Chief of Staff (Washington DC location preferred)
Washington, DC
Full Time
Experienced
About Humanity United
Humanity United (HU) is a philanthropic organization focused on advancing the dignity and voice of those most affected by violent conflict, exploitation, and injustice. Established in 2008 to cultivate conditions for enduring peace and freedom, HU today focuses on systemic change across three bodies of work: Peacebuilding, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking, and Racial Justice and Equity, with a strong focus on leveraging Public Engagement across these issues. Humanity United is part of The Omidyar Group, a diverse collection of companies, organizations, and initiatives united by a desire to improve the lives of people and societies.
Position Summary:
The newly created position of Chief of Staff will serve as a key change leader and connector across HU. Working closely with the CEO as part of HU’s Executive Office, the Chief of Staff will be responsible for supporting the CEO and Executive Committee (comprised of the CEO; COO; Managing Director, Programs; and Managing Director, Public Engagement & Partnerships) to focus and deliver on strategic organizational goals and priorities. The successful candidate will be an experienced executive, systems thinker, builder, and dot-connector whose focus will be on translating the organization’s priorities into action, and ensuring these are accomplished with deep collaboration, trust, and high accountability. This role will design and maintain the systems and rhythms that enable the CEO and Executive Committee to focus on strategic direction, while ensuring efficient organizational execution.
This position collaborates closely with the Executive Committee (EC), the broader Leadership Team (LT), and key members of the Operations Team. The Chief of Staff will serve as a trusted advisor, pivotal communicator, and strategic executor, while aligning with HU’s mission and values.
This is a full-time, exempt position reporting to the CEO. A location in or near Washington DC or San Francisco Bay Area is required, with a strong preference for Washington DC. Our hybrid work approach provides ongoing flexibility for regular remote work, however the duties of this role will require proximity to an HU office for regular gatherings, in-person meetings, and special events.
Core Job Responsibilities:
Management Coordination and Accountability
Culture, DEIJ, and Organizational Change
Internal Communications and Coordination
CEO and Board Support
Organizational Leadership
Must-have requirements:
It’s a bonus if you bring:
We encourage qualified candidates with informal or indirect experience to describe how their background has served as preparation for this role.
Salary: The salary range for this position will vary by geographic location to account for local job market & cost of living. Starting salaries within the range are based on job-related skills, experience and background. At HU, salary progression is based on performance and proficiency in a role over time.
Example starting salary ranges are provided below. We will share more about the starting and full salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.
Humanity United believes that diversity, equity and inclusion make us more successful in our work, and we are able to grow and learn better together when our team is diverse and representative of the communities we serve. We are actively engaged in a formal DEIJ journey as an organization, and expect that prospective employees are enthusiastic about advancing these goals.
We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and staff. In recruiting for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of education, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran status, color, class, religion, disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status and any other characteristics protected by law. We strongly encourage applications from people with diverse identities or who are members of marginalized communities.
HU is proud to offer all staff an inclusive and comprehensive benefits package to accommodate a diversity of needs and life circumstances and to accommodate staff at all life stages with flexible and supportive benefits. Our benefits include medical, dental and vision insurance, life and disability insurance, flexible spending account, 401(k) plan, paid vacation and sick time with generous holiday closures, paid parental leave, charitable gift matching, employee assistance program and mental health support via our partnerships with Modern Health, Calm and Headspace, commuter benefit, wellbeing benefit, phone and home internet benefit, hybrid work flexibility and half-day Fridays.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to fully access our benefits of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation, or describe your needs in your application.
Humanity United’s Values:
We encourage all candidates to learn more about our organizational values at https://humanityunited.org/about/
Humanity United (HU) is a philanthropic organization focused on advancing the dignity and voice of those most affected by violent conflict, exploitation, and injustice. Established in 2008 to cultivate conditions for enduring peace and freedom, HU today focuses on systemic change across three bodies of work: Peacebuilding, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking, and Racial Justice and Equity, with a strong focus on leveraging Public Engagement across these issues. Humanity United is part of The Omidyar Group, a diverse collection of companies, organizations, and initiatives united by a desire to improve the lives of people and societies.
Position Summary:
The newly created position of Chief of Staff will serve as a key change leader and connector across HU. Working closely with the CEO as part of HU’s Executive Office, the Chief of Staff will be responsible for supporting the CEO and Executive Committee (comprised of the CEO; COO; Managing Director, Programs; and Managing Director, Public Engagement & Partnerships) to focus and deliver on strategic organizational goals and priorities. The successful candidate will be an experienced executive, systems thinker, builder, and dot-connector whose focus will be on translating the organization’s priorities into action, and ensuring these are accomplished with deep collaboration, trust, and high accountability. This role will design and maintain the systems and rhythms that enable the CEO and Executive Committee to focus on strategic direction, while ensuring efficient organizational execution.
This position collaborates closely with the Executive Committee (EC), the broader Leadership Team (LT), and key members of the Operations Team. The Chief of Staff will serve as a trusted advisor, pivotal communicator, and strategic executor, while aligning with HU’s mission and values.
This is a full-time, exempt position reporting to the CEO. A location in or near Washington DC or San Francisco Bay Area is required, with a strong preference for Washington DC. Our hybrid work approach provides ongoing flexibility for regular remote work, however the duties of this role will require proximity to an HU office for regular gatherings, in-person meetings, and special events.
Core Job Responsibilities:
Management Coordination and Accountability
- Coordinate the creation of annual organizational goals in close collaboration with the CEO, EC, LT, and other key stakeholders. Ensure regular monitoring of progress and accountability against organizational goals, and own the internal infrastructure that connects organizational goals to execution.
