Building Our Future Together

December 2, 2024

by Christina P. Orsi, President

At the John R. Oishei Foundation, we believe that our greatest strength lies in the people we work with—our team, our partners, and the communities we serve. As we continue to evolve and align with our mission to advance a racially just and thriving Buffalo-Niagara region, we are excited to announce two new leadership positions: Head of People & Culture and Head of Community Impact.

These roles reflect our commitment to organizational transformation and our dedication to centering community voice and racial equity in everything we do. 

About the New Positions

Head of People & Culture 

This role will lead efforts to center racial equity within our internal operations, ensuring our organizational culture reflects our mission and values. The People & Culture Leader will drive initiatives that center racial equity in our practices and culture including through talent acquisition, professional development, and organizational wellbeing, fostering a workplace where every team member thrives. This individual will also play a pivotal role in aligning our internal practices with our external racial equity work. Find the full description at this link. 

Head of Community Impact 

As a key link between the Foundation and the communities we serve, this role will guide our efforts to incorporate community perspectives into our initiatives. The Community Impact Leader will lead strategies to build financial prosperity by addressing root causes of racial inequity and collaborate with partners to design programs and investments that reflect the needs and aspirations of the community. Find the full description at this link.

The Search Process

To ensure a thoughtful and equitable search, we’ve partnered with Koya Partners, a nationally recognized search firm dedicated to mission-driven organizations. Over the next several months, Koya will lead a comprehensive process involving stakeholder engagement, candidate recruitment, and a selection process that emphasizes transparency and inclusivity.

To guide this important effort, we’ve assembled a Search Committee comprised of leaders from our team and the community:

Kimberly Brown: Oishei Fellow-Cohort 3; Executive Director, Community Access Services  
Samuel Hill: Oishei Fellow-Cohort 5; Chief Strategy Officer, Heritage Ministries  
Glenn Jackson: Chair of the Board of Directors, Oishei Foundation, and Chief Diversity Officer, M&T Bank  
Christina Orsi: President, John R. Oishei Foundation  
Rene Petties-Jones: Oishei Fellow-Cohort 3; President, NFJC of WNY, Inc.  
Chandra Redfern: Board of Directors, Oishei Foundation, and CEO, Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers, Inc.  

We are grateful for their guidance and perspectives as we embark on this journey.

Our goal is to conduct a thorough search process, ensuring that candidates and our team can gain a robust understanding of each other. To that end, candidates can expect the following steps in the interview process:

• Candidates express interest: Each Position Profile  (linked above) includes a link to complete a ‘Talent Profile’ and express interest via the Koya site, as well as an email address to reach out to the Koya team.
• Initial Screening: Koya Partners will review all expressions of interest. For those who look to be a potential fit with the role, the process will include:
  • Introductory phone call with Koya Partners to learn more about you and your background and a deeper discussion about the Foundation and the role. 
  • Zoom interview with Koya to confirm interest and alignment. Following this meeting, specific candidate materials may be requested.
• First Round Interviews: Selected candidates will participate in virtual interviews (45 - 60 minutes) via Zoom with members of the Search Committee. It is anticipated that each position will have approximately 5–6 candidates at this phase.
• Second Round Interviews: Finalists—typically three for each role—will engage in more in-depth interviews, which may be conducted either virtually or in person. These interviews will focus on role-specific scenarios and deeper discussions about their approach to leadership and collaboration.  
• Final Selection:The Search Committee, with input from Koya Partners, will conduct reference checks and deliberate to provide recommendations on candidate selection to the hiring manager, Christina Orsi, President, Oishei Foundation.
  • Background and other checks will follow before offers are extended.  

Join Our Team

If you’re passionate about advancing racial equity and building a stronger, more just community, we encourage you to explore these opportunities. We understand that no candidate will have every qualification listed, and we deeply value lived experience as part of what makes a strong team. If you feel aligned with our mission and believe you can contribute meaningfully, even if you don’t have every attribute included in the position descriptions, we encourage you to apply.

Interested candidates are invited to reach out directly to the Koya Partners team:  

Head of People & Culture:  oisheifoundation_peopleandculture@koyapartners.com

Head of Community Impact: oisheifoundation_communityimpact@koyapartners.com

We look forward to connecting with candidates who share our vision for a thriving, equitable Buffalo-Niagara region.