Executive Director

Established in 1926 by a prominent, reform-minded physician and his suffragist wife, the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation is a leading supporter of social science research for Los Angeles County. It is also the oldest private foundation in the city.

Each year, the foundation spends up to three million dollars distributing grants and scholarships to individuals at public and private institutions, most of them local. Those funds, in turn, are used to encourage study and research into the underlying causes of social problems within Los Angeles and to recommend ways of addressing them.

In 2022, the Haynes Trustees adopted a new Governance & Democracy Grantmaking Initiative to strengthen democracy and advance good governance within the Los Angeles region. The new initiative is firmly rooted in the Haynes Foundation’s rich history, enduring mission, and near century of work bridging quality academic research and action to identify and advance solutions to complex regional challenges.

THE HAYNES FOUNDATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR is a new position working in close partnership with the Haynes Foundation Board of Trustees. The ED will play a pivotal role in ensuring the foundation’s program success and impact; building a positive community presence and profile; creating a fulfilling work environment that reflects the foundation’s mission and values; and providing steady organizational and fiscal management. At the same time, with experience and

ease around civic life, the executive director will help shape and implement the foundation’s new grantmaking initiatives and processes; solicit and present proposals to the trustees; enliven and inform public awareness about the foundation’s focus, mission, and goals; and convene and connect academic researchers, community stakeholders, and regional policy makers to collaborate on innovative projects that advance good governance and strengthen democracy

in Los Angeles County.

SKILLS

Ability to be a thought leader with and guide the board of trustees while being led by

the board’s vision and direction

Proven ability to bring diverse people together around a common purpose

Communication skills to share and disseminate research findings and lessons learned from our grantmaking

Ability to engage and connect academic researchers, regional stakeholders, and policy makers

Ability to build and create a respected and sought-after community presence for the Haynes Foundation

EXPERIENCE

At least ten years of progressively advancing responsibility and leadership in complex environments promoting positive change and successfully implementing initiatives while working with board members and leaders across organizations and sectors

Experience drafting and managing organizational budgets; proven capacity to develop strategic and responsive financial and administrative planning processes that are adaptive to changing funding and priorities

Work experience in Los Angeles County academic research, community advocacy, and public policy environments

A sophisticated understanding of building relationships across different sectors, networks, fields, and cities to identify and advance common visions of progress and

success

Knowledge of academia and the critical elements of quality academic research that drive change, understanding of the challenges facing the region, and relationships with regional public policy makers and agents of change.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The Haynes Foundation’s ED will be an experienced, people-centric, results-focused, and collegial leader who is passionate about the foundation’s mission and strategic direction.

The ED will cultivate connections among academia, regional stakeholders, and policy

makers to advance good governance and strengthen democracy within the Los Angeles

region.

The ideal candidate is an excellent listener, a network weaver, and a proactive

collaborator who fosters a culture of candor, trust, and partnership to cultivate

productive working relationships with both internal and external stakeholders—trustees,

staff, grantees, and partners. The ED will oversee an administrative assistant.

EDUCATION

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; an advanced degree is

desirable. The Haynes trustees recognize academic credentials alone are not indicative of

leadership experience and potential; a mix of academic and professional background

and work experience will be considered.