Director of Operations

Skyline Foundation; Palo Alto (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Skyline Foundation is seeking a Director of Operations in Palo Alto to co-create a culture-aligned organization and ensure its infrastructure supports growth and impact.

You will lead operations with a focus on grants management, people and culture, facilities, and technology, partnering with Pacific Foundation Services and reporting to the Executive Director. The role requires a strong equity lens and hands-on leadership in a small, collaborative team.

Qualifications

• Experience and understanding of grantmaking and the philanthropic sector.
• Ability to operationalize values across an organization.
• Experience with trust-based philanthropy practices.

Responsibilities

• Co-create a collective culture with the Executive Director and align all operations with Skyline Foundation's vision and values.
• Strengthen infrastructure to support growth, including grants management, people and culture, facilities, and technology.
• Collaborate with Pacific Foundation Services (PFS) to ensure smooth ongoing operations and governance.

Job description

Skyline Foundation is a Palo Alto-based family foundation that funds local, national, and global organizations addressing problems at their roots and shifting systems toward a more equitable and just future. The foundation works in four program areas: climate solutions, just democracy, equity in education, and birth justice. Prior to this year, Skyline was known as Yellow Chair Foundation. With a small team in place, Skyline is growing to strengthen the foundation’s relationships with grantees and increase its grantmaking. In 2022, Skyline gave $64 million to more than 150 organizations. The foundation has a long‑held philosophy that emphasizes a high level of trust in the leadership of the organizations it funds. Skyline seeks to create lasting partnerships with grantees that align with the principles of trust‑based philanthropy and the time horizon needed to create and sustain change on complex social issues. Most grants provide general operating support over multiple years. The foundation’s work is guided by its core values of gratitude and hope; justice and opportunity; curiosity and humility; trust and partnership; and urgency.

The Director of Operations is a new position at Skyline Foundation and will work closely with the Executive Director to co‑create a collective culture and align all the foundation’s operations, systems, and activities with its vision and values. The ideal candidate will be a creative systems thinker and ensure that the foundation’s infrastructure supports Skyline’s growth and development. The Director of Operations will bring a strong equity lens to adapting and managing the systems, processes, and administration that keep the foundation running smoothly, including grants and knowledge management, people and culture, facilities, and technology. The Director of Operations will partner with Pacific Foundation Services (PFS), which currently provides support for finance, accounting, human resources, information technology, and grants management. The ideal candidate will have experience and understanding of grantmaking, the philanthropic sector, and how to operationalize values throughout an organization’s work. The Director of Operations will bring current knowledge of practices in trust‑based philanthropy, knowledge and grants management, and operations. The ideal candidate will be both a leader and a doer – leading the infrastructure needs of the foundation and doing the work as a member of a small and collaborative team.

Location

Skyline Foundation’s office is located in Palo Alto. Following an initial training period, a hybrid work schedule will be available, however, the role will require a minimum of two days per week of in‑person work in the Palo Alto office.

Hiring Process and Timeline

• Phone interview to discuss general qualifications and give more detail about the position scheduled mid November
• Zoom interview scheduled in mid to late November
• In person final interview – early December
• Ideal start date planned for Jan 2024

Skyline Foundation is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. The foundation considers all qualified applicants for employment and company policy prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), gender, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), marital status, domestic partner status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information and characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected under federal, state, or local laws. All final candidates must provide three relevant employment references and be able to verify the right to work in the United States.