- Translate CEO and Executive Committee strategic decisions into coordinated plans, tracking implementation and progress across departments.
- Support the creation of clear and transparent decision-making and prioritization processes for the EC and LT. Ensure decision-making processes are structured, transparent, and drive timely execution at the operational level.
- Create and implement an annual roadmap for Executive Committee and Leadership Team Meetings and Retreats, ensuring agendas and associated materials are sent in advance, time is well spent, objectives are achieved, and follow-up occurs on identified action items.
- Work in collaboration with Senior Portfolio Directors and Senior Operations staff to ensure ongoing planning, internal communications, and strong execution of CEO and EC priorities.
- Proactively surface insights, risks, and opportunities to the CEO and EC to improve decision quality.
Culture, DEIJ, and Organizational Change
- Expand and strengthen the LT, helping ensure that it is a highly functioning team that fosters trust among staff in the organization.
- Support the renewal of LT and EC management culture, including the ability to engage in generative conflict and creative problem solving.
- Help build organization-wide DEIJ fluency, working closely with the DEIJ Action Team, the People team, and any external consultants.
- Support the organizational strategy process, and associated structural and organizational changes needed to execute the organizational strategy.
Internal Communications and Coordination
- Align and coordinate internal communications from the CEO, EC, and LT in a way that promotes transparency and inclusion.
- Lead key cross-functional initiatives, ensuring projects stay on track and in alignment with strategic goals.
- Develop consistent communication pathways between executive leadership and staff, ensuring organizational transparency and coherence; ensure appropriate and timely internal communications across HU related to all of the efforts above.
CEO and Board Support
- Support the CEO in managing Board engagement, ensuring a healthy board culture that reflects HU values and a deep connection to HU’s mission.
- Support the CEO in managing the reserve and institutional funds held by the Executive Office.
- Supervise and work closely with Executive Assistant and Board Liaison to manage priorities and workflows.
- Oversee and manage all contracts and consultants out of the Executive Office.
Organizational Leadership
- Act as a visible organizational leader with the ability to build trust and strong relationship, embody HU values and integrity, and lead by example.
- Work effectively with staff at all levels, balancing projects and priorities for multiple team members.
- Contribute to a culture that values deep equity.
- Foster cross-departmental collaboration to ensure that strategic goals are understood and acted upon consistently across the org.
Must-have requirements:
- Deep commitment to HU’s mission and values (including Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice).
- Experience in a similar Chief of Staff role and/or reporting directly to a CEO or C-Suite executive.
- Proven experience in stakeholder relationship management, including influencing without formal authority across senior teams.
- Experienced in supporting and enabling effective executive decision-making.
- Demonstrated ability to lead organizational change and strengthen culture and DEIJ with a systems lens.
- Skilled facilitation capability, with the ability to design and run effective executive meetings, retreats, and governance processes.
- Proven ability to translate strategic goals into measurable results across complex organizations.
- Expertise in strategic and internal communications, including message alignment, facilitation, and decision-making processes.
- Strong project and program management capability with the ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives from conception through execution.
- Financial and operational acumen, with experience managing budgets, contracts, consultants, and/or institutional resources and operational controls.
- Experience managing and coaching direct reports; committed to developing and empowering staff.
- Strategic operator who translates executive vision into action through systems, process and alignment, with the ability to spot systemic issues and implement solutions to improve performance.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; able to communicate complex information clearly to diverse audiences.
- Results-oriented, organized, and resourceful, with the ability to operate with agility and integrity in a fast-paced environment.
- Passionate about getting things done well, efficiently, and with high integrity.
- Candidates must have the right to work in the United States.
It’s a bonus if you bring:
- Lived and/or professional experience in fields connected to HU’s mission focus areas.
- Experience supporting or managing board-level governance and meeting processes.
- Prior executive leadership experience in philanthropy, mission-driven organizations, or cross-sector partnerships.
- Skilled mediation or conflict resolution practice.
We encourage qualified candidates with informal or indirect experience to describe how their background has served as preparation for this role.
Salary: The salary range for this position will vary by geographic location to account for local job market & cost of living. Starting salaries within the range are based on job-related skills, experience and background. At HU, salary progression is based on performance and proficiency in a role over time.
Example starting salary ranges are provided below. We will share more about the starting and full salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.
- San Francisco - $223,509 - $248,343
- Washington DC - $201,158 - $223,509
Humanity United believes that diversity, equity and inclusion make us more successful in our work, and we are able to grow and learn better together when our team is diverse and representative of the communities we serve. We are actively engaged in a formal DEIJ journey as an organization, and expect that prospective employees are enthusiastic about advancing these goals.
We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and staff. In recruiting for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of education, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran status, color, class, religion, disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status and any other characteristics protected by law. We strongly encourage applications from people with diverse identities or who are members of marginalized communities.
HU is proud to offer all staff an inclusive and comprehensive benefits package to accommodate a diversity of needs and life circumstances and to accommodate staff at all life stages with flexible and supportive benefits. Our benefits include medical, dental and vision insurance, life and disability insurance, flexible spending account, 401(k) plan, paid vacation and sick time with generous holiday closures, paid parental leave, charitable gift matching, employee assistance program and mental health support via our partnerships with Modern Health, Calm and Headspace, commuter benefit, wellbeing benefit, phone and home internet benefit, hybrid work flexibility and half-day Fridays.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to fully access our benefits of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation, or describe your needs in your application.
Humanity United’s Values:
We encourage all candidates to learn more about our organizational values at https://humanityunited.org/about/
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