and equitable societies for all people.

### Protect and Restore Our Natural World
Champion bold climate solutions, an ocean that sustains us, and scientific innovation and discovery to secure the health and future of people and planet.

### Invest in Families and Communities
Prioritize the importance of children having a healthy start and promoting resilient and vibrant communities where children and families thrive, so they have the power to shape their lives.

To achieve lasting change, the Foundation also strives to address root causes of longstanding problems, including building a thriving, resilient U.S. democracy; advancing racial justice in the United States and gender equity globally; and supporting a strong civil society around the globe.

Inclusive collaboration is at the heart of the Foundation’s approach, with the belief that actively listening to and learning from people with a wide range of views is the best way to create solutions that match the scale and urgency of the challenges we face. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting community‑based solutions shaped by the knowledge and experience of the people whose lives are most affected and informed by data, recognizing that meaningful solutions require patience, urgency, and support for the conditions that enable transformational change. The Foundation is committed to addressing complex issues over the long term while making tangible progress today.

### Vision, Mission, and Values
**Vision:** A just and equitable world where both people and nature flourish.
**Mission:** We work with people and communities to create enduring solutions for just societies and a healthy, resilient natural world.
**Values:** Equity, Integrity, Belief in Individual Leadership, Thinking Big, Respect, and Effectiveness.

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## California Communities Initiative Overview

Since its inception, the Foundation has sought to ensure that the promise and possibility of California is attainable for all. Today, the California Communities Initiative (CCI) team works to achieve the Foundation’s three goals, with a particular focus on investing in families and communities.

CCI supports partners working in six counties—Fresno, Monterey, San Benito, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and San Mateo—and at a statewide level to promote resilient and vibrant communities where families thrive and can build the lives they want.

Reflecting community priorities, CCI focuses on ensuring that:

– Families have stable, affordable housing so they can put down roots and be active in their communities.
– Everyone, regardless of income or zip code, has access to clean air and water and safe green spaces for recreation, supporting health and resilience to climate change.
– Individuals and families have trusted local organizations they can turn to for support, resources, and a sense of community.

CCI seeks to connect communities to Sacramento to scale community‑led solutions and ensure policies reflect the experiences of people and families across the state.

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## The Opportunity

Reporting to the Vice President for Families and Communities and working in close partnership with the Director of the Children and Families initiative, the California Communities Initiative Director will lead a team of eight to implement effective grantmaking within the Board‑approved initiative and support teamwork within the Foundation and with external stakeholders.

### Manage an Experienced Team
The Director will inspire and engage the team, build trust, and facilitate thought partnership in support of program goals. They will exercise discernment about when to lead from the front and when to elevate their team’s expertise. They will support professional growth, cultivate a positive and collaborative culture, and foster innovation and feedback‑rich practices.

### Represent the Work
The Director will shape strategic cohesiveness and demonstrate the impact of CCI’s work within the Foundation. They will represent the team to Leadership and the Board, build alliances, and elevate CCI’s contributions.

### Provide Strategic Direction with California Expertise
The Director will bring a clear and current understanding of California’s public and private sectors and state, county, and local infrastructures. They will monitor trends and developments to ensure the Foundation selects objectives and deploys resources effectively.

### Connect and Collaborate
The Director will build systems that formalize cross‑initiative collaboration, co‑funding, and shared learning. They will navigate interpersonal dynamics and complex systems to create opportunities within and outside the Foundation. The role partners with peer initiative Directors, participates in the People Manager Cohort and Goal Leadership Team, and works closely with Grants and Data Operations and the General Counsel’s Office to ensure compliance and accuracy.

### Direct Change Management
The Director will maintain strategic clarity amid changes in the operating environment, anticipate shifting variables, and respond effectively to unexpected challenges.

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## Desired Qualifications

### Mission and Values Alignment
– Passion for and belief in the Foundation’s goals and commitments.
– Commitment and care for California communities.

### Knowledge and Experience
– 8–10 years of experience working on California issues related to CCI’s focus areas, ideally at both policy and community levels.
– Deep knowledge of housing, environment, and social determinants of health.
– Experience working within California public, nonprofit, and private sector infrastructures.
– Advanced degree in a related field or equivalent experience.

### Organizational and Team Leadership
– Demonstrated excellence in leading people, projects, and teams; comfort with matrixed structures.
– Experience using evidence and judgment to lead strategy and partnerships.
– Strong people management skills, including coaching, development, evaluation, and retention.
– Proven managerial talent in budgeting, staffing, and performance management.

### Communication and Management
– Skilled communicator with exceptional interpersonal, facilitation, and written and oral communication abilities.
– Deep commitment to inclusion and cross‑cultural communication.
– Independent and decisive leader with clarity of thought, initiative, pragmatism, and openness.
– Diplomatic problem‑solver who thrives in a collegial, team‑based environment.

### Skills and Abilities
– Ability to work in a nonpartisan, collaborative manner across the ideological spectrum.
– Comfort with ambiguity, fast‑paced work, and risk‑taking in dynamic settings.
– Experience in strategic planning and using data for decision‑making.
– Experience designing and facilitating meetings and agile planning processes.
– Meticulous adherence to compliance, due diligence, and cost‑effective processes.
– Proficiency in Microsoft Office and willingness to learn Foundation systems.

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## Compensation and Benefits

This is a full‑time position with a salary range of **$255,000–$317,000 annually**. Actual salary may vary based on education, experience, tenure, certification, skills, abilities, internal equity, and market alignment. Offers are based on years of experience and the Foundation’s practice of upholding salary equity.

The Foundation offers excellent benefits, including:

– Medical (HMO and HDHPs), dental, and vision coverage
– 15% employer retirement contribution
– Life and disability insurance
– Vacation and sick leave
– Adoption and fertility benefits
– Financial wellness program
– Health advocacy services
– Paid volunteer time
– Matching gifts for nonprofit contributions
– Commute assistance
– Tuition assistance

To Apply

This search is being led by Phuong Quach and Sharon Gertsman of NPAG.  Please apply using this link: https://www.npag.com/packard-ccdir.

Hybrid Work Policy

The Packard Foundation’s current Hybrid Work Policy is that staff are expected to be in the Los Altos office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays each week with some additional days required. Some travel is required throughout California and nationally.

Equal Employment Opportunity 

The Foundation is an equal employment opportunity employer, which means we recruit, hire, assign, train, promote, compensate, provide benefits, discipline, and discharge (and all the other terms and conditions of employment) based on merit, qualifications, job requirements, and other legitimate business factors.