Senior Associate

KONU’s mission is to develop change agents for systemic challenges in organizations, communities, and whole societies. We offer experiential and customized leadership and organizational development programs, including workshops (in person and virtual), coaching (for individuals and teams), and advising.  

Our core values are:  

• Embracing Complexity: We strive for deep and nuanced meaning-making as we encounter multiple perspectives, paradoxes, and polarities. 

• Cultivating Community: We actively engage with fundamental elements and supportive tools that foster a nurturing community of growth and wisdom. 

• Dancing at the Frontier: We embrace our own growth, joyfully venturing into unknown territory while also standing as an invitation for our colleagues and clients to do the same. 

We do our work with courage, curiosity, and compassion. We value both our people and our clients in their whole existence with their stories, complexities, and paradoxes and strive for a diverse, inclusive, and joyful workplace. Therefore, our team is committed to dedicating time and resources to support your personal and professional development, particularly towards pursuing a career in our sector. 

Our work started in 2014 and builds from leading frameworks from Harvard University, particularly Adaptive Leadership, Adult Development, and Immunity to Change.

KONU’s clients include the UN, the World Bank, the Obama Foundation, a fortune 500 hospitality group, one of the top four tech companies, the Broad Institute, the National Park Service, the MBTA, Fairtrade International, and several Jewish non-profits and foundations. 

We currently are a team of 10 employees and more than ten affiliates.  

Learn more at www.konu.org 

KONU is looking for full-time Senior Associates to join our teams based in Philadelphia or Washington, D.C., serving a range of domestic and international clients. We prefer candidates who are able to work on-site, but we are open to remote-work options if the candidate is able to work within the business hours of the assigned office.  

As a Senior Associate, you will join the team with sufficient background in individual and team development work to assume increasing responsibility for owning and delivering client projects. You will work with Engagement Managers and/or Associate Partners to manage client projects, including program design, timeline, and budget. As part of a project team, you will play an active role as consultant and facilitator, by taking the lead in client meetings, coaching engagements, and workshop facilitation. You will be the core contact for smaller client projects and a significant contributor to larger engagements. You will also support Partners in designing, writing, and budgeting proposals for new engagements. 

The position offers a salary of $78,000–$95,000, depending on experience, along with 24 days of paid time off and 7 paid holidays. Benefits include health insurance with 75% of premiums covered for employees and 50% for dependents, a 3% 401(k) match, and $50,000 in life insurance coverage, as well as short-term and long-term disability coverage. We also provide a $5,000 annual professional development budget, 12 weeks of paid parental leave, and the flexibility to work in a hybrid, remote, or on-site capacity. 

About you 

You have a strong belief in people’s development, and you are equally committed to your own development. You are drawn to complex systemic issues that manifest in groups, and you work well with ambiguity. You know how to form connections and productive collaborations on project teams that cross boundaries of identity, institution, or authority position. You have an affinity for reading group dynamics in the here and now. You know how to navigate and learn from discomfort and are open to public learning. You are committed to fostering cultures, teams, and experiences that are anchored in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. You bring enthusiasm and creativity to your team. You take initiative and don’t hesitate to be edgy in your interventions. 

If you are energized by developing leaders who can navigate complexity and create lasting change, we would love to meet you. 

Your experiences and competencies 

• The Coaching Stance: competencies, and possibly coaching experience, that are in line with the standards of the International Coaching Federation. A coaching certification is a plus. 

• Facilitating Development: two years of experience designing and facilitating individual and team development workshops, gatherings, etc. Able to hold and facilitate groups in a manner that supports them to make progress on their purpose and objectives and deliver desired outcomes and ROI. Brings a systems perspective, recognizing patterns, interdependencies, and root causes when diagnosing client challenges. 

• Focus on the Client: an eagerness to understand clients and their experience and the ability to build trust and collaborative relationships. Experience working with public sector, international development, or mission-driven organizations is a plus. 

• Project Ownership: the ability to mobilize people and resources both internally and on our client’s side to see projects succeed. Demonstrated experience working steadily to achieve goals, remain focused, meet deadlines in a timely way, and make any course corrections. 

• Passion for Learning: curiosity for how individuals, teams, and organizations learn and develop. Seeks learning activities, seeks feedback, takes risks in learning, and learns from mistakes.  

• Leadership and Development Knowledge: familiarity with Leadership and Organizational Development frameworks. Willingness to learn about and apply core frameworks and theory used at KONU such as Adaptive Leadership, Immunity to Change, and Adult Developmental Theory. 

• Effective Collaborator: proactively communicates and informs others of what they need and what they need to know, capably articulates thoughts and ideas in speaking and writing, listens carefully to others, possesses persuasive presentation skills. Treats others with respect and dignity. 

• Self-Management and Resilience: Maintains focus, composure, and effectiveness under pressure, balancing multiple priorities while sustaining personal well-being. 

• AI Literacy: Uses AI tools to both improve efficiency and quality of work as well as innovate and transform our practice — while applying AI ethically. 

Qualifications & Experience 

Required 

• 2+ years designing and facilitating individual and/or team development programs 

• Strong communication skills in English (verbal and written) 

• University degree in a related field (e.g., Business or Public Administration, Psychology, Education, Organizational Learning or Social Sciences -- or beyond, if applicable to our work) 

• Ability and willingness to travel, including internationally 

• Unlimited work authorization in the United States 

Preferred 

• Coaching experience; ICF certification a plus 

• Experience with mission-driven, public sector, or international development organizations 

• Business proficiency in French or Spanish 

• Familiarity with frameworks such as Adaptive Leadership, Adult Development, or Immunity to Change 

The Application Process 

Written Part 

Please submit a cover letter and resume together as one PDF. In your cover letter, please answer: 

• Why is this opportunity of interest to you? 

• What experiences and skills make you a strong candidate for this position? Please be specific. 

Video Component 

Please record a short video (no more than 3 minutes, phone or laptop camera is fine) answering the following question: 

• Share a developmental experience from your own background. Which past belief or assumption did you question recently? What inspired this mindset shift? What emotions came up during the process, and what has become possible for you as a result? 

We’re not looking for perfect production quality — just your authentic self, speaking directly to the camera. 

How to Submit

Please fill out your application by clicking "I'm Interested"

In the Resume section (below the Your Profiles section), please upload your resume and cover letter as one combined PDF. If you have included your experience and education in your resume, please skip those sections of the application; we will simply review them in your resume. There will be a section for you to enter a link to the video component of your application. 

Should you have any questions, please reach out to Ashley Hartsock (ashley.hartsock [at] konu.org).

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organization that inspires individuals of all backgrounds – across nationalities, races, ethnicity, religions, political views, economic backgrounds, sexual orientations, physical disabilities, languages, ages, genders, and prior experiences – to bring their full selves to work. 

We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply, and we are actively committed to building a pool of prospective candidates that mirror the diversity and identities of our wider social and cultural contexts.  

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with priority given to those received by August 29th.