Private foundation CEOs, in partnership with their boards, have a pivotal role in the fiscal and program success of their foundation’s goals.  At the same time, foundation CEOs help to shape public issues, inform the public debate and convene community leaders on matters of public concern.  The Council on Foundation’s Advisory Committee for Executive Programs (ACEP), a committee of current and former foundation chief executives, recognized the need to better define the private foundation chief officer job functions and role.  In 2004, the committee called upon their colleagues in a job analysis research effort to develop the Competencies for Private Foundation Chief Officers. 

The competencies consist of the key skills and knowledge that private foundation CEOs need to perform the job functions well.  A skill is the personal capacity or capability to do something, such as speak in public or think strategically.  Knowledge is defined as the information and understanding one needs to be effective, such as the principal laws governing foundations.  Currently the private foundation CEO job competencies do not address additional family-foundation communications job functions related demands of family foundations. 

The CEO Job Functions and Competencies are a useful resource for practitioners, boards and academies. The competencies:

• Help private foundation CEOs self-assess or arrange for an external or 360-degree feedback assessment of their own performance (vis a vis the functions).
• Assist boards in assessing their CEO’s performance (vis a vis the functions)
• Help private foundation CEOs identify the knowledge and skills they need to perform in order to develop and strengthen their performance overall or on any given function (by reviewing the competencies).
• Inform providers of foundation executive education offer effective programs and clearly communicate program content and benefits (by basing them on the competencies).
• Help foundation boards and senior executives define the job of CEO and create CEO job descriptions.
• Help executive recruiters define the ideal candidate.

The unique mission of each foundation will influence how the job functions and competencies are applied. Adjust the competencies to the context of your foundation.