MacArthur Foundation, Director, Peace

Council of Foundations; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 178,000 - 242,000; Full time

Job summary

MacArthur Foundation in Chicago seeks the inaugural Director of Peace to shape a new field support program advancing international peace and security. The role entails designing grantmaking strategy, building a small high-performing team, and cultivating partnerships across philanthropy, government, and academia.

Reporting to the Managing Director, Programs, the Director will lead the program's development, engage with leaders, and represent the Foundation through publications and convenings.

Qualifications

• 15–20 years of experience in strategy development, program design and implementation, innovation, and collaboration.
• 7–10+ years of senior leadership, supervision, and management experience.
• Deep expertise in peace, international security, and/or international affairs across multiple sectors.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and implement the program's grantmaking strategy.
• Oversee a portfolio combining long-term field support with exploratory investments.
• Build and lead a small, high-performing team; foster partnerships across philanthropy, civil society, government, and academia.
• Represent the Foundation through convenings, publications, and engagement with leaders in international peace and security.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Program design

Cross-sector collaboration

DEI commitment

Job description

MacArthur Foundation, Director, Peace

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is one of the nation's largest independent foundations. The Foundation supports creative people, effective institutions, and influential networks building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. MacArthur invests in solving some of the world's most pressing social challenges, including advancing global climate solutions, promoting local justice reform in the U.S., revitalizing local news, expanding who creates, uses, and benefits from artificial intelligence, and strengthening the well‑being of Native communities. In addition to the MacArthur Fellows Program and the global 100&Change competition, the Foundation continues its historic commitments to the role of journalism in a responsive democracy as well as the vitality of our headquarters city, Chicago. The Foundation also maintains offices in Nigeria and India.

The MacArthur Foundation is seeking an impactful and collaborative leader to serve as the inaugural Director of Peace, a new field support program to advance international peace and security at a critical moment for global stability and democracy. Building on more than three decades of grantmaking in peace, international security, and nuclear security, this is a unique opportunity to shape the Foundation's next chapter of work in the field. The program will invest in the institutions, leaders,networks,and knowledge that underpin a more peaceful world, exploring innovative ideas and actions to strengthen the future of international peace and security.

Reporting to the Managing Director, Programs, the Director will lead the design, development, and implementation of the program's grantmaking strategy, overseeing a portfolio that combines long‑term field support with exploratory investments in emerging approaches. They will build and lead a small, high‑performing team, cultivate partnerships across philanthropy, civil society, government, and academia, and represent the Foundation through convenings, publications, and engagement with leaders across the international peace and security community.

This role is time‑limited for an initial period of five years with the possibility of extension.

Qualifications

• 15-20 years of experience in strategy development, program design and implementation, innovation, and collaboration, including 7-10+ years of senior leadership, supervision, and management experience.
• Strategic, visionary, and process-oriented leader with a track record of designing and implementing complex, innovative, and collaborative initiatives with meaningful impact for communities and institutions.
• Deep expertise in peace, international security, and/or international affairs, including knowledge of relevant research, theory, policy, and practice, with professional experience across at least two sectors (e.g., government, philanthropy, academia, think tanks, or international organizations) and a grounded understanding of nonprofit and policy environments.
• Humble, curious, and highly collaborative relationship-builder who works effectively across disciplines and stakeholders and demonstrates a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The deadline for applications is 9:00am CT on Sunday, August 23, 2026.

This position is hybrid and based in Chicago, Illinois. The ideal candidate must be willing to travel frequently.

The annual salary for this role will start at $210,100. The MacArthur Foundation offers a generous total compensation package that emphasizes both base salary and a comprehensive benefits package to support your life, health, and well‑being.

The work environment is an office setting. Requests for reasonable accommodations will be considered to enable a person with disabilities to perform the job. Reasonable accommodations are also available during the interview process.

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.