Vice President, Corporate Giving & Employee Volunteerism; President MetLife Foundation

The Organization:

MetLife, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, is one of the world’s leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to help its individual and institutional customers navigate their changing world.

Founded in 1868, MetLife has operations in more than 40 countries and holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.   The company is ranked #48 on the 2020 Fortune 500 list and is one of the largest institutional investors in the U.S. with $651 billion of total assets under management as of September 30, 2020.  In 2020, MetLife was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the fifth year in a row.    

MetLife is committed to building a purpose-driven and inclusive culture where our employees work every day to help build a more confident future for people around the world. 

The MetLife Foundation:

The MetLife Foundation is committed to expanding opportunities for low- and moderate-income people around the world, having contributed more than $860 million to build stronger communities since its founding in 1976.

The Foundation partners with nonprofit organizations and social enterprises to create financial health solutions and build stronger communities, while engaging MetLife employee volunteers to help drive impact. Its financial health work has reached more than 13.4 million low- and moderate-income individuals in 42 countries.  Key focus areas are:

• COVID-19 Global Response:Amid a global pandemic, we responded by making coronavirus relief an immediate focus area, donating funds, and matching MetLife employee contributions. 

• Financial Health:We help people manage household budgets, recover from the unexpected, build short-term savings and stability, and plan for the future. We use research insights and behavioral science to create and deliver safe, affordable, and convenient financial services through new technologies, innovation, and on the ground with partners around the world. 

• Stronger Communities: Giving back to the places where MetLife operates fosters strong connections between MetLife and communities. We positively affect communities around the world through grants for health, arts and culture, disaster relief, community development, youth and education, diversity and inclusion, and veterans. 

• Employee Engagement & Volunteerism:MetLife employees play an important role by acting as mentors to fintech companies and pro bono consultants to our grantees, and helping families build their greatest asset — their home.

The Role:

Reports to:                   EVP Corporate Affairs

Key Stakeholders:        Global Sustainability, Corporate Communications, Human Resources, Global Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, Global Brand & Marketing, Impact Investing, Government Relations, Global Relationship Management, Corporate Strategy, Business Leaders, MetLife employees

Location:                            New York, NY

Position Summary:

The Vice President, Corporate Giving & Employee Volunteerism; President MetLife Foundation, will be responsible for establishing and implementing MetLife’s global corporate giving and employee volunteering strategies, as well as leading the MetLife Foundation team.  Guided by our Purpose, “always with you, building a more confident future,” this leader will oversee the distribution of grants and charitable contributions, as well as implement programs and initiatives that advance MetLife’s corporate citizenship efforts.  

They will work across the enterprise to tap into our employees’ drive to make a difference, facilitating as well as creating space for employee-led   volunteering to help our communities build stronger starts, thrive through work, and age with optimism.   The successful candidate will be adept at both sustaining long term programs to support ongoing needs as well as finding impactful ways to responding to unexpected events or new circumstances. 

In today’s constantly changing environment, we have an opportunity to challenge ourselves to think boldly about how to deliver greater social impact to our communities in ways that enable our employees and build on our core business strengths and commitments.    This leader will blend energy and passion with strong business acumen and the ability to make connections across a diverse global portfolio of businesses to identify common themes for a consistent approach and structured delivery.   With a track record of strategically leveraging industry, community, nonprofit, and other partnerships, they will help MetLife advocate for and achieve measurable change in key focus areas.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a global corporate giving and employee volunteerism strategy that reflects and promotes MetLife’s core values and priorities to support our employees, customers, and communities in building a more confident future

• Lead and inspire a team to engage the talent, skills, and time of employees in innovative and impactful ways

• Imagine, develop and oversee programs and initiatives that deepen and sustain existing efforts as well as introduce innovative approaches to corporate giving and employee engagement through volunteering

• Develop and execute a grantmaking strategy across key focus areas such as financial health and inclusive economic growth to drive scalable and sustainable solutions

• Manage the grantmaking process, including due diligence, proposal review, grantee reports, financial analysis, and site visits where appropriate

• Develop mutually beneficial partnerships and grant recommendations that align with MetLife’s Foundation and corporate giving goals in geographies we serve

• Communicate regularly with leadership across multiple business units and geographies to ensure business alignment and engagement in Foundation programs and initiatives

• Manage partner and grantee relationships, engaging regularly on performance metrics and ensuring commitments are being met on both sides; provide technical assistance to grantees or recommend helpful resources where needed

• Measure corporate giving outcomes; evaluate the impact of current grants and programs and develop an innovative long-term grantmaking strategy and pipeline

• Review the Foundation and other corporate giving portfolio on an annual basis; collect and evaluate results on long-term, short-term, global, regional, and thematic levels

• Develop a marketing and communications strategy that tells a compelling brand story and brings visibility to corporate giving efforts, highlighting impact and connecting Foundation strategy to organizational values and business goals

• Represent the Foundation internally and externally

• Remain current on trends and partnerships related to strategic focus areas as a funder

Candidate Profile:

• 10+ years of relevant experience leading impactful, innovative corporate giving initiatives, programs and partnerships

• Direct experience with employee volunteering programs and initiatives

• Understanding of the grant-making process

• Values alignment with MetLife’s Purpose and passion for making a difference in the communities we serve

• An innovative and strategic thinker with initiative to develop and implement new ideas, projects, or process improvements

• Strong business-orientation; able to focus on key business priorities and deliverables, balancing short-term needs with long-term strategic objectives

• Leadership credibility and ability to influence decision-making; strong interpersonal skills, adept at developing and managing productive relationships at all levels, establishing trust, and providing counsel in a thoughtful, sensitive, and timely manner

• Highly collaborative and inclusive leader with demonstrated ability to lead and develop teams and projects

• Strong organizational and project management skills; successful track record developing and executing enterprise-wide strategic plans

• Excellent listening, oral and written communications skills, able to tailor messages to external and internal audiences that range from staff to leadership to Board

• Ability to represent the organization with professionalism and authenticity, demonstrate thought leadership, and encourage diversity of ideas and perspectives

MetLife Success Principles:

• Experiment with Confidence – Courageously learn and test new ideas without fear of failure

• Act with Urgency – Demonstrate speed to action with agility and determination

• Seek Diverse Perspectives – Source ideas and feedback to expand thinking and make informed decisions

• Seize Opportunity – Drive responsible growth and identify areas for continuous improvement

• Champion Inclusion – Foster an environment where everyone is valued, heard, and can speak up

• Create Alignment – Partner with others across the organization with candor and transparency

• Take Responsibility – Be accountable and act in pursuit of the right outcomes

• Enable Solutions – Anticipate and address obstacles while managing risk

• Deliver What Matters – Execute meaningful priorities and follow through on commitments

Education:

• Undergraduate degree required, MBA or other advanced degree preferred