Director of Environment

Fund for Science and Technology•Seattle, WA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Fund for Science and Technology (FFST) is a new private foundation established in 2022 and launching in 2025, dedicated to accelerating discovery and catalyzing progress for people and the planet through transformational science and technology. The foundation focuses on advancing bioscience, accelerating environmental solutions, and leveraging AI for the benefit of Earth and humanity. The Director of Environment (DE) serves as a strategic deputy and thought partner to the Senior Vice President (SVP) of Environment, playing a crucial role in shaping, prioritizing, and executing the Foundation's environmental strategy and philanthropic portfolio. The DE acts as the second-in-command, managing the implementation of the SVP's vision and major partnerships, ensuring effective deployment of leadership attention and resources. Responsibilities include supporting the identification, development, and implementation of grants and initiatives, conducting due diligence, reviewing scientific and technical information, engaging with experts, attending conferences, developing strategic concepts, and facilitating collaborative planning processes. The DE will represent the Foundation externally, potentially acting as a delegate for the SVP in meetings with various stakeholders. Key duties involve cultivating relationships, monitoring grant progress and impact, identifying opportunities to enhance portfolio effectiveness, and performing operational, administrative, financial, and strategic coordination tasks. The role is central to building and managing the Environment pillar as it grows, with the potential for direct reports. The ideal candidate will possess strategic judgment, scientific curiosity, operational excellence, and strong relationship-management skills to advance the Foundation's environmental mission and maximize philanthropic impact. The DE will collaborate with the Science Leadership Team and the broader FFST organization, acting independently and learning to interpret and implement company policies.

Requirements

Broad scientific knowledge in the area of the environment.
Demonstrated leadership responsibilities in past roles.
Experience managing direct reports.
Experience coordinating complex efforts.
Experience applying strategic operational skills.
Honesty, responsibility, integrity, and fulfillment of commitments.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
High level of independent judgment, tact, and diplomacy.
Ability to work effectively with diverse teams.
Ability to manage external resources.
Ability to liaise with a broad range of internal and external clients, departments, and stakeholders at various levels within the organization.
Experience managing project teams for programs that include multiple projects and a high level of complexity.
Ability to work with confidential information discreetly and professionally.
Ability to work under tight deadlines, managing multiple priorities in a dynamic and changing environment.
Flexible, creative, solution-oriented approach to problem-solving.
Excellent ability to manage simultaneous project streams and meet deadlines.
Strong analytical and interpersonal skills.
Knowledge of general office practices, procedures, and equipment.
Ability to prioritize tasks and work independently.
Excellent writing and copyediting skills.
Strong attention to detail.
MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
Experience with leading Grants Management Software platforms.
Master’s degree (M.A. or M.S.) in a related science field from an accredited institution and five plus years relevant experience, OR equivalent combination of education and experience, ideally in a high-growth or start-up environment OR equivalent combination of education and experience.

Nice To Haves

Ph.D. plus five years relevant experience, or 10 years relevant experience in a senior leadership role in environmental science.
Familiarity supporting the planning, procurement, and effective use of high-performance computing, cloud computing, and AI resources to advance scientific research.
Familiarity with bioscience research as it relates to the environment.
Familiarity with expense management, invoice receiving, travel systems, and customer relations management.
Familiarity with Smartsheet, Asana, or other organizational platforms.
Experience working with/for a Foundation and/or tax-exempt research organization(s).

Responsibilities

Serve as a strategic deputy and thought partner to the SVP, Environment.
Shape, prioritize, and execute the Foundation's environmental strategy and philanthropic portfolio.
Ensure timely implementation and management of the SVP's vision and major partnerships.
Determine which activities require the SVP's direct engagement and which can be delegated.
Support the identification, development, refinement, and implementation of major grants and initiatives.
Conduct and organize due diligence efforts.
Review scientific literature, technical reports, and policy analyses.
Engage with scientific and subject-matter experts.
Attend conferences and convenings.
Develop strategic concepts.
Design and facilitate workshops, charrettes, and other collaborative planning processes.
Represent the Foundation externally and serve as a delegate for the SVP in meetings with grantees, researchers, peer funders, policymakers, and other partners.
Cultivate and maintain key relationships across the environmental community.
Monitor the progress and impact of grants and initiatives.
Identify opportunities to strengthen portfolio effectiveness and strategic coherence.
Perform operational, administrative, finance, strategic coordination, and other tasks related to managing internal and external engagements and projects.
Play a central role in building and managing the Environment pillar as it grows.
Maintain an understanding of the key objectives of FFST programs and projects.
Act as the focal point for ongoing team program communications and status reports.
Oversee coordination, collaboration, and communication across team members and initiatives.
Oversee presentation materials, web content, and other documentation for the FFST group.
Facilitate internal meetings as needed.
Take on special projects as assigned.
Oversee broad program efforts including the execution of open solicitation calls and ensuring timely communication across the team.
Oversee collaboration with internal and/or external departments such as finance, communications, IT, legal, grants management, and HR.
Inform and coordinate with the SVP schedule for key pillar activities.
Plan and coordinate Environment team retreats and all-hands meetings.
Monitor and ensure timely and accurate budget tracking.
Manage effective communication and processes for environment efforts.

Benefits

Foundation-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance plans for the employee and their eligible dependents.
Retirement savings plan with a generous 15% employer contribution each year, up to IRS limits, and subject to a vesting schedule.
Up to 16 annual vacation/personal days in the first five years.
Seven paid holidays.
Paid time off for the day after Thanksgiving.
Full office closure between December 25th and January 1st.
Up to 10 days of paid sick leave annually, with unused time eligible to be carried over (up to the maximum unused time cap).
Up to eight weeks of paid pregnancy disability.
Up to eight weeks of paid parental leave.
Up to 13 weeks of short-term disability benefits.