Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives

Blue Meridian Partners

$317K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Alignment with Blue Meridian's mission and core values.
  • 15+ years of experience in strategy, philanthropy, or a related field with a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
  • Ability to convert high-level vision into actionable strategies and executable plans.
  • Experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects with minimal supervision.
  • Exceptional strategic thinking, execution skills, and attention to detail.
  • Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, adaptable to varied audiences.
  • Proficient in handling confidential information with discretion.

Responsibilities

  • Collaborate with the Founder on high-priority projects to unlock and deploy philanthropic capital.
  • Translate early concepts into actionable plans and proposals.
  • Lead or coordinate cross-functional projects ensuring alignment and timely follow-through.
  • Prepare materials for key conversations, such as briefing notes and board presentations.
  • Explore technology and AI to enhance philanthropic collaboration and capital deployment.
  • Operate independently, anticipating needs and advancing the work.
  • Organize a dynamic portfolio of projects, managing priorities and ensuring momentum.

Benefits

  • Employer contributions to a retirement savings plan.
  • Comprehensive healthcare coverage with minimal costs to employees.
  • Life and disability insurance.
  • Generous paid time off including vacation, holidays, and special breaks.
  • Professional development opportunities internally and externally.
  • Home office setup allowance.
  • Tuition reimbursement for continuous learning.
  • Flexible hybrid work arrangement.
Full Job Description

Position Profile

The Founder and Executive Chair for Blue Meridian Partners is seeking a senior, trusted partner to work closely with across a range of innovation and strategy projects aimed at strengthening the field of philanthropy. These projects include designing and testing new models for aggregating and deploying capital and supporting philanthropists to unlock more resources for economic and social mobility in America — including how technology and AI can accelerate that work. In addition to these field-focused initiatives, the Founder and Executive Chair holds ongoing responsibility for Blue Meridian's board governance and capital aggregation and remains engaged in select aspects of Blue Meridian's organizational strategy; the Senior Director will support this work as well.

The Senior Director is a highly entrepreneurial role for a leader who thrives in a start-up environment — someone who is energized by building from the ground up, moving between vision and execution, and navigating complexity with calm and confidence. You’ll be a strategic thought partner, project driver, and trusted operator that brings ideas to life and ensures that high-potential initiatives move forward with clarity and momentum.

While this position is closely connected to Blue Meridian, it is not embedded in the organization’s day-to-day operations. Instead, you’ll work directly with the Executive Chair to advance a portfolio of special initiatives — including efforts to design next-generation capital aggregation vehicles, strengthen philanthropic infrastructure, and enable philanthropists and partners to give collaboratively, confidently, and at scale.

‎ 

Primary Responsibilities

Career Path Classification 

M2

 

Position Type 

Exempt 

 

Position Location 

New York City. Hybrid working arrangement allowed. 

 

Primary Responsibilities 

The responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to, the following: 

 

Strategic Leadership & Execution  

  • Partner with the Founder, Executive Chair on high-priority projects that explore new ways to unlock, aggregate, and deploy philanthropic capital — conducting research, framing ideas, drafting strategies, and coordinating work across collaborators and funders.

  • Translate early-stage concepts into actionable frameworks, proposals, and roadmaps that move initiatives from vision to execution.  

  • Lead or coordinate cross-functional workstreams, ensuring alignment, accountability, and timely follow-through.  

  • Prepare materials for key conversations — from concise briefing notes to strategy memos and board-level presentations.  

  • Bring curiosity and fluency around technology and AI — helping explore how new tools, data, and platforms can strengthen philanthropic collaboration and capital flow.  

  • Operate with high independence and sound judgment, anticipating needs and identifying opportunities to advance the work.  

Operational and Organizational Support  

  • Serve as a central organizing force for a fast-moving and evolving portfolio of projects — managing priorities, tracking decisions, and ensuring momentum.  

  • Handle confidential and sensitive information with the utmost discretion and integrity.  

  • Build lightweight systems that bring order to complexity and ensure smooth coordination across multiple projects and relationships. 

  • Move fluidly between strategic and tactical tasks — from advising on content to managing key meetings and follow-up.  

Relationship Management  

  • Serve as a thoughtful and professional liaison to internal and external partners, including philanthropists, board members, and senior leaders.  

  • Interact effectively with high-net-worth individuals and other influential stakeholders, exercising exceptional discretion, warmth, and professionalism.  

 

Qualifications  

Required 

  • Aligned with Blue Meridian's mission and core values. 

  • At least 15 years of professional experience in strategy, philanthropy, consulting, operations, or a related field and a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience. 

  • Proven ability to translate high-level vision into actionable strategies and executable plans. 

  • Experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects with minimal supervision. 

  • Strong strategic thinking combined with exceptional execution skills and attention to detail. 

  • Highly organized with ability to manage multiple priorities and bring structure to ambiguous or evolving work. 

  • Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with ability to synthesize complex information and adapt tone for varied audiences. 

  • Demonstrated ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with sound judgment and discretion. 

  • Comfort and ease interacting with senior leaders, board members, and high-net-worth individuals. 

  • Demonstrated ability to effectively use AI tools and technologies to enhance productivity and work quality. This includes experience with AI tools for tasks such as research, content generation, data analysis, problem-solving, or workflow automation.

  • Demonstrated understanding of AI capabilities and limitations, including the ability to critically evaluate AI-generated outputs, apply appropriate judgment when using AI assistance, and integrate AI tools effectively within their work processes. 

  • Low ego, high emotional intelligence, with humility and professionalism in all interactions.

  • Strong interpersonal skills with a professional and genial demeanor, and the ability to work with people with different backgrounds and experiences. 

  • Working knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and the ability to learn new software quickly. 

  • Willing to travel as needed. 

Preferred  

  • Background in innovation, philanthropy, capital markets, impact investing, or social sector strategy desirable. 

  • Experience working in start-up or entrepreneurial environments preferred. 

  • Advanced degree (MBA, MPA, JD, or related field) desirable. 

 

At Blue Meridian, we value building a diverse, inclusive workplace. Even if your experience does not fully align with our preferred qualifications, we still encourage you to apply.  

  

Hiring Salary   

Blue Meridian Partners aims to provide a comprehensive and competitive total compensation package.  

  

The hiring salary for this position is $317,000. In addition to the base salary, each member of Blue Meridian is eligible to receive a performance-based variable incentive bonus.  

  

Blue Meridian also provides generous benefits, including:  

  • Employer contributions to a retirement savings plan  

  • Medical, dental and vision coverage with minimal employee contribution  

  • Life and disability insurance  

  • Paid time off including vacation/personal days, paid holidays, half-day summer Fridays, and week-long office closures in the summer and winter  

  • Internal and external professional development opportunities  

  • Home Office set-up allowance  

  • Tuition reimbursement  

  • Hybrid work arrangement 

‎ 

This position description is a guide to the primary duties and functions of the job, not an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, qualifications, physical demands and work environment conditions. Position descriptions are reviewed and may be revised to meet the changing needs of Blue Meridian Partners at the sole discretion of management. 

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Blue Meridian Partners

More Education, Government & Non-Profit Jobs

Find similar Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives jobs: