Deputy Chief of Staff

Position Overview

The Deputy Chief of Staff, President’s Office, is a senior strategic leader responsible for driving the operational and strategic direction of The Rockefeller Foundation’s President’s Office, ensuring that enterprise priorities are reflected in the President’s engagements, overseeing high-impact initiatives and special projects, and representing the President’s Office with key internal and external stakeholders.

This role partners closely with the President and Chief of Staff to set and implement priorities, manage cross-functional collaboration, lead operational excellence—including budget and performance management—and cultivate a high-performing, inclusive team culture, while maintaining accountability for organizational impact and supporting Board-level activities.

Hiring Range: $218,000 - $230,000. This represents the present low and high ends of the Foundation’s pay range for this position. Actual pay will vary based on various factors, including but not limited to experience.

Work Schedule: This role is based in Washington, DC on a hybrid work schedule, and required to be in the office on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Set and drive strategic and operational direction for the President’s Office, ensuring alignment with enterprise priorities and Board-approved objectives.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives and integrate efforts across teams to advance President-level priorities and organizational goals.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to the President and Chief of Staff, proactively shaping priorities and translating high-level objectives into actionable plans.
• Oversee day-to-day management of the President’s Office, ensuring strategic priorities are reflected in the President’s calendar, time allocation, and engagement.
• Exercise full accountability for the quality, timeliness, and strategic relevance of briefing materials, ensuring the President is prepared for all engagements.
• Represent the President’s Office externally with senior partners, funders, and key stakeholders, maintaining and cultivating high-value relationships.
• Engage with internal teams and external partners to coordinate and advance President-level strategic initiatives, ensuring consistent messaging and alignment.
• Support the Chief of Staff in managing RF Board of Trustees activities, including strategic meeting preparation, implementation, and follow-up.
• Support the Chief of Staff in overseeing operations of the President’s Office, including goal-setting and performance tracking, ensuring efficiency and alignment with best practices.
• Champion innovative solutions and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational effectiveness and organizational impact.
• Lead special projects and enterprise-level initiatives as identified with the President and Chief of Staff.
• Build leadership capability across the President’s Office team, mentoring senior staff and fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and professional growth.
• Model inclusivity, integrity, and organizational stewardship, reinforcing the Foundation’s culture and long-term mission.

Experience, Education, and Skills

• Generally expected to have 12 years of related experience in leading strategic initiatives, including 5 years in senior management/leadership roles
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred
• Demonstrated success leading complex, cross-functional initiatives and managing teams in dynamic, high-impact environments.
• Deep professional network, especially within the U.S., with proven ability to represent executive offices externally at the highest levels.
• Experience supporting senior executives and Board-level engagement, with full accountability for strategic outcomes
• Advanced strategic thinking, judgment, and problem-solving abilities in ambiguous and complex situations.
• Exceptional organizational, communication, and relationship management skills, with the ability to influence and align diverse stakeholders.
• High emotional intelligence, discretion, and ability to operate with substantial autonomy.
• Proven ability to drive innovation, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
• Willingness and ability to travel as needed.

• Balances Stakeholders: Anticipates and balances the needs of multiple stakeholders.
• Cultivates Innovation: Creates new and better ways for the organization to be successful.
• Develops Talent: Develops people to meet both their career goals and the organization’s goals.
• Manages Complexity: Makes sense of complex, high-quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.
• Values Differences: Recognizes the value of different perspectives, commits to being self-aware and respectful, and seeks to learn from new and different voices.

About The Rockefeller Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation that enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We make big bets to promote the well-being of humanity in food, health, energy, and finance, including through our public charity, RF Catalytic Capital (RFCC). For more information, sign up for our newsletter at www.rockefellerfoundation.org/subscribe and follow us on X @RockefellerFdn and LinkedIn @the-rockefeller-foundation.

The Rockefeller Foundation offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that includes health insurance programs, tuition reimbursement and student loan repayment, a generous 401K, parental leave, and various forms of paid time off, all to help our employees feel energized, cared for, and engaged.

As an organization, we focus on six values to advance our culture and continue our success. We are dedicated to being Transparent, Optimistic, Accountable, Collaborative, Trusted, and Equitable. We expect all employees at the Foundation to contribute by developing their unique perspectives and talent, challenging conventional wisdom through evidence and reason, and amplifying marginalized voices.

The Rockefeller Foundation is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity and compliance with all federal, state, and local laws concerning employment discrimination, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. To this end, the Foundation ensures equal opportunity to all employees and applicants regardless of race, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, lawful alien status, physical, mental, and medical disability, veteran status, liability for service in the United States Armed Forces, or any other protected status.

The Rockefeller Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.