Vice President, Environment & Science

Vice President, Environment & Science
Packard Foundation

Our Vision:
A just and equitable world
where both people and nature flourish.

Our Mission:
We work with people and
communities to create enduring solutions for just societies and a
healthy, resilient natural world.

Our Values:
Equity, Integrity, Belief in
Individual Leadership, Thinking Big, Respect, and
Effectiveness.

Packard Foundation History
David and
Lucile Packard were philanthropists long before they helped
transform a small electronics shop in their garage into one of the
world’s leading technology companies, Hewlett-Packard. They
formalized their passion for philanthropy in 1964 when they
established the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

David and Lucile intentionally did not write down a vision for
the future of the Foundation. They believed that no one could
foresee what the future would look like and wanted the Foundation
to be able to evolve and adapt to the challenges of an
ever-changing world. 

David and Lucile’s children and grandchildren have taken an
active role in the work of the Foundation, alongside general
trustees and professional staff, and continue the important work
that David and Lucile started.

Packard Foundation Today
Today, the
values of the Foundation deeply reflect the history and philosophy
of the Packard family’s approach to philanthropy and continue to
guide the Foundation and its vision for a just and equitable world
where both people and nature flourish.

Our three overarching, interdependent goals guide the
Foundation’s work to accomplish our mission and
vision.

• Build just societies
  We 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
  We
  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
  We
  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.

The Opportunity
Position
Vice President, Environment &
Science

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation

Location:
Los Altos, CA
Building 343

Due to our Hybrid Work Policy, employees are expected to work
onsite Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and twice per year during our
Hometown Weeks typically scheduled in the spring and fall.

Reporting Relationship:
Nancy Lindborg,
President and
Chief Executive Officer 

Website:
https://www.packard.org/

“In our ever-changing world, the wellbeing of people and
nature are intricately entwined. Just as individual threads come
together to form a strong fabric, people and communities unite to
achieve enduring solutions.”

– Nancy Lindborg, President and CEO

Purpose of the Position
Environment and Science Overview
In a role that
embodies the forefront of transformative action, the Vice
President, Environment and Science will represent and support a
portfolio of initiatives aimed at advancing enduring solutions,
including nature-based solutions, to protect and restore the
natural world for nature and people. This impactful position
operates through an integrated, cross-sectional approach in
alignment with the Foundation’s mission, vision, and values.

The Vice President will oversee three existing initiatives
(Global Climate, Climate Innovation, and Ocean) as well as our
support for the Packard Fellowships for Science and Engineering and
the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI).

This role manages and mentors Directors for the Global Climate
and Ocean Initiatives.

Global Climate Initiative
The
Foundation partners with funders and civil society organizations in
the Forests, People, Climate collaborative to mobilize resources to
end tropical deforestation and
promote just and sustainable development.

Innovations in Climate Solutions
Initiative
The Foundation
supports innovative climate leaders around the world to design
their own bold strategies to address climate change.

Ocean
Initiative
The Foundation
centers the needs and rights of ocean-reliant communities to
protect and restore ocean habitats, achieve equitable and
sustainable fisheries, end illegal fishing, and harness ocean-based
climate solutions.

With an estimated grantmaking budget of $180 million, which
includes institutional support of MBARI and the Packard Fellowships
for Science and Engineering, the Vice President will primarily
focus on: people/team management, grantmaking strategy, evaluation
and learning, and field leadership.

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, this role will work
closely with the leaders of two other Goals, Just Societies and
Families and Communities.

Together, this team – along with the CEO and the rest of the
Foundation’s Executive Team – will ensure a collaborative and
effective approach to grantmaking across the Foundation.

Key Responsibilities
The Vice President,
Environment and Science is responsible and accountable for:

Organizational Leadership &
Management

• Serve as a member of the Foundation’s Executive Team,
  responsible for developing and upholding institutional policies,
  providing input into a broad range of cross-Foundation decision
  making and practices and representing Environment and Science
  strategies and impact to Trustees.
• Collaborate with senior leaders to execute on the Foundation’s
  strategic direction with an eye to its mission, vision, and values.
  Specifically, partner closely with fellow Vice Presidents of Just
  Societies and Families and Communities to drive collaboration,
  generate new ideas, and support the strategic direction of the
  Foundation.
• Attract, develop, coach, and retain high-performing team
  members, empowering them to elevate their level of responsibility,
  quality and innovation of strategies, and performance.
• Provide leadership in development of inter-team communication
  and cohesiveness, sustaining culture and supporting staff as the
  organization evolves and embraces a “One Foundation” approach.
• Cultivate a climate of diversity, equity, inclusion,
  innovation, and collaboration within the team and across the
  Foundation.

