Organization Overview
UNICEF USA (“UUSA” or “We”) relentlessly pursues a more equitable world for every child, upholding the rights of all children and empowering every child, everywhere. We also support the fundamental belief that children should have a voice and role in shaping their futures and the futures of their communities.
Over eight decades, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has built an unprecedented global support system for the world’s children, and has boldly taken on the biggest, seemingly impossible challenges facing children. UNICEF relentlessly works day in and day out to deliver the essentials that give every child an equitable chance in life: health care and immunizations, safe water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. UNICEF USA advances the global mission of UNICEF by rallying the American public to support the world’s most vulnerable children.
We know that sustainable change is attainable, but it can’t be achieved alone. It takes a committed team – individuals, governments, corporations, volunteers and staff – who demonstrate a relentless commitment to working tirelessly, day in and day out in some of the toughest, hardest to reach places. Big problems need big solutions, and we harness our collective, global voice and energy to do more good, in more places for children. We will never stop supporting UNICEF to develop smarter, more cost-effective solutions; scaling up proven, data-driven programs; and harnessing new technologies to create measurable change for children.
UUSA is organized under the laws of New York State as a not-for-profit corporation. As such, UUSA is a tax-exempt organization as defined under Section 501C(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is governed by an independent, non-salaried Board of Directors.
Position: Managing Director of Strategy & Planning, Strategy and I4FC Division
Location: Remote/Flexible
FLSA Status: Exempt
Salary: The estimated salary range for this role is $123,150-166,250. The midpoint for this salary range is $166,250. Actual pay will vary based on varying factors, including but not limited to relevant experience.
Position Description
The Managing Director of Strategy & Planning plays a key role in leading organization-wide strategic initiatives, including ongoing strategic plan development and implementation. Reporting to the Chief Strategy Officer, the candidate works in partnership with the Deputy Director of Strategic Operations to ensure end-to-end development of the UNICEF USA strategic plan and implementation of critical cross-cutting strategic initiatives, and will also oversee the development of the Org-wide operating plan. The ideal candidate will bring a new level of rigor and practice by elevating insights to inform aspirations, identifying and responding to key trends and prioritizing key initiatives to maximize impact.
Position Responsibilities:
- Collaboratively lead the annual strategic planning cycle alongside the Deputy Director of Strategic Operations, including collaborating with leadership and the Strategy Cohort on organization vision and direction, facilitating team planning workshops and implementing the strategy and operating plans via clear and transparent communications.
- Manage the execution of the Strategy Cohort, an internal group responsible for enterprise-level perspective focused on strategy development, decision-making and prioritization.
- Lead cross-divisional prioritization and alignment processes that drive innovation and impact to elevate organizational strategy, working closely with the Deputy Director of Strategic Operations and Strategy Cohort.
- Build out an internal “advisory services” modality and resources where the Strategy & Planning team facilitate the creation of a strategy for key organizational initiatives.
- Contribute to the Joint Strategic Planning Process with UNICEF, enabling alignment between UNICEF USA and global initiatives.
- Create and co-manage a portfolio of alliances with like-minded organizations to enhance outcomes through shared insights and strategies.
- Generate resources and learnings on industry best practices and provide recommendations and concepts that improve strategy development and implementation.
- Oversee the review, redesign (as needed) and implementation of mechanisms to evaluate Strategic and Operating Plan metrics to fit the organization’s business model.
- Lead on identifying the systems and tools to enable improved strategy and planning.
- Identify internal competencies for more effective staff-wide strategic planning and inform the upskilling approach.
Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent and 10+ years of relevant experience required with a track record of success. Minimum of 5 years of management experience preferred.
- Master's Degree preferred, but not required.
- Strategic solutions-oriented thinking.
- Experience managing through influence.
- Proven experience leading the development of cross-divisional strategies and operating plans that have led to successful outcomes/impact.
- Expertise/experience in proven strategy development methodologies, e.g. human centered design, growth mindset, strategy sprints, SWOT, etc.
- Exceptional quantitative skills and aptitude.
- Familiarity with analytics tools, databases, project management software and data mapping preferred but not required.
- Strong operational understanding/process focus – ability to understand business functions and facilitate conversations across org for successful implementation.
- Proven project management and critical thinking, with skills to synthesize information and develop narratives around analytics in written, verbal and visual communication.
- Exemplary capacity to maintain confidentiality and discretion.
- Must be a collaborative team player and self-starter, possess strong relationship building skills and be a consultative problem solver.
- Experience in the NGO sector or with mission-driven organizations preferred.
Don’t meet every single requirement? That’s okay. UNICEF USA values diverse experiences and we’re always looking for people who will add to our culture and further our mission. If you are excited about this role and unsure about whether your past experience aligns with the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway.
Must possess current and valid US Work Authorization and be eligible to work for any US employer without sponsorship.
Due to the high volume of applications received, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. UNICEF USA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer
We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law. UUSA is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at peopleandculture@unicefusa.org.
