President & Chief Executive Officer Full Time

Following the announcement of Susan Jacques’ retirement after over a decade of tremendous leadership, Gemological Institute of America, Inc. (GIA) seeks a visionary, dynamic, and proven leader as its next President & Chief Executive Officer.

Gemological Institute of America, Inc. is the world’s leading authority on diamonds, colored stones, and pearls whose mission is to protect consumers and ensure the public trust in gems and jewelry by upholding the highest standards of integrity, academics, science and professionalism in its education, research, laboratory services, and instrument development. A public benefit, nonprofit Institute, GIA is the trusted, global leader of the gem and jewelry industry with a passion to ensure consumer confidence and inspire a world of trust in gems through discovery, innovation, and knowledge. GIA strives to be an indispensable resource of gem knowledge, whose independent, unbiased accuracy creates, promotes, and ensures trust.

This is truly a unique opportunity for an innovative executive to lead and further transform GIA as it evolves into the future. Through strategy, operational excellence, and vibrancy, the next CEO will lead a high- performing team to continue to deliver the innovations and quality service that have long made GIA an iconic brand in and of itself, a crucial member of the gem and jewelry industries, and a trusted resource for consumers globally.

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
GIA was founded in 1931 by former retail jeweler Robert M. Shipley and his wife, Beatrice, who recognized the need for a comprehensive approach for understanding and evaluating gemstones and cashed in their savings to establish GIA. GIA was developed as a place for gemological study and research and as an educational resource that organized and shared gem knowledge with the industry and the public. In the 1950s, GIA created the international standard for describing diamond quality: the 4Cs (Color, Cut, Clarity and Carat Weight) and the GIA International Diamond Grading System™, which is now recognized by the global diamond industry as the standard and language to describe diamonds. Today, GIA and its subsidiaries operate research centers, schools and gem identification and grading laboratories in major gem and jewelry centers around the world.

GIA is headquartered in Carlsbad, California and operates in 11 countries, with 3,400 employees in its eleven grading laboratories, seven schools, five research laboratories and support teams.

GIA has earned a stellar reputation through its commitment to excellence and important consumer protection mission. Over its 93-year history, GIA has educated over 260,000 jewelry professionals worldwide and graded some of the world’s most famous diamonds, including the Hope Diamond in the Smithsonian Institution.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
GIA’s priority is to serve its mission – to ensure the public trust in gems and jewelry by upholding the highest standards of integrity, academics, science and professionalism through education, research, laboratory services and instrument development. It is imperative to preserve and increase global access to GIA’s programs, education, products, and services in support of its important mission to protect consumers which also benefits the gem and jewelry industry globally.

The President & CEO will ensure GIA achieves this mission by demonstrating a strategic, visionary mindset and record of accomplishment of innovation and transformation necessary for effectively leading change in a complex global organization, ensuring the continued success and sustainability of GIA.

The President & CEO is responsible for leading the development of GIA’s short- and long-term strategies, managing risk, implementing operating plans and initiatives, providing fiscal leadership, and directing all functional organizations toward their achievement. Other specific accountabilities and responsibilities include:

Strategy:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the industry and global trade environment and the implications for GIA’s future strategy, including economic, geopolitical, legal, regulatory, technological, global market, and cultural aspects.
• Ensure that GIA continues to differentiate and distinguish its offerings, including increasing consumer awareness and customer centricity, while maintaining and building upon its already well- established brand of trust and strength in the gem and jewelry trade.
• Drive innovation in current and new programs, products, services, and operations to ensure the organization is at the forefront of industry developments.
• Advance the state of gemological research, innovate, and ensure continued technology development.
• Establish broad global organizational structure to support execution of GIA’s mission and maintain effective delivery of GIA’s services.

Industry Impact:

• Provide the highest value and level of support to the gem and jewelry industry.
• Identify opportunities to continue to protect the public trust through GIA’s educational activities, research efforts, laboratory services and specialized instrument development and revenue diversification.
• Represent GIA globally to the gem and jewelry industry, major clients, government agencies, and the consuming public throughout the world.
• Effectively build formal and informal relationship networks outside GIA to enhance and drive GIA’s mission forward through collaboration, exchanging of ideas, resources, experience, and expertise that amplify GIA’s impact globally.
• Influence discussions, trends, and decisions at the industry level given GIA’s stellar reputation, trust, and long-standing proven expertise and credibility.
• Support the development and implementation of initiatives that address industry challenges and create new opportunities for growth and impact.
• Enhance the leadership position of GIA as the world’s most trusted gemological authority, foremost gemological research organization, and leading gemological educator in its various areas of activity, and to lessen the burdens of government, thus ensuring fulfilment of its nonprofit mandate.

Reputation:

• Protect and preserve the reputation of GIA through everything they do.
• Ensure GIA maintains the highest level of ethical standards and integrity in all aspects of operations.

Institutional Leadership:

• Develop primary goals, operating plans, policies, and short and long-range strategies to advance the mission of GIA.

