About W.K. Kellogg Foundation
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation supports children, families, and communities as they strengthen and create conditions so all children can achieve success as individuals and as contributors to the larger community and society. Upon establishing the foundation in 1930, breakfast cereal innovator W.K. Kellogg instructed future trustees and staff to “Use the money as you please so long as it promotes the health, happiness and well-being of children.” To this day, the foundation envisions, and works toward, a nation that marshals its resource to assure that all children have an equitable and promising future – a nation in which all children thrive.
To advance this mission, the foundation implements an array of change-making tools – grantmaking, impact investing, communications, contracting, networking, and convenings – and uses an innovative matrixed organizational design to prioritize investment decisions and maximize effectiveness toward achieving the desired ends and improvements for children and their families. A commitment to racial equity, community engagement and leadership development is woven into each endeavor as essential to the creation of a social context in which all children can thrive. Their grant-making focuses on education and learning; food, health, and well-being; and family economic security.
The overall work of the foundation is guided by the following values:
- We believe in helping people help themselves through the practical application of knowledge and resources to improve their quality of life and that of future generations.
- We believe all people have the inherent capacity to effect change in their lives, in their organization, and in their communities. We respect individuals and value their collective interests, strengths, and cultures.
- We believe stewardship requires fidelity to the spirit and to the intent of the founder and the wide use of resources. We believe in being responsible, prudent, selfless, and exercising good judgment.
- We believe innovation of thought and action leads to enduring and positive change in both formal and informal systems.
- We value integrity of purpose and action, and believe it is essential to all of our affairs.
This is a powerful time to be on the front lines of innovative philanthropy and we hope you’ll consider joining us! To learn more about the foundation, please visit www.wkkf.org and everychildthrives.com.
The Opportunity
The Organizational Effectiveness Senior Officer (OESO) is responsible for leading enterprise-wide change and transformation initiatives to drive organizational performance and operational efficiency. This role applies expertise in change management, business process reengineering, systems thinking, project management, and data analytics to optimize structures, improve adoption of change, and enhance overall effectiveness. Working in close partnership with the Director of Transformation, this role ensures successful execution of high-impact programs, projects, and initiatives. The OESO also serves as a subject matter expert in organizational effectiveness methodologies—including change management, agile practices, and process improvement—to drive sustainable outcomes across the foundation and will lead the Organizational Effectiveness (OE) squad and be accountable for the squad’s direction, strategy, and progress in support of the networked organization.
Specifically, an Organizational Effectiveness Senior Officer has the following responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership & Organizational Alignment
- Provide strategic direction, resource allocation, and stakeholder management to improve efficiency and effectiveness across the foundation.
- Lead and oversee business process reengineering, systems thinking, project management, and organizational structure enhancements.
- Serve as a trusted advisor for leaders navigating change, enhancing team performance, and executing strategic initiatives.
- Ensure organizational alignment between the OE team and other functions within the foundation.
- Build and sustain strong partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure alignment and shared ownership of goals.
- Drive continuous learning and best practices in organizational effectiveness, fostering a culture of adaptability and improvement.
OE Squad Leadership
- Serve as Squad Leader for the OE team, providing strategic oversight and ensuring alignment with foundation priorities.
- Own the squad’s goals and direction, proactively addressing barriers that inhibit progress.
- Foster a collaborative, agile, and results-driven team culture, ensuring high performance and accountability.
- Provide coaching and mentorship to direct reports and cross-functional partners to strengthen organizational effectiveness capabilities.
Change/Project Management & Business Process Improvement
- Develop and implement change management methodologies, frameworks, and best practices to support organizational effectiveness.
- Lead and manage enterprise-wide change initiatives, ensuring alignment with broader transformation efforts.
- Create and integrate new business processes with existing workflows, ensuring seamless adoption and efficiency.
- Drive a portfolio of projects, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and goals and managing resources, budgets, and risk to achieve successful implementation of foundation-wide projects and initiatives.
- Provide technical expertise and guidance on change management, project execution, and process optimization.
- Develop and execute change communication strategies, ensuring clarity and alignment across teams.
