About The Susan T. Buffett Foundation

The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation (STBF) is a private grant-making Foundation with a U.S. home office in Omaha, Nebraska, and a global office in Kigali, Rwanda. With annual spending in excess of $800 million, it is one of the largest private foundations in the U.S. The Foundation is unusual for donors of such size as it has only two main areas of grant making: 1) supporting efforts to reduce unintended pregnancy and ensure access to safe abortion for women in the U.S. and around the world and 2) to enable low-income students in Nebraska to attend and succeed in college. The Foundation currently employs over 70 staff across the U.S. and Kigali, Rwanda. The Foundation will not exist in perpetuity. After Mr. Buffett passes away (he is currently 93 years old), the Foundation’s grantmaking will grow substantially, then eventually sunset after 15 years.

About the Learning and Evaluation Unit and Global Programs Team

The Learning and Evaluation Team drives evaluation and learning across the Foundation by working in partnership with STBF’s other units: College Access and Success Programs, Finance, Global Programs, People Operations, and U.S. Programs. Learning and Evaluation enhances the quality and effectiveness of the Foundation’s grantmaking by developing research, evaluation, and learning questions; considering the methodological and analytic approaches to answer these questions; conducting regular assessment of progress towards and achievement of grantmaking outcomes; and promoting the utilization of measurement and evaluation results for learning. In all partnerships, Learning and Evaluation is committed to creating an environment that is welcoming, values different perspectives and experiences, collaborative input on technical work, and open discussion of relationship dynamics and the best way for everyone to work together. The Learning and Evaluation team values diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) and incorporates this lens into their work with intentionality. Candidates for this position will be expected to demonstrate an appreciation for the Foundation’s and the Learning and Evaluation unit’s DEIJ values. Currently, Learning and Evaluation includes a Vice President, a Director, two Senior Officers, four Officers, four Associate Officers and an Executive Assistant.

The Global Programs (GP) strategy invests in sexual and reproductive health and rights around the world. At the core of GPs strategy is the central tenet that the Program’s funding will lead to sustainable change. Funding is designed to help transform systems and strengthen the organizations and institutions that will outlive STBF’s grantmaking so that women and girls will continue to receive services when funding comes to an end. The Global Program team’s work focuses particularly in Sub-Saharan African countries and the region.

The Opportunity

The Senior Learning and Evaluation Officer (SLEO) will join a thriving team as a member of the Learning and Evaluation Unit and will report to the Director of GP Engagement. The SLEO will also work closely with a small group of other Learning and Evaluation staff that are integrated into and work closely with the GP Team. They will contribute to mission-critical planning, evidence, measurement, and learning activities in collaboration with Learning and Evaluation and with Global Program colleagues, and with contract and consultant partners. The SLEO will provide expertise in measurement and evaluation activities with the Global Programs Unit. They will work as a skilled strategic thinker, co-creator, and implementor of expanding Learning and Evaluation’s work to include broader applications of evaluation and learning. They will work with external evaluation teams on the design and development of measures, metrics, and data systems, and along with Global Program staff, will facilitate external evaluator and grantee partner relationships to ensure consistent procedures and practices and a rigorous culture of data-informed decision making. They will serve as a credible and articulate spokesperson for evaluation findings and will contribute to broader conversations about the implications of such findings.

The SLEO will be an innovative and interdisciplinary thinker with knowledge and experience relevant to contraceptive and abortion access in the Global South. They will have a broad mastery of quantitative and qualitative evaluation methodologies, thinks about evaluation of strategies, rather than single grants or programs, and a demonstrated ability to design and implement new evaluation approaches. They will be proactive and have excellent interpersonal skills with which to build strong relationships with Foundation colleagues and external partners. The SLEO will bring a strong team orientation, the ability to adapt quickly to change, and demonstrated success working effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Key Responsibilities:

Provide strategic guidance and technical expertise on evaluation, measurement, and learning with Global Programs.
Identify and manage systems and processes to ensure routine collection, analysis, and learning from evidence to track progress on Global Program’s efforts to strengthen national health systems in Africa.
Promote a learning environment within the Learning and Evaluation unit, with Global Programs, and across the Foundation.
Develop new learning and evaluation projects, in collaboration with Global Programs, and guide the plans to monitor project efforts.
Facilitate relationships with external partners and other external stakeholders, modeling clear and transparent communication and incorporating diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice values into the interactions.
Represent the Foundation at professional meetings and to the broader community of donors, grantees, and other grant-making organizations in the country.
Steward the Foundation’s resources through budgeting, contract management and compliance, including by carefully and objectively monitoring contracts, and routinely communicating with contractors to provide both encouragement and constructive feedback, while assessing progress towards project goals; and reviewing contract proposals, budgets, and reports for both clarity and strategic alignment.
Collaborate within Learning and Evaluation to advance collective work and uphold a strong team culture, including by actively engaging with colleagues at all levels, offering thought partnership, proactively identifying opportunities, and offering suggestions for improving STBF’s collaborative work environment. Participate in unit-wide working groups where appropriate, including cross-functional strategic initiatives, STBF’s teamwide inclusion and racial equity committee, Learning and Evaluation’s racial justice team, ad hoc planning committees, and other groups.
Support, mentor, and cultivate the growth of junior staff, providing guidance and support to Program Officers and Associate Officers who support the Global Program.

