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Harvard Kennedy School · 14 hours ago

Director of Strategic Operations, GPL

Cambridge, MA

Full-time

Hybrid

Director/Executive

6+ years exp

Harvard Kennedy School is dedicated to improving public policy and leadership. The Director of Strategic Operations will work closely with the Government Performance Lab's Executive Director to translate strategic vision into operations, improving core functions to drive organizational impact.

Education

Comp. & Benefits

No H1B

Responsibilities

Develop and implement strategy: Work with the GPL Executive Director and leadership team to refine GPL’s strategy by leading special projects that may include: assessing and advancing the GPL’s impact in the field, improving the GPL’s strategic knowledge management and impact framework, and supporting development. Support the Executive Director in integrating strategic direction across GPL policy areas and strategic capabilities

Strategic knowledge management: Work closely with GPL Policy Leads and staff to translate strategic decisions into action, providing resources and support, and facilitating efficient engagement with the GPL Executive Director. Lead improvements to the GPL’s knowledge management for key policy areas and tools, including processes to generate, organize, and document insights from project work across the GPL, facilitate cross-project and cross-jurisdiction learning, update GPL tools to reflect new insights, create and deliver trainings that move GPL staff to the cutting edge of knowledge in that area

Development: Identify, conceptualize, and lead special projects that support the GPL’s leadership team in developing and pitching effective funding proposals that express the GPL’s strategic vision and direction

Analytics to inform performance improvement efforts: Update and manage internal and external performance and impact measurement processes, including surveys and measures of staff engagement and performance and creation and testing of an impact framework and survey with GPL governments

Oversee strategic operations: Connect GPL strategy to the direction and execution of central functions, including hiring, events (such as all-staff convenings), training, and overall staff experience. Continually review current practices for needed improvements to increase GPL’s impact. Design and lead special projects that increase the efficiency, efficacy, and equity of the GPL’s practices in the following areas:

Hiring and retention: Help the GPL maintain and improve its ability to attract and retain diverse, talented staff. Lead ongoing assessment and improvement of hiring, promotion, and retention practices. Work with the Senior Director of Operations to execute changes to these processes

Onboarding and ongoing professional development: Ensure that staff are given support and training to successfully execute high-impact work. Strengthen staff training in core GPL capabilities (e.g., through all-staff meetings and convenings, new hire trainings). Lead the ongoing refinement of the GPL’s systems designed to assess and manage performance, promote growth of team members, and create transparent and equitable growth pathways. Administer the team’s performance management system, including its annual review process

Manager supports: Lead improvements to manager supports and resources, including assembling and deploying management resources and supports for GPL managers. Help the GPL’s managers and leaders move forward key decisions

Staff, alumni, and government engagement: Support, create, and manage processes for improving GPL’s impact through staff, alumni, and government engagement. Foster the GPL’s alumni network to increase the impact of GPL staff after they leave the organization and to increase opportunities for current staff to learn more about careers in public service. Regularly maintain and update core organizational resources to ensure staff have access to current policies and procedures. Coordinate with staff affinity groups and external contractor

Team culture: Contribute to an inclusive and supportive team culture, within which team members feel supported, included, and valued

Qualification

Strategic planningPerformance measurementProject managementHiringRetentionDiversityInclusionTeam cultureWritten communicationVerbal communicationRelationship buildingProblem solving

Required

Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 6 years of professional experience

Candidates should submit a cover letter, current CV, writing samples, and list of 3 references

Writing samples should include both 1. a memo or a slide deck used to advance a decision with senior stakeholders; and 2. a tool or support created by the candidate to assist with project management (such as a GANNT chart, project workplan, tracker, outline of new process, etc.)

Preferred

Demonstrated commitment to supporting the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations, and the ability to apply that to their work

Experience conceptualizing, structuring, and delivering projects and programs that result in meaningful improvements to an organization's operations or impact

Experience in a rapid-growth, entrepreneurial organization or team

Proven capacity to solve problems and identify key strategic insights that advanced the goals of the organization

Track record of building, maintaining, and navigating complex relationships, such as with senior executives, clients, peer organizations, or funders. Experience balancing priorities across multiple stakeholders

Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive information and decisions with discretion and sound judgement

Experience with hiring, training, and retention processes

Excellent written and verbal communications, including memos, slide decks, and public speaking

Strong project management capabilities, with a demonstrated ability to independently manage projects to completion, establish priorities among multiple simultaneous deadlines, and sustain timely responses to deadlines and requests

Flexible and able to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial, and highly interactive environment

Benefits

Generous paid time off including parental leave

Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one

Retirement plans with university contributions

Wellbeing and mental health resources

Support for families and caregivers

Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement

Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks

Company

Harvard Kennedy School

Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school. It is a sub-organization of Harvard University.

Founded in 1936

Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

201-500 employees