Operations:

• Preserve and build upon GIA’s leadership in laboratory grading, gem identification, and support services for diamonds, colored stones, and pearls.
• Provide direction for enhanced service opportunities with GIA Instruments as a gemological instrument and equipment manufacturer and distributor.
• Lead GIA toward objectives. Meet with and advise other executives and review results of business operations. Ensure organizational, operational, and financial objectives are met and holds teams accountable to KPI’s.
• Ensure robust risk management and compliance frameworks to evaluate risk for opportunities and ensure legal and regulatory adherence across all jurisdictions.
• Assess the organization’s infrastructure and operations globally to ensure alignment with future strategies and objectives.

Financial:

• Enhance GIA’s ability to acquire the financial strength needed for supporting expanded mission- oriented activities.
• Use financial and operational data to build sound business cases for new initiatives or to change existing business processes.

People & Culture:

• Serve as a guardian of GIA’s Mission, Values, and culture and help others navigate and sustain GIA’s culture. Make informed and ethical decisions, even in the face of obstacles and uncertainty, that are in the best interest of GIA.
• Ensure effective use of resources for the organization as a whole and prioritizes enterprise needs over individual or team objectives.
• Create pipelines of talent at all levels from both internal and external pools that enhance industry or domain expertise for GIA.
• Serve as a mentor or sponsor/advocate for talent within GIA and in the industry.
• Create an environment where diverse people have equal opportunities to contribute and grow.
• Inspire followership. Sets a vision that others are excited to pursue.
• Create an environment that encourages others to be comfortable in taking risks and innovating.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS
The next President & CEO will be an accomplished, visionary leader who will guide GIA’s future growth, relevancy, and impact. The individual selected will passionately advocate for GIA and the industry before diverse audiences globally. The successful candidate will have a solid record of reliable delivery and general management experience, either as a President & CEO or with a proven record of successfully leading several functions. The ideal candidate is an executive-level leader, with professional experience and competencies to lead an innovative, global organization in the gem and jewelry industry. Most importantly, the President & CEO will have a demonstrated record of accomplishment for leveraging various stakeholders to forge a robust vision for an organization in a dynamic, disruptive environment and leading organizational transformation to achieve desired outcomes.

The ideal candidate will possess the following background, experience, and skills:

• 10+ years’ experience with at least 5 years of proven performance as the CEO or other Executive Officer for a global organization with strategic and P&L responsibility.
• Strong understanding and knowledge of the gem and jewelry industry, preferably with broad expertise and experience with qualifications.
• Impeccable reputation for ethical behavior and integrity.
• Board relations and governance experience are highly desirable.
• A confident, measured, data-driven, yet agile decision-maker who operates with appropriate speed and conviction while navigating ambiguity.
• Understands business on a global scale, including global differences in customers; knows how capital flows operate internationally; understands that different laws and regulations govern business; respects global cultures.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate and lead change through disruptions and challenges.
• Demonstrates a strong leadership presence with diplomatic communication skills for industry and client relations. Passionate, tactful, balanced, results-driven management and leadership style.
• An innovative strategic thinker who can anticipate trends that impact the industry and GIA.
• Credibility to influence strategy and policy such that they are considered a leading light in the industry.
• Global experience and a proven ability to quickly understand market or geographical nuances. Multi-cultural savvy and diplomacy.
• A charismatic leader who galvanizes a global team, develops top table talent, is culturally and politically astute, demonstrates a high degree of emotional intelligence, and ensures a high- performing leadership team is aligned to succeed together.
• A strong relationship builder who is personally accessible and a strong listener and communicator.
• An inspiring leader who galvanizes their team, develops top talent, is culturally and politically astute, demonstrates a high degree of emotional intelligence, and ensures a high-performing leadership team is aligned to succeed together.
• An ability to coach and build competencies in others to ensure capability development across the leadership team and in potential successors.
• Proven record of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of leadership.
• A mindset and focus that balances the importance of being purpose-driven, serving the industry’s needs (anticipating future needs), and the commercial fundamentals of running a healthy and successful business.

EDUCATION
A Bachelor’s degree is required. A Master’s degree is highly desirable.

COMPENSATION
A competitive compensation and benefits package will be offered to attract an outstanding candidate.
Job posting range: $650,000.00 – $1,000,000.00

Should you be interested in this opportunity, please reach out to the below contacts through Korn Ferry:

Chris Von Der Ahe
Senior Client Partner, Consumer Markets Managing Partner, Los Angeles
Phone: 310-843-4120
Chris.VonDerAhe@kornferry.com
Lorraine Lavet
Sector Leader, National Association Practice Phone: 703-919-6540
Lorraine.Lavet@kornferry.com

Disclaimer: This job description indicates in general terms, the type and level of work performed as well as the typical responsibilities of employees in this classification and it may be changed by management at any time. Other duties may also apply. Nothing in this job description changes the at-will employment relationship existing between the Company and its employees.

C1EO