Chief Strategy Officer

Asia Community Foundation (ACF) is the first Asia-wide platform for collaborative and strategic giving. We enable donors to give effectively across Asia through donor-advised funds (DAFs), collaborative and impact funds, and other philanthropic vehicles, supported by strong grantmaking, governance and operational infrastructure.

ACF is entering its next phase of institutional and regional development. Building on the foundations already established, including Shared Impact Philanthropy (ShIP), we are seeking a senior strategic leader to help shape ACF’s longer-term direction, strengthen its institutional capabilities and deepen its contribution to Asia’s philanthropic ecosystem.

The Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) will work closely with the Chief Executive Officer and senior leadership team to shape and advance ACF's institutional strategy and long-term development. The role brings together strategic planning, regional and ecosystem development, institutional partnerships and organisational capability-building, helping translate ACF's ambitions into focused priorities and lasting institutional outcomes.

This is a three-year fixed-term appointment, reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and serving as a member of ACF’s senior leadership team. The mandate and priorities will be agreed with the CEO, reviewed periodically and developed in line with ACF’s strategy and governance.

Key Responsibilities

1. Lead Strategic Planning and Institutional Development

• Work with the CEO and senior leadership team to refine and advance ACF’s institutional strategy and regional proposition, identifying a focused set of priorities for the next phase of growth.
• Build on ACF’s ongoing organisational development and restructuring, identifying emerging priorities and opportunities to strengthen institutional capabilities and leadership capacity.
• Lead the development of a focused strategic roadmap, working with the leadership team to establish priorities, align resources and define clear measures of progress.
• Support the evolution of ACF and ShIP as sustainable, credible platforms capable of serving a growing and more complex philanthropic portfolio.

2. Develop ACF’s Regional and Ecosystem Contribution

• Help shape ACF’s role as a connector, convenor and source of knowledge across Asia’s philanthropic ecosystem, strengthening collaboration among donors, foundations, practitioners and social impact partners.
• Help shape ACF's wider ecosystem and knowledge agenda, working with Partnerships & Engagement and its Knowledge & Insights team to advance research, shared learning, knowledge exchange and convening that respond to regional needs.
• Explore strategic synergies and opportunities for closer collaboration with Asia Philanthropy Circle (APC), respecting the distinct roles, identities and governance of each organisation.
• Assess and develop regional opportunities, including the proposed Asia Capacity Building Hub, partnerships across Asia and potential engagement in China, subject to agreed strategic priorities and resources.

3. Advance Strategic Partnerships and Shared Impact Platform Growth

• Bring deep experience and established relationships across the global philanthropic community to strengthen ACF's engagement with international foundations and institutional funders, working closely with Partnerships & Engagement to cultivate strategic institutional relationships and opportunities that advance ACF's mission and ShIP's development.
• Work with the CEO and the leaders of Partnerships & Engagement and Philanthropy Solutions to assess and shape major institutional opportunities for ShIP, including multi-country hosting, regranting and other shared philanthropic infrastructure partnerships.
• Lead senior-level engagement and cultivate relationships with global funders, working closely with the Philanthropy Solutions team to shape opportunities and develop proposals that draw on ACF’s capabilities and strategic priorities.
• Work closely with the leadership of Philanthropy Solutions to support ShIP's sustainable growth, combining strategic relationship development with the team's expertise in solution design, implementation and delivery.

4. Strengthen Strategic Capabilities and Organisational Alignment

• Work with functional leaders to identify and develop priority institutional capabilities, including monitoring, evaluation and learning, knowledge management and organisational development.
• Help align and advance major cross-functional strategic initiatives, working with the CEO and leadership team to resolve strategic priorities, dependencies and decisions that require senior-level coordination.
• Work with the Director, Operational Resilience and Effectiveness and other functional leaders to ensure ACF's operating capabilities and infrastructure support its strategic priorities and evolving institutional needs.
• Help embed new capabilities through clear accountability, appropriate resources and sustainable ownership within ACF.

5. Develop Leadership Capacity and Institutional Continuity

• Support the CEO and leadership team in strengthening leadership capacity, delegated ownership and strategic decision-making as ACF grows.
• Foster collaboration, clear accountabilities and shared leadership across ACF, strengthening the effectiveness of the senior leadership team.
• Support the CEO and relevant governance bodies in strengthening leadership continuity, succession planning and ACF's long-term institutional sustainability.
• Ensure that initiatives and capabilities established during the three-year mandate can be sustained beyond the appointment.

Three-Year Mandate and Outcomes

• Year 1: Align and mobilise: Work with the CEO and leadership team to establish a focused three-year strategic agenda, agree priorities and measures of success, and initiate selected regional, partnership and institutional development opportunities.
• Year 2: Develop and scale: Advance priority regional and ecosystem initiatives, broaden relationships with global institutional funders, support growth opportunities for ShIP and strengthen institutional capabilities, with ownership embedded in existing teams.
• Year 3: Consolidate and sustain: Demonstrate progress against agreed outcomes, embed capabilities and partnerships, and establish a clear plan for continued leadership and institutional ownership beyond the appointment.

Experience and Skills

• Extensive senior leadership experience in institutional strategy, organisational development, philanthropy, social impact, international development or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to help shape and deliver institution-wide strategic change in complex, growing or multi-stakeholder organisations.
• Deep understanding of Asia’s philanthropic and social impact landscape, with established regional relationships and credibility among senior institutional partners.
• Credibility and established relationships with global philanthropic funders, and experience developing major strategic partnerships, networks or ecosystem initiatives across organisational and geographic boundaries.
• Ability to combine strategic thinking with pragmatic implementation, sound judgement and disciplined prioritisation.
• Strong collaborative leadership style, able to influence across functions and work alongside experienced leaders without relying solely on formal authority.
• Experience developing institutional capabilities, senior leaders and sustainable operating arrangements.
• Excellent communication, diplomacy and relationship management skills; high integrity and commitment to ACF’s mission.

ACF is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and are an equal opportunity employer, selecting on merit regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, religion, disability, or any other characteristic unrelated to the ro le.