Schmidt Futures is a philanthropic initiative, founded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt, that bets early on exceptional people making the world better. We knit talent into networks, bet on the most promising ideas through diverse forms of competition and support, and equip people to scale through partners and modern tools. To realize this vision, Schmidt Futures uses a broad set of tools — including gifts, grants, investments, and startup activity — for charitable, educational, and commercial efforts with a public purpose. Our initiative brings together the efforts of various charitable and non-charitable entities to improve our potential impact by making diverse types of capital available to the efforts we support.

The Role 

Reporting to the Vice President, Network, the Director, Network will be responsible for supporting the VP in building Schmidt Futures' network strategy and leading the team across three pillars – growth, technology, and engagement. This role is for a builder who loves connecting the dots, and understands how to scale a community of exceptional talent. You will directly oversee a small, full-time team, and lead up coordination for a larger cross-functional network coordination working group made up of representatives from across Schmidt Futures.

The Director, Network’s role will include:

• Contributing to the design of and leading execution for Schmidt Futures’ network strategy, including building a team that partners with and is additive to program teams. 
• Designing and piloting new approaches for connecting grantees, fellows, and collaborators to each other in order to facilitate each other's work (e.g., helping grantees find people to hire, helping fellows find collaborators).
• Contributing to the infrastructure to engage the network at scale and support program teams in managing and navigating our network; integrating with the existing Tech & Impact team. 
• Refining, streamlining, and scaling our talent search processes. 

• Develop and execute the network strategy for Schmidt Futures, establishing touchpoints and processes for sourcing & implementing new ideas, tracking existing workstreams, and ongoing team management.
• Create, strengthen and weave together relationships with current network members, and our growing network of grantees, community and institutional partners, and other stakeholders
• Build Schmidt Futures’ ability to spot trends across our network including but not limited to grantees, fellows, and partner organizations. 
• Produce a data-driven approach to map and better understand our network in partnership with the Tech & Impact and Community teams.
• Identify opportunities for mutual benefit and catalytic impact by partnering well with adjacent and relevant efforts in our network, including through learning relationships and partnerships, joint actions, and other forms of support. 

• Facilitate and support the strategic development and direction of search processes across programs, as well as create a cohesive and/or coordinated approach where necessary 
• Design creative approaches to identifying target audiences, and devising grassroots and/or digital campaigns to reach exceptional talent. 
• Create new search capabilities (via paid media and other avenues) to find the talent we need for our programs.

• Build technical infrastructure to support team’s managing and navigating their network; integrate with existing engineering team’s efforts.
• Work with the Futures Network Platform and Community teams to connect individuals to exceptional talent globally. 
• Build the infrastructure for successful data management, data analysis, and network mapping to cultivate and maintain strong network relationships. 
• In partnership with the Tech & Impact and Community teams, identify how to best leverage technology to ensure that Schmidt Futures events achieve their programmatic goals and create long-lasting connections between participants.

• You are a network builder, particularly having experience in either VC, philanthropy, government, and/or nonprofits. 
• You take a data-informed approach to network building. 
• You are curious, ask good questions, and deeply listen.
• Outstanding thought leadership and follow-through in building, maintaining and supporting networks of exceptional talent.
• Proven ability to convene networks and use an interdisciplinary approach to solve systemic problems.
• Proven excellence in leading business units or functional teams within a complex, growing organization.
• Exceptional executive management skills, including ability to lead teams, manage complex stakeholders, and ensure effective implementation across multiple interdependent, ongoing initiatives.
• Energetic, flexible, collaborative, and proactive management style; positively and productively shaping appropriate strategy, finance, and talent
• Demonstrated teamwork ability and record of impact in high-intensity, team-based environments.
• Values-based, collaborative working style with a demonstrated commitment to the highest standards of ethics and confidentiality; and
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Expertise in building, nurturing, and growing networks of talent at scale
• Held a senior leadership position, in either a philanthropy or larger talent-driven organization (VC, higher education, government). 
• Have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited institution. 
• Be based at the Schmidt Futures offices in New York or Washington, DC, and be able to travel within the U.S. and internationally on a regular basis as needed following company policy and permitting circumstances. 

At Schmidt Futures we are committed to fair, transparent pay and we strive to provide competitive, market-informed compensation. The target salary range for this position is $220,000 to $280,000. Compensation for the successful candidate will be informed by the candidate’s particular combination of knowledge, skills, competencies and experience.

Futures Action Network, LLC, which operates Schmidt Futures, is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that proudly pursues and hires a diverse workforce. We do not make hiring or employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion or religious belief, ethnic or national origin, nationality, sex, gender, gender-identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws or prohibited by Company policy. We strive for a healthy and safe workplace and strictly prohibit harassment of any kind.