 

Grantmaking Strategy, Evaluation, and
Learning

• Oversee future strategy evolution and development and
  grantmaking for Environment and Science, including review of
  grantmaking decisions by Goal Initiatives and approval of grants
  per the Foundation’s guidelines.
• In partnership with the Evaluation and Learning team and
  Initiative Directors, develop a knowledge management approach that
  ensures maximum sharing of information and learning throughout the
  organization; create an environment whereby the Foundation is known
  as a best-in-class learning organization.
• Work collaboratively with the Executive and Grants Management
  teams and Initiative Directors to integrate cross-Goal and
  Initiative activities and functions.

 

Field Leadership

• Effectively represent the Foundation and Environment and
  Science to promote change with inspiring energy and expertise with
  nonprofit, government, and private sector leaders, academics,
  collaboratives, and journalists.
• Provide external leadership in the field through
  writing/publications, events and convenings, collaboration, and
  thought leadership.

The Candidate
Experience and Professional Qualifications

The successful candidate will be both a visionary and a
strategic thinker with a proactive communications style and
experience managing a dedicated and engaged team. They will have
exceptional acumen and global credibility in the fields of climate,
science, and ocean. Additional skills and qualifications
include:

Experience

• A minimum of 15 years of experience in work on environment and
  science is required for this role.
• Expertise in building, implementing, and evaluating strategies
  for impact, and achieving objectives of climate mitigation, ocean
  conservation, sustainable development, and scientific
  research.
• Experience in navigating complex international landscapes,
  demonstrating the ability to effectively engage with diverse
  partners across global contexts, is essential for this role.
• Significant people/team management experience, including
  management of multidisciplinary teams of persons from diverse
  cultural, social, and ethnic backgrounds.

 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Authentic commitment to and passion for the Foundation’s
  mission, vision, values; possesses a nuanced understanding of how
  the Foundation’s goals are interconnected and how they connect to
  the Foundation’s mission, vision, and value.
• Ability to work globally in a nonpartisan and collaborative
  manner across the ideological spectrum.
• Ability to make complex, multidimensional decisions in a
  mission-driven, strategic organizational environment. Experience
  working productively across teams in a complex, matrixed
  environment.
• Successful leadership in an organization of relevant size,
  complexity, and stature.
• Ability to motivate and inspire a team and colleagues to
  achieve ambitious goals.
• Proven ability to recruit, develop, manage, and retain a team
  of high-performing individual contributors and managers from
  diverse backgrounds.
• Highly skilled communicator with exceptional interpersonal,
  facilitation, and written and oral communication skills; a
  persuasive, credible, and polished communicator.
• Devoted to growing cultural competence and willing to actively
  participate in the Foundation’s efforts to integrate equity and
  justice in all facets of the work. A track record of upholding
  diversity, equity, and inclusion as values within the
  organization.
• Organizationally savvy; practiced at building, navigating, and
  influencing relationships at all levels of the organization, with
  the board of trustees, and with external partners.
• Deeply knowledgeable and understanding of the Foundation’s
  newly approved Global Climate and Ocean initiatives, including
  experience advancing community-centered strategies, systems change,
  and work spanning multiple geographic scales. Highly organized and
  ability to wear multiple hats in a complex environment; a driving
  force who manages toward clarity and solutions.
• A successful track record in setting priorities, shaping
  strategies and policies, guiding investment in people and systems
  to create a stronger and more efficient organization.
• Ability to travel internationally is a fundamental component of
  this role, necessitating the ability to effectively manage and
  thrive in diverse cultural and geographic environments.
• And someone who can bring levity and humor to our work
  environment.

Education

• A bachelor’s degree is required for this role. An advanced
  degree in a related field is preferred (master’s degree or above in
  applicable discipline) or equivalent education and work
  experience.

Compensation

• The salary range for this position is $400,000-$500,000. The
  compensation range represents a good faith estimate of what the
  organization will pay for the position at the time of posting. The
  salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based
  on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate and
  available market information at the time of hire.
• A relocation package will also be provided if needed.

To Apply

• Please send your cover letter and resume or candidate
  recommendations to Packard_Foundation_VP@KornFerry.com
  or the Korn Ferry team listed below.

Divina Gamble
Managing Partner Global Nonprofit Practice Leader
T: (202) 955-0901
E. Divina.Gamble@kornferry.com

Angie VanGorder
Senior Associate, Global Nonprofit Practice
T: (864)-934-2368
E. Angie.VanGorder@kornferry.com

Ashley Batres
Project Coordinator, Global Nonprofit Practice
T: (240) 409-2771
E. Ashley.Batres@kornferry.com