Chief Executive Officer

At CPI, we are committed to aligning our compensation framework with the principles of fairness, equity, and transparency. We benchmark salaries using national, country-specific data and aim to offer compensation between the 50th and 75th percentiles for all staff roles. Additionally, we maintain a 5-to-1 ratio between the most senior and junior staff, ensuring that our compensation structure remains equitable across the organization.

For the CEO role, a competitive salary will be offered in line with local benchmarking for the country where the CEO is based. As a reference, in our two largest offices, the salary range for a UK-based CEO is £170,000-200,000, and for a US-based CEO, the range is $275,000-310,000.

Beyond base salary, we take a holistic approach to compensation, offering a benefits package designed to support work-life balance. This includes a generous package and leave entitlement, comprehensive health care, and flexible working arrangements.

CPI’s CEO would preferably be based in the US (East Coast) or Western Europe, but we are open to discussing other locations in an exceptional circumstance. Travel will be an important part of the role, with consideration given to climate impact and effective use of time and resources. Travel will include visits to team meetings, attending key global forums, client meetings, and events that showcase CPI’s vision and inspire the re-imagination of government.

The closing date for applications is Friday, November 22nd, at 9am EST.

CPI is being supported by Macaulay Search. To apply, please email your application to ewen.mcalpine@macaulaysearch.com. Your application should include:

• A CV detailing relevant positions, responsibilities, and achievements.
• A cover letter (ideally no longer than two pages) outlining your motivation for applying and how your experience has prepared you for this role.

The interview process will offer ample opportunity to learn more about CPI. It will include conversations with outgoing Executive Director Adrian Brown, time with CPI team members, and both formal and informal discussions with CPI Board members. First-round interviews will be held online on December 2nd and 3rd, while second-round interviews are scheduled for December 16th, to be held in person in New York if possible. Remote participation can be arranged if needed, with subsequent in-person meetings as required. Thank you for considering this exciting role and for your interest in CPI’s mission.

Job Description:

Values - Shaping culture and people leadership

Model and steward our values: Lead with integrity, transparency, accountability, and humility.

Ensure that every decision and action reflects CPI’s core values.

Inspire a relational culture: Lead through authentic, people-centered leadership. Foster an environment of honest conversations, active listening, mutual support, and resilience. Show up with presence and patience, offering support when needed.

Champion a culture of inclusivity: Foster an environment where everyone feels they belong by embedding inclusivity and equitable practices. Ensure power is shared, and all team members are valued and empowered to contribute their unique strengths.

Nurture a learning culture: Promote continuous learning and reflection. Encourage experimentation, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and challenge assumptions to strengthen the organization.

Vision - Re-imagining government through thought-leadership

Inspire big conversations and tell powerful stories: The CEO will reflect, imagine, and communicate boundary-pushing thought leadership that challenges teams and engages public and social sector leaders. By sharing the ideas, insights, and inspirations that emerge from CPI’s work through blogs, podcasts, conferences, and public speaking, the CEO will inspire external audiences and catalyze bold conversations. Through storytelling, the CEO will amplify CPI’s vision, challenging others to achieve greater impact and contributing to a global movement reimagining government across sectors and geographies.

Support public service innovation and impact: Ensure CPI is designing creative programs with our partners that help civil servants excel as stewards of public resources ..

Advocate for better governance: Promote policy and governance reforms that prioritise empathy, inclusivity, and trust, positioning CPI as a global thought leader in reimagining the role of government in society.

Convene thought leaders: Recognising government reform is hard work and hugely complex, the CEO can leverage CPI networks to create meaningful spaces for shared learning and coproduced thought leadership.

Strategy - Positioning CPI, prioritising our focus areas, sequencing our organizational development

Cultivate our strategy: Building on existing strengths, develop a long-term strategy for the organization that delivers on its mission and for its partners, while harnessing the full range of capabilities within the team. CPI has a regionally federated structure, with authority appropriately devolved to trusted leaders across the organization. The CEO will play a critical role in uniting these efforts by identifying CPI’s core strengths and focus areas and clearly articulating strategic priorities for both the short and long term. At the same time, the CEO must ensure that CPI remains agile and responsive to emerging opportunities for growth and impact.

Communicate CPI’s identity: Clarify and strengthen CPI’s identity. Ensure that our work, though complex, is communicated boldly and clearly to raise our profile. Our recent re-brand is part of this, but our next CEO will help craft a bolder, sharper presentation of who we are and how we serve.

Global perspective and leadership: Continue to build a truly global organization, with a presence across multiple regions. While much of our team, work, and revenue are currently concentrated in the United States, we are committed to maintaining and expanding our international presence.

The next CEO must have a global outlook, be comfortable working across different cultures, and actively support CPI’s vision of remaining a diverse and internationally balanced organization. It will be crucial for the CEO to lead efforts to rebalance our organizational focus, ensuring that we continue to strengthen CPI’s work across the world.

Strengthen our operational core: Build a cohesive and high-functioning foundation across Finance, People & Culture, and Communications. The next CEO will ensure that CPI remains adaptive and entrepreneurial while developing the robust infrastructure needed for sustainable growth. This includes strengthening key operational systems to support CPI’s long-term success without compromising its innovative spirit. The CEO will maintain a strong overview of the financial health and funding forecast for CPI.

Partner with the Board: Maintain a strong, collaborative relationship with CPI’s Board of Directors, including regular updates on progress and co-creating strategies for future growth. Support the identification and onboarding of new Board members who bring diverse perspectives and are committed to CPI’s mission and values.

Partnerships - Expanding and deepening our collaboration

Steward our partnership with BCG: With our branding recently shifting from “a BCG Foundation” to “founded by BCG,” we have a unique opportunity to further maximize the benefits of our heritage and deepen our partnership with BCG. As valued learning partners and collaborators, BCG has been a steadfast supporter and proud champion of CPI. While CPI operates independently, this exceptional partnership allows us to both benefit from and contribute to BCG’s expertise, creating mutual value and enhancing our collective impact. Foster our strategic relationships: Strengthen and deepen relationships with governments, foundations, corporates, and changemakers. Use these collaborations to extend CPI’s impact and mutual learning.

Network and build partnerships: Act as an ambassador for CPI, catalyzing new partnerships and co-designing innovative solutions.

Fundraise: Although we primarily operate under a contract-based business model, our recent rebranding presents a unique opportunity to expand our ambitions and elevate our funding strategy. The next CEO will have the chance to attract larger and more innovative funding partners who share our vision and ambition, enabling us to secure core funding that strengthens CPI’s long-term impact and reach.