The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation is a family foundation working both domestically and internationally to improve the lives of individuals living in poverty and experiencing disadvantage. Guided by the intent of our donors, Conrad and Barron Hilton—who gave virtually all of their personal wealth to the Foundation—we pursue a noble, global philanthropic mission. “As the funds you will expend have come from many places in the world,” Conrad Hilton counseled, “so let there be no territorial, religious, or color restrictions on your benefactions.” In our workplace and in our collaborative efforts to accomplish our mission, we apply our values of integrity, thinking big, humility, stewardship, and compassion. The Program Department, which oversees approximately $300 million in annual grantmaking, is currently developing new five-year strategies, recognizing that at this moment in time, it is especially important to focus our efforts where we can have the deepest impact.

The Director, Youth Initiative, provides visionary yet disciplined leadership of an integrated portfolio committed to transforming outcomes for young people facing homelessness, foster care, and barriers to education and employment. This is a visionary role that unites three formerly independent initiatives into a single, powerful effort with a clear purpose: to open doors, remove obstacles, and create lasting opportunities for youth.

The Director will lead a newly formed team across domestic and international geographies to deliver impact through grantmaking, advocacy, research, and partnerships. A key responsibility is to develop and drive a clear strategic vision, articulating a bold five‑year impact statement and defining specific indicators to track progress. The impact statement and indicators will serve as a roadmap clarifying what success looks like, how we measure it, and how we hold ourselves accountable for achieving it.

The Director will actively foster youth-focused initiative learning and alignment and bring deep expertise, proven management experience, and a genuine passion for improving the lives of young people. Working closely with the Strategy, Learning, and Evaluation Division (SLED), the Director will champion a continuous learning and improvement culture, ensuring that evidence and data inform decisions and that the strategy evolves to deliver greater impact over time.

The Director will also oversee advocacy effort, ensuring that policy and system-level work advances the broader goals of the strategy. They will provide strong day‑to‑day management, set clear expectations for staff and partners, align resources, and build a high-performance, accountable, and inclusive culture that aligns with the vision and priorities for the department.

This role is for a proven strategic leader and team builder with expertise in youth program areas. The Director will inspire the team to bolster ambition, work collaboratively, and take responsibility for results, ensuring that grantmaking, advocacy, and field‑building efforts reflect the Foundation’s core values of integrity, humility, stewardship, compassion, and thinking big. This position reports to the Vice President of Strategy and Programs.

Other responsibilities as assigned — Additional time as needed