President and Chief Executive Officer

POSITION SPECIFICATION

Position	President & Chief Executive Officer
Organization	John Templeton Foundation
Location	West Conshohocken, PA
Reporting Relationship	Board of Trustees
Total Giving	$2.28 Billion
Endowment Size	$3.5 Billion
Website	https://www.templeton.org/

JOHN TEMPLETON FOUNDATION

The John Templeton Foundation supports interdisciplinary research and catalyzes conversations that inspire awe and wonder. We are working to create a world where people are curious about the wonders of the universe, free to pursue lives of meaning and purpose, and motivated by great and selfless love.

THE POSITION

The President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is tasked with executing the foundation’s mission and providing strategic leadership. Reporting directly to the Board of Trustees, the President manages a substantial annual budget of >$150 million, a professional staff of approximately 60 employees, an endowment totaling $3.5 billion, and annual grants amounting to >$130M. Collaborating closely with the Board, the President sets the organization’s strategic direction and oversees the implementation of its strategy across grantmaking, operations, and public engagement initiatives.

The President guides the organization in alignment with the principles of its visionary founder, Sir John Templeton, ensuring prudent fiscal management and governance consistent with the Foundation’s Charter and Bylaws, as well as regulatory requirements. Upholding rigorous ethical and fiduciary standards, the President oversees personnel management and grantmaking activities. Moreover, they cultivate an organizational culture marked by collaboration, mutual respect, and intellectual humility.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The President will assume full accountability, responsibility, and authority over the philanthropic, operational, and business affairs of the John Templeton Foundation (JTF), in strict accordance with the Strategic Plan and objectives approved by the Board. Central to JTF’s ethos is a leadership approach and organizational culture characterized by humility and a commitment to intellectual curiosity.

The President’s responsibilities include:

Strategic Vision

Collaborating with the Board and senior management to formulate and execute a long-term vision and strategy for the Foundation’s mission through grantmaking initiatives and a resilient operating model.
Translating Sir John’s philanthropic vision into a grantmaking strategy guiding the Foundation’s grantmaking and public engagement.
Setting annual goals and objectives that align with the Foundation’s strategic plan, in collaboration with senior leadership and team members.
Providing regular updates to the Board on the Foundation’s advancement toward its strategic vision and objectives.
Internal and External Leadership
Supervise, mentor, and empower a highly skilled team, providing strategic guidance and fostering professional growth.
Cultivate enthusiasm for the Foundation’s mission, vision, and objectives.
Advocate for the interests of diverse stakeholders, ensuring clear understanding of roles and responsibilities to enhance governance and operational effectiveness.
Collaborate closely with key partner organizations, Templeton World Charity Foundation and Templeton Religion Trust on initiatives like the Templeton Prize, Templeton Annual Meetings, and shared grant making priorities.
Serve as a representative of the Foundation within the philanthropic community, cultivating relationships, promoting awareness of the Foundation’s initiatives and identifying opportunities for collaboration.
Uphold Sir John Templeton’s philanthropic intent among internal stakeholders, including the JTF team and the Board.

Grant Making

Collaborate with the program team to develop grantmaking strategies, oversee proposal development, and provide regular reports to the Board.
Manage resource allocation through the grant payout model and annual budget process; Evaluate and decide on select proposals, change requests, and donation requests.
Establish procedures for monitoring and assessing the impact of the Foundation’s grants, initiatives, and public engagement efforts.

Financial Management

Partner with the Board and JTF team to develop and supervise endowment management and financial administration strategies and systems that are effective and aligned with the Foundation’s mission and values; Ensure robust implementation of these strategies and systems.

Compliance

Ensure compliance with legal frameworks, regulatory policies, and internal rules and policies of the Foundation.
Support the Board Chair and General Counsel in upholding governance standards.
Support the Five-Year Compliance Audit and the 10-year Risk Review Committee.
Support the work of the Board and the Board Chair.
Provide regular updates to the Board Chair on the President’s activities and the Foundation’s initiatives.

Support the work of the Board and the Board Chair

Provide regular updates to the Board Chair on the President’s activities and the Foundation’s initiatives.
Collaborate with the Board Chair to set agendas for Board and Executive Committee meetings, overseeing the preparation and distribution of materials.

THE CANDIDATE

The JTF Board of Trustees seeks an accomplished executive leader to uphold and expand upon the Founder’s legacy. This individual will provide strategic vision, and adept management to enhance the Foundation’s impact across its core research and grant areas. Embodying the organization’s values, the leader will inspire a culture characterized by collaboration, inclusivity, and innovation.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate outstanding business acumen, financial proficiency, and a profound interest in the fields of philosophy, religion, and science. They should possess extensive experience in guiding organizations of comparable scale, as well as experience reporting to a Board. The ideal candidate will bring exceptional stakeholder and relationship management skills and strong internal and external communications experience.

Key Skills and Qualifications

Leadership Experience: Demonstrated success in managing a purpose-driven business or organization of comparable scale and complexity.
Collaborative Disposition: Ability to effectively engage with stakeholders and team members, fostering an environment of humility and mutual respect.
Visionary Leadership: Proficiency in translating philanthropic vision into innovative grantmaking programs aligned with the Founder’s governing principles as outlined in the Charter and By-Laws.
Business and Financial Acumen: Strong orientation toward business management and financial literacy.
Decision-Making: Proven ability to make sound executive decisions and take accountability for outcomes.
Consultative Approach: Willingness to seek advice and additional expertise to meet job demands.
Execution and Results: Ability to drive execution, track results, and learn from successes and challenges.
Compliance and Donor Intent: Thorough understanding and commitment to compliance and maintaining donor intent.
Effective Communication: Inspiring, proactive and effective communicator.
Intellectual Curiosity: Humble, open-minded, and intellectually curious.

This blend of visionary leadership, strategic thinking, financial acumen and effective communication will enable the successful candidate to lead the foundation with excellence and integrity.

EDUCATION

A bachelor’s degree is required for this role. An advanced degree in a related field is strongly preferred (master’s degree or above in applicable discipline) or equivalent education and work experience.

COMPENSATION

The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate and available market information at the time of hire. A relocation package will also be provided if needed.

TO APPLY

Please send your cover letter and resume or candidate recommendations to: JTF_President@KornFerry.com

ABOUT KORN FERRY

Korn Ferry is a global organizational consulting firm. We work with our clients to design optimal organization structures, roles, and responsibilities. We help them hire the right people and advise them on how to reward and motivate their workforce while developing professionals as they navigate and advance their careers.

Visit kornferry.com for more information.