Libra Foundation Begins Search For Managing Director - applications due 3/27 

Announcement

This post is also available in PDF format.


Reports To: President, Libra Foundation and Tao Rising
Location: The Presidio, San Francisco, CA (Hybrid)
Apply By: March 27, 2026


THE OPPORTUNITY

The Libra Foundation seeks a values‑aligned, collaborative, and strategic leader to serve as the first-ever Managing Director. In this newly created position reporting directly to the President of Libra Foundation and Tao Rising, the Managing Director will be a key member of the leadership team and a trusted advisor and thought partner who helps steward Libra’s organizational strategy, culture, and impact. This role will add expertise and capacity that will allow the President to attend more deeply to the family Board as they refine their larger vision; to stewardship of the full organization across Libra Foundation and Tao Rising; and to Libra Foundation’s external voice, advocacy, and partnerships. The Managing Director will play a central role in translating Board‑approved strategy into cohesive goals across programs, initiatives, and operations, while nurturing a healthy, inclusive, and high‑performing team culture. The Managing Director will take on critical roles for Libra Foundation including management of a leaderful team; annual and strategic planning; strategy integration across intersectional program areas; communications strategy; and in funder organizing and stakeholder engagement, in partnership with or in support of the President.

This is a pivotal moment for Libra as it continues to deepen its trust‑based, movement‑centered philanthropy and strengthen the organizational systems, people practices, and learning approaches that support its work. The ideal Managing Director will be a seasoned team leader, comfortable contributing in a shared leadership model, with a strong sense of self; deep commitment to equity and justice; and a leadership presence grounded in humility, integrity, curiosity, and care. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys and excels at managing, coaching, and developing a leaderful team of strong contributors and thinking at a macro, systems, and organizational level about culture, operations, communications, intersectional program areas, investments, and emerging strategies. Join Libra Foundation to guide a dynamic programs team as it partners with frontline, BIPOC‑led organizations working to transform the criminal justice system and advance environmental, climate, and gender justice.


THE ORGANIZATION

The Managing Director will join a dynamic 10-person team inclusive of the Libra Foundation – the family foundation that prioritizes multi-year, unrestricted grants to frontline, BIPOC-led organizations that are working in deep community to bring change – and the family philanthropy office where individual family members hone their philanthropic vision, values, and learning goals. The Managing Director will focus on and help lead Libra Foundation (Libra), in partnership with the President and in alignment with Board-approved strategy.

Established in 2002, Libra began as a vehicle for social change with a mission dedicated to human rights and a focus on drug policy reform, women’s rights, and the right to a healthy environment. Libra’s focus evolved to center US-based human rights work bringing a strong racial justice lens. This shift spurred the foundation into the next evolution of funding and partnering with organizations led by those most impacted by systemic oppression – largely communities of color that have experienced chronic underinvestment. Libra is now known for its funding of BIPOC-led movements by working at the grassroots to build power in communities, support democratic rights, and to center those most impacted by racial, gender, and environmental injustices.

Libra believes that all people deserve to live free of systemic oppression, economic insecurity, and environmental harm. It is Libra’s desire to promote equity and level the playing field. To that end, trust is the cornerstone of Libra’s philanthropy efforts with 2026 grantmaking of $27 million across three core Program Areas: Community Safety & Justice, Environmental & Climate Justice, and Gender Justice. Libra has grown in its impact as evidenced by the more than $80 million Democracy Frontlines Fund (DFF) – a national aligned giving strategy to leverage millions of new dollars to fund Black organizing and disrupt traditional philanthropy. By trusting its grantees, who are closest to their communities and most equipped to build and implement solutions, Libra is able to be the most effective it can be in bringing real and systemic changes.

Libra is governed by a five-member family board, has assets of approximately $425 million, and has been led by dynamic social justice philanthropy leader Supriya Lopez Pillai since 2024. With Supriya’s broadening focus on Libra and Tao Rising’s unified commitment to spurring the continual evolution of philanthropy to move resources – at scale – in a way that centers the needs and expertise of grantee partners, there is excitement for what the Managing Director will bring to build off past successes in close partnership with the committed Board; skilled staff; and valued external partners.


KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

The Managing Director will be responsible for the following key areas of work among others:

Leadership & Management

  • Participate fully as a leadership team member, ensuring staff leadership and the Board are adequately briefed about Libra’s programs and people to enable informed decision-making and accurate reporting across the organization.
  • Serve as a thought partner to leadership team members and colleagues across the organization, contributing programmatic insights and grantmaking expertise to help formulate and execute the organization’s objectives, develop contingency plans, and make critical decisions.
  • Partner with and advise the President and COO on organizational strategy, particularly as it relates to creating and implementing policies, processes, and procedures related to or that impact programs, grantmaking, and/or field building.
  • Promote and foster a culture of learning, having fun, and deepening relationships. Explore, establish, and nourish shared practice, language, and tools to achieve the mission at the highest level. Navigate any challenges within Libra and contribute to and support organization-wide learning and culture engagements.
  • Provide direct supervision of and leadership to key staff roles (as determined by organizational design – currently inclusive of two Senior Program Officers, an Initiative Officer, and a Consultant), fostering clarity, accountability, and growth.
  • Oversee Libra staff performance management, development, onboarding, and retention, with advisement from the COO who creates and manages HR programs and systems.
  • Ensure equitable, inclusive, and people-centered management practices within Libra in alignment with organization-wide values and policies.
  • Solicit guidance from the President, COO, and HR Consultant to manage any employee relations matters that arise consistent with Tao Rising’s legal requirements, business needs, and culture.
  • In consultation with the President and COO and with input from Libra’s team, assess Libra’s programmatic and people capacity on an ongoing basis to identify needs, recommend solutions, and implement any approved tools, resources, strategies, or staffing plans.
  • Develop actionable programmatic and people strategies that ensure alignment with short and long-term objectives.
  • Co-learn and shape the strategy and implementation of aligned special projects.

Libra Program Strategy & Learning

  • Make recommendations and provide insight to the President on strategic vision and translate Board-approved strategy into actionable goals, working with Libra’s team to ensure aligned work plans and timelines.
  • In partnership with the President, support Board engagement on programmatic work through Board Learning Sessions or other presentations, discussions, provision of insight, and more designed to support Board learning and decision-making.
  • With Libra’s team, in partnership with the President, and informed by grantee and community needs, facilitate and guide programmatic goal setting and monitoring of traction against approved goals.
  • Lead Libra’s annual planning process and longer-term strategic planning process creating and facilitating efficient, right-sized approaches that allow the team to build individual and team work plans, culminating in a shared, thoughtfully sequenced, organizational work plan and multi-year direction that enables the team to chart a shared course ahead.
  • With Libra’s team, develop, implement, and iterate trust-based approaches to learning around programs and initiatives and ensure those learnings are considered in future program and initiative planning.
  • With COO consultation, ensure programmatic matters and related activities are effective, legally compliant, and consistent with the organization’s culture, vision, and values.

Communications, Stakeholder Engagement, Field Building, and Funder Organizing

  • In partnership with the President and with consultant support, lead organizational communication strategy and ensure implementation of a communications plan aligned with Libra’s goals and values.
  • Represent Libra externally alongside or on behalf of the President, when needed and appropriate, reinforcing Libra’s values and commitments.
  • Support meaningful relationships with the Board, family, community partners, peer funders, and other collaborators through strong, values-aligned presence, thought partnership, and follow-through.
  • With the Libra team, ensure stories of grantee partner learning, success, and needs are uplifted and serve as an advocate and funder organizer building the field.
  • In collaboration with the President and team, ensure Libra remains responsive and accountable to the communities it serves.

Libra Budgeting & Grants Management

  • Develop, track, and adhere to Libra’s annual operating budget in close coordination with the President, COO, and external partners.
  • With consultation from the COO, ensure Libra’s financial management and internal controls are sound and compliant with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
  • As needed and in close collaboration with the COO, support annual audits, reporting, and financial planning with accuracy and transparency.
  • Partner with the COO to manage the operational infrastructure that supports Libra’s trust-based grantmaking, ensuring efficiency, responsiveness, and alignment with values.
  • Partner with the COO, grants management, and Libra’s programs team to ensure smooth grant cycles, documentation, learning practices, and grantee experience.
  • Support the COO, as needed, in oversight of Libra’s financial and accounting functions, including but not limited to providing key inputs for financial planning, forecasting, reporting, analyses, consultant and vendor contracts, control and risk, and year-end audits.

Libra Investments

  • Partner, where appropriate, with Libra’s President and COO on listening, learning, and providing endowment investment advice aligned with Libra’s values and programmatic aims.
  • In support of the President and COO, explore opportunities to share Libra investment learnings gained in this work with the field.

