Overview of Pivotal and Its Mission
Pivotal is a global group of organizations founded by Melinda French Gates, dedicated to accelerating social progress for women and young people in the United States and around the world. The institution operates across philanthropy, policy, advocacy, and direct investment, combining multiple approaches to address systemic inequality.
Through its three interconnected arms—Pivotal Philanthropies, Pivotal Initiatives Fund, and Pivotal Ventures—the organization seeks to scale proven solutions, support innovative ideas, and strengthen ecosystems that advance equity. Its work is grounded in collaboration, evidence-based strategy, and deep engagement with partners across sectors.
The Director, Program Strategy role sits at the heart of this mission, helping translate vision into actionable, high-impact programs that drive measurable outcomes.
Role Summary: Director, Program Strategy
The Director, Program Strategy serves as a senior leader within the Program Strategy team, responsible for designing, implementing, and managing strategic initiatives and grantmaking portfolios. This role plays a critical function in shaping how philanthropic capital is deployed to maximize social impact.
The position is not only focused on strategy development but also on execution, evaluation, and continuous improvement. The Director ensures that programs remain aligned with organizational goals while adapting to emerging opportunities and evolving social needs.
In addition to internal leadership responsibilities, the role involves extensive external engagement. The Director builds relationships with peer funders, nonprofit leaders, and ecosystem partners to identify opportunities, strengthen collaboration, and ensure that investments remain relevant and effective.
Strategic Leadership and Grantmaking Responsibilities
A core responsibility of the Director is the development and execution of program strategies that advance Pivotal’s impact goals. This includes designing frameworks for grantmaking, structuring funding initiatives, and overseeing portfolio performance.
The role requires a strong ability to translate complex social issues into clear, actionable strategies. The Director must evaluate opportunities, identify high-impact interventions, and ensure that funding decisions are informed by data, research, and stakeholder insight.
Grantmaking is central to the position, requiring both analytical rigor and practical decision-making. The Director monitors progress across funded initiatives, assesses effectiveness, and makes adjustments when necessary to optimize outcomes.
Ecosystem Engagement and Partnership Building
The Director, Program Strategy plays a key role in strengthening Pivotal’s presence within the broader social impact ecosystem. This includes engaging with nonprofits, policy institutions, philanthropic peers, and cross-sector partners.
By cultivating strong relationships, the Director helps source innovative ideas and ensures that Pivotal remains connected to emerging trends and solutions. The role also involves representing the organization in strategic discussions and contributing to collaborative efforts that amplify impact.
A strong emphasis is placed on partnership-building, ensuring that strategies are not developed in isolation but are informed by lived experience, field expertise, and cross-sector learning.
Team Leadership and Internal Collaboration
The position includes managing a small team and overseeing consultants who support program execution. The Director is responsible for fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing team environment.
Leadership responsibilities extend to mentoring staff, guiding professional development, and ensuring alignment with organizational values. The role requires strong communication skills and the ability to translate executive vision into operational plans.
Internally, the Director works closely with senior leadership to align program strategies with organizational priorities and ensure coherence across initiatives.
Skills, Experience, and Required Qualifications
This senior-level role requires extensive experience in philanthropy, strategy, or social impact work, typically 11–12 years or more. Candidates are expected to have at least six years of leadership experience, including managing teams and fostering equitable workplace cultures.
Strong expertise in grantmaking, measurement and evaluation, and program design is essential. The role also requires familiarity with data systems, strategic planning methodologies, and stakeholder engagement practices.
Additional key competencies include:
- Advanced strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
- Ability to synthesize complex information into actionable insights
- Strong executive communication and presentation abilities
- Experience working with senior leaders and cross-functional teams
- Proficiency with tools such as Salesforce and Microsoft 365
The ideal candidate demonstrates a strong commitment to equity, collaboration, and systems-level change.
Compensation and Work Structure
The Director, Program Strategy position is a full-time, fixed-term role based in the United States, with remote (local) flexibility. The salary range is approximately $252,100 to $261,600 annually, reflecting the seniority and strategic importance of the role.
Candidates must have appropriate work authorization, and the role operates within a hybrid or remote-local framework depending on location.
Conclusion: A High-Impact Leadership Opportunity
The Director, Program Strategy role at Pivotal represents a rare opportunity to influence large-scale social change through strategic philanthropy and partnership-driven impact.
By combining rigorous analysis, innovative strategy design, and deep ecosystem engagement, the successful candidate will help shape initiatives that advance equity for women and young people globally. This position is ideal for experienced leaders committed to transforming systems and accelerating meaningful, measurable progress in the social sector.
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