Who is IDEO.org?

IDEO.org is a nonprofit design studio on a mission to design a more just and inclusive world. We partner with organizations and communities to co-create products, services, and programs across health, economic opportunity, and wellbeing.

We are a small, highly collaborative team of designers, strategists, storytellers, partnership builders, and operations leaders. Everyone at IDEO.org contributes to the relationships, ideas, and community that make our design projects possible.  We thrive on ambiguity and believe that curiosity, optimism, and human-centered design can uncover new possibilities within even the most complex challenges.

About the role

We’re looking for a Director-level Chief of Staff who can connect organizational strategy with the everyday decisions, systems, and relationships that bring it to life. You’ll be the strategic linchpin in our organization - supporting our CEO and executive leadership team with organization-wide operational activities, special projects and board management. In this role, you’ll report to our CEO, lead IDEO.org’s Operations and Talent functions, manage a part-time Talent Lead, and oversee all external vendors. This is a hands-on leadership role in a small design studio across New York and San Francisco.

Overall, your role is to help our organization run well and to create the conditions for our people to thrive. You’ll work closely with leadership to translate priorities into clear plans, make thoughtful decisions about people and resources, and keep important commitments moving. You’ll connect what’s happening across projects, partnerships, staffing, and finances; surfacing questions and trade-offs early and helping the team act on them. On any given day, you may shift between a team planning conversation, preparing Board materials, improving the contracting process, or supporting a staff member through a sensitive situation. You’ll need to help set direction, make sound decisions, and follow through on the details. Across these responsibilities, you’ll build practical, equitable ways of working that support our mission, our community, and our financial health.

In this role, you will:

Turn strategy into action

• Partner with the CEO and leadership team to translate strategy into clear organizational priorities, plans, responsibilities, and decisions.
• Lead regular organizational planning, bridging staffing, project, pipeline, and utilization information with strategic business and personnel insights.
• Surface resource needs, risks, and trade-offs, and recommend actions that balance team capacity, project quality, and organizational sustainability.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives and communicate decisions clearly so teammates understand what is changing, why it matters, and what comes next.

Lead effective operations

• Lead day-to-day operations and set Core team priorities, building practical systems and processes that fit a small design studio.
• Partner with leadership and finance on budgets, compliance, funder requirements, and due diligence, improving processes and using resources thoughtfully.
• Improve processes and documentation to reduce administrative burden, clarify responsibilities, and make collaboration easier.
• Oversee contract and vendor processes, from agreements and onboarding through payment and close-out, engaging finance and legal advisors as needed.
• Oversee studio operations and external providers for IT, facilities, travel, and safety, with an in-person presence in San Francisco.
• Manage organizational technology (hardware + software), access, subscriptions, and documentation so teammates can collaborate effectively and sensitive information is protected.
• Coordinate insurance, cybersecurity, business continuity, and field research safety with relevant specialists.
• Help translate our AI policies into practical guidance and everyday practices, working with leadership and relevant specialists.

Lead our talent approach and strengthen our community

• Lead IDEO.org’s talent priorities and manage the Senior Talent Lead, ensuring a thoughtful, equitable employee experience from hiring and onboarding through growth and departures.
• Partner with leadership on workforce planning, recruiting, and staffing across employees, temporary team members, and contractors.
• Lead annual performance reviews and calibration, and maintain clear job descriptions, level expectations, and compensation practices with leadership.
• Guide managers and teammates through sensitive people matters with discretion, fairness, and care, drawing on specialist advice when needed.
• Serve as a manager for designated employees, supporting their development, feedback, and contribution to the organization.
• Shape team gatherings that create space for connection, learning, and joy.

Support our CEO and Board

• Partner with the CEO and Board leadership to shape agendas and prepare discussions that support organizational priorities and timely decisions.
• Lead Board meeting preparation and follow-through, including materials, logistics, minutes, and action tracking.
• Maintain governance records and coordinate committee activities, keeping responsibilities and commitments clear.

What we’re looking for

This role might be the right fit if you’re an experienced operations and people leader who combines strategic thinking with thoughtful execution. You enjoy helping a creative organization run well: making complex decisions clearer, improving everyday processes, and supporting people with care. You bring a strong point of view while remaining curious about what will work best for the team and context.

You likely bring:

• Significant experience in operations, talent, or organizational leadership, typically gained over 8+ years with increasing responsibility.
• Experience leading both operational and people responsibilities in a creative organization, including managing employees and external vendors.
• A strong proficiency in employee experience, performance management, workforce planning, compensation practices, and people policies.
• A strength interpreting staffing, utilization, pipeline, and financial information and turning it into clear recommendations.
• Experience overseeing contracts, vendors, budgets, and organizational systems. 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including preparing clear communications for the team, leadership, and Board.
• Sound judgment and discretion in sensitive situations, with the ability to navigate different perspectives and build trust.
• The ability to prioritize across a broad scope, solve problems independently, and carry decisions through to completion.

Experience in a design studio, consulting practice, or nonprofit organization is valuable. 

You’ll be based in San Francisco or New York City and able to work from our studio at least two days per week. 

Application Instructions

To apply, please submit your resume and responses to the following application questions. A cover letter is not required for submission.

Application Questions

• [Leadership] Tell us what kind of leader you are. (150 words max)
• [Strategy Decision-making] Tell us about an unpopular organizational strategy decision you’ve made. How did you know it was the right decision? How did you bring others along? How did things pan out? (150 words max)

Pay & Benefits

IDEO.org values pay transparency so candidates can make informed choices about their time and effort. The annual salary range for this role is $120-140k, with benefits including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance; 4% 401(k) employer match, generous paid vacation; paid parental leave; and paid holidays.

The exact salary depends on role level, internal equity, and your directly relevant experience. During the interview process, we’ll discuss how we make equitable pay and level decisions at IDEO.org.