THE IDEAL MANAGING DIRECTOR

The Managing Director will build upon years of strategic, impactful work, alongside a powerhouse team and with innovative community partners. The ideal Managing Director will possess many of the following attributes, experiences, and expertise along with other transferable values and skills:

  • Meaningful senior leadership experience within philanthropy, nonprofit, or other mission-driven organizations having partnered closely on a leadership team and with a Board on strategic direction and organizational culture with the ability to inform and integrate organizational strategies across complex, interdependent programs and initiatives.
  • Commitment to and direct experience with designing and leading complex organizations, programs, grantmaking portfolios, and/or aligned giving strategies across multiple intersectional areas inclusive of Libra’s core program areas: Community Safety & Justice, Environmental & Climate Justice, Gender Justice, as well as the Democracy Frontlines Fund.
  • Experience serving on and partnering with leaderful teams and appreciation for working in spaces where leadership is shared, collaborative, and distributed among staff rather than centralized on one person.
  • Embodiment of inclusive, consensus-building, and resilient leadership that centers trust, listening, humility, and accountability – especially around power and privilege. Experience managing and developing people with care. The ability to excel in and get energized by people management and experience developing organizational workflow, internal communications, and processes.
  • A strong sense of self and personal practice that helps you understand and navigate your own and others’ emotions with ease, empathy, and a positive growth mindset.
  • Experience leading and/or partnering deeply with organizing or social change organizations and movements centering those most impacted by systemic oppression – largely communities of color that have experienced chronic underinvestment. Trusted movement relationships and a service mindset that anticipates, listens to, centers, and ensures Libra meets the changing needs of grantee partners and community stakeholders.
  • Alignment with Libra’s guiding principle that those closest to the problem understand those issues best and are most equipped to build and implement solutions and to Libra’s philanthropic approach to move money to groups building BIPOC power.
  • Experience disrupting “business as usual;” demonstrating commitment to the principles of transformative trust-based philanthropy; being open to ongoing experimentation and learning; and crafting and implementing forward-thinking and community-grounded organization- or sector-wide solutions promoting field-building for nonprofits and/or philanthropy.
  • Experience and comfort with funder organizing, having developed and implemented strategy to bring funder allies and social justice leaders together to learn and grow in partnership so more resources can flow to grassroots BIPOC-led movements.
  • Adeptness at collaborating to create innovative strategies that align to the mission and vision with experience recommending and shaping emerging strategy and integrating it across aligned new bodies of work.
  • Understanding of and ability to convey complex philanthropic, organizational, programmatic, and/or grantmaking insights, strategies, and ideas with clarity, confidence, and credibility. Communications that are principled, aligned with Libra’s values, impactful, and that resonate with and inspire diverse audiences. Adeptness at developing and informing organizational communications strategies that further the mission and goals. Experience with external communications that promote narratives of change and impact through storytelling.
  • Adeptness at engaging multiple perspectives and facilitating challenging conversations based on prior experience within coalitions; informing and inspiring nonprofit and funder allies; and/or engaging with stakeholders in dynamic organizations like a multigenerational family philanthropy.
  • Experience developing and managing complex operating budgets and commitment to deepening your knowledge and expertise around impact investments, integrated capital, and other emerging approaches.


POSITION DETAILS, COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

This is a full-time position based at the vibrant, light, open and welcoming office home located on Ramaytush Ohlone land (The Presidio) in San Francisco, California. The space is filled with art that represents the culture and creativity of the diverse communities served. It is a space that brings people together, centering shared mission and values in hosted and curated gatherings. The team works in a flexible employee-driven hybrid model. The ideal Managing Director will currently live in the San Francisco Bay Area with local knowledge and roots. Candidates from other markets may apply but must be willing to relocate.

The anticipated competitive annual compensation range is $259,560 to $290,000, commensurate with experience. All candidates with the experience and skills to fulfill the role – regardless of compensation history or background – are encouraged to apply.

The comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision coverage (with 100% of the premium covered by the employer), a 401k retirement plan, paid time off, a transit subsidy, and professional development opportunities.


THE APPLICATION PROCESS

Libra is partnering with Walker and Associates Consulting – a Black- and woman-owned equity-centered strategic management consulting and search firm – to facilitate this search. To apply, email a cover letter, resume, and list of three references (references will not be contacted without your advanced notice) to libra@walkeraac.com by Friday, March 27, 2026 at 5:00 pm PT. Use the subject line: Managing Director Application. Please submit PDF or Microsoft Word files only, preferably with all materials in one combined file. Resume review begins immediately. Questions or Nominations? Contact Jeannine N. Walker at jwalker@walkeraac.com.

Libra and Tao Rising are committed to creating a dynamic, diverse working environment welcoming applicants from all backgrounds and strongly encouraging women, people of color, people with disabilities, immigrants, refugees, and LGBTQ people to apply.


The Libra Foundation/Tao Rising LLC is an “at-will” and equal opportunity employer committed to human rights and supporting a peaceful, just, and equitable society for all. Individuals of all races, religions, national origins, ethnicities, ages, mental or physical disabilities, sexual orientation, gender (including pregnancy and gender expression) identities, marital status, veteran status, medical conditions, formerly incarcerated people, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law or ordinance, are welcome to apply.

More Reads