- Conduct data modeling, performance measurement, and activity analysis to inform process modernization efforts.
- Forecast, monitor, and analyze project performance, presenting key insights and recommendations.
- Lead survey development, data collection, and analysis to drive evidence-based decision-making.
Stakeholder Engagement & Advisory Role
- Serve as a liaison between the organizational effectiveness function and program/operations teams, providing insights, gathering feedback, and addressing concerns.
- Conduct research, identify organizational challenges, and recommend data-driven solutions.
- Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with external organizations, philanthropic peers, and industry networks to inform best practices.
- Serve as a subject matter expert on change management, agile methodologies, and business process improvement, providing guidance across the foundation.
- Provide agile coaching and support to foster an adaptive, networked organization.
Coaching, Facilitation & Learning
- Provide coaching and mentorship to individuals, teams, and leaders, enhancing organizational effectiveness.
- Lead training sessions, team workshops, and one-on-one coaching to build change resilience and capability.
- Foster an environment of psychological safety, continuous learning, and innovation.
- Design and administer surveys, assessments, and feedback mechanisms to gather insights and drive meaningful change.
Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate will have the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:
Education/ Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in business administration, management, or a relevant field (master’s preferred).
- Minimum of five years of related experience in organizational effectiveness, change management, or process improvement (eight or more years preferred).
- Demonstrated expertise in change management methodologies, frameworks, and tools.
- Experience supervising and developing a team (three to five years preferred).
- Change management or project management certification required.
- Strong experience with project management and process improvement strategies, including Lean, Six Sigma, and Agile (certification preferred).
- Proven ability to work effectively across diverse cultural, social, and ethnic backgrounds while fostering strong relationships.
Core Capabilities
- Strategic change leadership – Ability to lead multiple transformation and change initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
- Coaching and mentorship – Proven leadership skills in coaching, engaging, and developing a diverse team.
- Stakeholder engagement – Ability to build and sustain strong relationships across all levels of the organization.
- Organizational navigation – Skilled at maneuvering through complex political landscapes, anticipating challenges, and adjusting strategies accordingly.
- Process optimization – Deep understanding of business process improvement, operational efficiency, and workflow integration.
- Agility and adaptability – Comfortable managing ambiguity and shifting priorities, ensuring teams remain aligned and productive.
- Negotiation and influence – Ability to negotiate skillfully in complex situations, gaining support while maintaining positive relationships.
- Analytical and data-driven – Uses data modeling, analytics, and performance measurement to inform decision-making.
- Persuasion and influence – Mobilizes teams to take action, using creative and effective approaches to drive results.
- Leadership presence – Confident, empathetic communicator with the ability to inspire and engage teams across the foundation.
- Good at figuring out the processes necessary to get things done; knows how to organize people and activities; understands how to separate and combine tasks into efficient workflow; knows what to measure and how to measure it.
- Uses creative approaches to motivate others to meet goals.
Desired Qualities and Characteristics
- Mission alignment – Strong commitment to WKKFs values and DNA.
- Intercultural competence – Ability to recognize and appreciate diverse cultural identities, ensuring inclusivity and equity in decision-making.
- Systems thinking – Takes a holistic approach to problem-solving, ensuring long-term sustainability.
- Collaboration and influence – Excels in building cross-functional partnerships and influencing without direct authority.
- Conflict competence – Skilled at navigating and resolving complex challenges, fostering positive outcomes.
- Talent development – Invests in team growth, empowering individuals to excel in their roles.
- Trust builder – Fosters transparency, shared accountability, and a collaborative working environment.
- Results-oriented – Passionate about delivering measurable outcomes that drive organizational success.
Compensation and Benefits
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $140,000 - $175,000 with a generous benefits package. The exact salary that will be offered to the Organizational Effectiveness Senior Officer will be determined based on a consideration of the successful candidate’s skills, experience, and geography and aligned with the foundation’s compensation policies.
Contact
DSG | Koya has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Erin Reedy. Submit a compelling cover letter and resume by filling out our Talent Profile. All inquiries are strictly confidential.