Description

ABOUT THE FOUNDATION

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation invests in creative thinkers and problem solvers working to ensure that people, communities, and the planet can flourish. Together with its partners, the foundation is harnessing society’s collective capacity to solve our toughest problems. A nonpartisan philanthropy, the Hewlett Foundation has made grants in the U.S. and globally for nearly six decades based on an approach that emphasizes long-term support, collaboration, and trust.

Globally, the foundation makes grants to address both longstanding and emerging challenges, like efforts to reduce the growing threat of climate change, contribute to evidence informed policy making, and reimagine the economy and society. Its U.S. efforts prioritize strengthening democracy, advancing K-12 education for all students, and supporting community-led conservation. In the San Francisco Bay Area, it makes grants to support meaningful artistic experiences in local communities The foundation’s grantmaking also invests in strengthening the effectiveness of our grantees, and of philanthropy itself. The Hewlett Foundation’s assets are approximately $13.9 billion, with total annual awards of grants exceeding $600 million in recent years.

The Foundation has approximately 130 employees in programmatic, operational, and investment roles, and is located in the San Francisco Bay Area. Across the organization, employees are challenged with meaningful work, have the resources for ongoing professional development and learning, and contribute to a collegial and engaging environment. Hewlett is committed to fostering a culture of inclusion as part of our Guiding Principles and encourages individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply.

We invite you to learn more about the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation at https://hewlett.org.

POSITION SUMMARY: RACIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE DIRECTOR

About the Racial Justice Initiative

Though society has made progress in removing barriers that prevent everyone from having the opportunity to thrive, racial and economic injustice continues to have a disparate impact on many communities. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation’s Racial Justice Initiative (RJI) recognize that, to create lasting changes on all the issues the foundation addresses, we must embrace a spirit of inclusion and be thoughtful about who we work with and how we work.

RJI works to identify and promote racial justice practices to ensure all people have an equal opportunity to thrive. The strategy for the work consists of the three key objectives:

      Collaborate with other programs across the foundation to find opportunities to partner with RJI through jointly funded efforts.

      Multi-issue grants that provide resources to organizations working in two or more of Hewlett’s funding areas. 

      Field-building grants that strengthen the broader ecosystem of racial justice.

The strategy emphasizes generous, flexible support and strong partnerships with organizations of varying sizes. Through this approach, RJI aims to position grantee partners to drive meaningful change toward a more inclusive and healthy democracy. 

The RJI portfolio currently supports a diverse set of 50 nonprofit partners, the majority of which address two or more issues aligned with Hewlett’s other grantmaking priorities. 

About the Position

The Racial Justice Initiative Director is a term limited role which will provide thoughtful and intentional leadership to the work and the team. The director is responsible for updating and implementing the strategy for the foundation’s Racial Justice Initiative through the end of 2031. At the end of the initiative period, the expectation is that important elements of the work will be incorporated into a number of Hewlett’s ongoing program areas. 

Specifically, the Racial Justice Initiative Director will:

•       Collaborate with Hewlett staff members on updating the RJI strategy, implementing updates in the grantmaking portfolio
•       Develop and maintain deep and trusting relationships with grantees and other partners
•       Identify and guide potential grantees through the foundation’s proposal process, including its compliance-related procedures
•       Manage grant activity, including track grantees’ progress, respond to financial and programmatic reports, and make decisions about grant renewals
•       Incorporate the full range of the foundation’s resources – grant funding, capacity building and technical assistance expertise, influence, communications, and relationships to support the racial justice field
•       Participate as a member of the senior staff by supporting and contributing to the implementation of institutional priorities, policies and practices 
•       Organize foundation-sponsored meetings of grantees and field experts
•       Frame, and oversee evaluations with support from the foundation’s evaluation officer
•       Participate in relevant collaborations, and represent the foundation at appropriate meetings, conferences, and site visits as well as in all interactions with prospective and current grantees
•       Partner and collaborate with internal program teams to identify opportunities for joint grantmaking opportunities
•       Manage a small team, supporting staff to do their best work while fostering a culture in which every member of the team can be supported and empowered in their work

Key Relationships

      Reports to: President

      Direct Report: Program Operations Manager

Other Key Relationships 

      Embedded Grants, Legal and Communications Partners

      Program Directors

      Chief Financial Officer

      Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

      Vice President and Chief Communications and Strategic External Engagement

      General Counsel

      Grantees and organizations of the Racial Justice Initiative Foundations and other funders operating in similar or adjacent fields

      Thought leaders and policy makers

Location: Menlo Park, California

Requirements

PROFILE OF THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE

The foundation seeks a leader who has strong interpersonal skills, values humility and collaboration, is open-minded and curious in nature. The ideal candidate is committed to and knowledgeable about racial justice history and issues and possesses a deep understanding of policies that have caused disparities or those that could ultimately remedy them. The ideal candidate is creative yet grounded in the practical realities of the state of racial justice in the United States, and issues facing the field of advocates, activists, and scholars. The Racial Justice Initiative Director will combine a flexible leadership style with the ability to implement ideas and solutions that serve the goals of the initiative. The foundation seeks a professional with superb leadership, communications, and strategic planning skills, demonstrating an appreciation for ambiguity combined with a problem-solving instinct and a willingness to explore new ideas. The successful candidate will have a strong work ethic and a collaborative approach, with high personal and professional standards of transparency and accountability. 

More specifically, the foundation seeks a professional who reflects the following:

•       Significant and distinguished work experience (ten years minimum) in fields relevant to the existing strategy and foundation’s priorities. 
•       A demonstrated understanding of the racial justice landscape across the United States, including racial justice-related policies and discriminatory systems, and an understanding of how racial justice interacts with other systems.
•       Working knowledge of the racial justice field, to include its best, promising, and emerging practices.
•       Experience with technical assistance, facilitation, convening, and/or grantmaking.
•       Collaborative and capable of working across differences and ensuring that all team members are valued and supported.
•       A demonstrated willingness to adapt a strategy and approach, with the ability to adjust as necessary.
•       Demonstrated ability to: integrate knowledge and learning, and the capacity to effectively use research and evaluation; work effectively with a broad range of stakeholders to address complex policy and systems change challenges; and challenge conventional thinking coupled with the ability to collaborate effectively and encourage dialogue.
•       Strong written and oral communication skills, interpersonal awareness, and excellent listening skills; a communication style that reflects clarity, authenticity, transparency, and approachability.
•       Ability to travel on an as-needed basis.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The position is based in Menlo Park, California. Staff work in a hybrid environment, and this position is currently expected to work from the Hewlett Foundation office at least 3 times per week; Tuesdays and Wednesdays are required. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to spend extended periods of time at a computer.

COMPENSATION

The competitive salary for this position is $300,000 - $400,000 and includes a comprehensive benefits package. We actively welcome all candidates from a wide range of backgrounds who have the skills to fulfill this role, regardless of compensation history. 

TO APPLY

All applications are held in strict confidence. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation embraces the importance of equity, and inclusion, both internally in our hiring process and organizational culture, and externally, in our grantmaking and related practices. We are an equal opportunity employer, and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. Viewcrest Advisors is our partner on this search. Please submit your credentials and a letter of interest to: HewlettFoundationRJI@viewcrestadvisors.com

The deadline to apply is March 9, 2026, although applications are encouraged and welcomed early and will be actively reviewed on a rolling basis.

Viewcrest Advisors actively cultivates relationships with leaders who have varied life experiences as well as the skills needed to lead strong, innovative organizations. Viewcrest Advisors is also committed to your privacy and to protecting your personal data. To view their privacy policy, please visit: www.viewcrestadvisors.com.