Attributes for Success in this Role

Brings a demonstrated ability to work closely with colleagues, establish relationships and trust, and promote a sense of community.
Develops and maintains effective working relationships with team members, internal and external partners and others using strong interpersonal skills. Practices kindness, authenticity, and optimism when working with others.
Has excellent writing, editing, analytic and oral communication skills, including the ability to collect, review, synthesize, and present information and findings to diverse audiences with myriad perspectives and mindsets. Listens carefully and seeks mutual understanding in daily interactions.
Leads with intellectual curiosity and has an ability to succeed in a demanding environment. Personal integrity, high professional standards, and an ability to establish mutual accountability and respect.
Seeks input from and values the uniqueness of people from different groups and identities. Works effectively with individuals of diverse cultures, interpersonal styles, abilities, motivations, or backgrounds. Challenges practices or policies that may be exclusionary. Demonstrates a proven commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Is a critical thinker who brings creativity and asks good questions and probes all sources for answers; sees underlying or hidden patterns; looks beyond the obvious and does not stop at the first answers. Uses rigorous logic and methods to learn, analyze and understand why problems occur; generates and implements creative, cost effective and realistic solutions.
Looks for new or alternative ideas from a wide range of sources. Considers future consequences and trends while considering future possibilities.
Demonstrates comfort and skill in situations of conflict. Executes an ability to say “no” when necessary and appropriate and have the confidence to choose the correct answer over the popular one. Shows tolerance for ambiguity and is very comfortable with constant change brought on by internal and external pressures or expectations. Understands the value of flexibility and adaptability.

Qualifications

A deep and demonstrated commitment to the Foundation’s mission to advance access to contraception and abortion.
Minimum of 8 years of experience coordinating research, evaluation, and/or measurement projects that demonstrate growing professional responsibility over time with strong grounding in both theory and application.
Minimum 3 years’ experience living in and/or working with the Global South, with demonstrated sensitivity and appreciation for centering and shifting power to the Global South.
Experience working in an environment with colleagues across multiple locations, adaptable to the needs and styles of country stakeholders.
Demonstrated knowledge of, and expertise in, national health systems and strategies, and sexual and reproductive health service delivery approaches in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Strong qualitative analysis skills, including expertise in design and analysis of in-depth interviews, focus groups, and document content analysis.
Strong quantitative interpretation skills, including an understanding of the concepts and applications of descriptive and inferential statistics, regression analysis, sampling and power calculations, and experimental design.
Experience managing and executing large scale, multi-site surveys.
Preferred: Doctoral degree in in relevant fields of social or health sciences, such as: public health, public policy, demography, economics, international development, sociology, etc., OR a master’s degree with 5+ years professional experience with increasing responsibility directly related to the role will be considered.
Preferred: Fluency in French

Hiring Requirements

As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

Travel Requirements

This role requires up to 25% of international travel.

Location

This position is remote within the US or in STBF’s office in Omaha, NE.

Benefits and Compensation

Starting salary for this role is $168,000. Compensation is determined by a variety of factors including candidate’s individual qualifications, experience relative to the requirements of the role, and internal equity. STBF offers a robust and generous benefits package.

Inclusion Statement

We are committed to creating a workplace where employees thrive both personally and professionally. This includes not only creating a diverse team where everyone feels represented, respected, and included, but also embedding these values across our work and practices. All applicants who are drawn to serve our mission will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and prior protected activity.

To Be Considered

Please submit your resume and cover letter expressing your interest in the position and fit for the role via the “Become a Candidate” button below. Letters may be addressed to Martens Roc.

Applicants applying by July 1st will be given priority consideration, with the position open until filled.

Senior Learning and Evaluation OfficerThe Susan T. Buffett Foundation Omaha, NE or Remote (US)

Become a Candidate Refer a Candidate

GoodCitizen has been exclusively retained by Susan T. Buffet Foundation to lead this search. For questions, please contact:

Martens Roc
Managing Director
Direct: 202.993.7616
martens@goodcitizen.com

Mollie Smith
Engagement Manager
Direct: 206.462.6190
mollie@goodcitizen.com

Tonisha Idowu
Senior Associate
Direct: 202.753.9075
tonisha@goodcitizen.com