Associate Director, Special Projects, Elections & Voting

ABOUT US

Democracy Fund is an independent and nonpartisan, private
foundation that confronts deep-rooted challenges in American
democracy while defending against new threats. Since 2014, we have
made grants of more than $275 million in support of those working
to strengthen our democracy through the pursuit of a vibrant and
diverse public square, fee and fair elections, effective and
accountable government, and a just and inclusive society. In
addition to grantmaking, Democracy Fund advocates for better
solutions and works with partners to grow philanthropic support for
our democracy.

Democracy Fund champions leaders and organizations who defend
democracy and challenge our political system to be more open, just,
resilient, and trustworthy. We believe experimentation, learning,
and adaptation are key to the health and resilience of any system,
whether it is our organization or the American political system. As
grantmakers, we focus on listening and being of service to our
grantees, who are visionaries and our collaborators, and on ways we
can more deeply embed diversity, equity, and inclusion as our
values central to the success of our work and mission. To learn
more, visit www.democracyfund.org and www.democracyfundvoice.org.

POSITION SUMMARY 

Voting is the single most significant way Americans exercise
their political power. The Elections & Voting program works to
ensure that all Americans, especially those who have been
historically underrepresented at the polls, have the opportunity to
fully participate in the democratic process and freely vote for the
candidates and issues that represent their communities.

The Associate Director, Special Projects, will help lead and
strengthen the Elections & Voting Program’s work to create a
more equitable and accessible election system and empower
communities to defend voting rights when they are threatened. The
associate director will also help coordinate with Democracy Fund’s
other programs, with other foundations, and with leaders and
organizations in the elections field.

This role will report to the Senior Program Director, Elections
& Voting, and will manage a growing portfolio of special
projects, with an emphasis on donor education around
election-related priorities to increase the amount of money
dedicated to the elections ecosystem and our grantees. The
associate director will also help manage a growing team, with a
particular focus on strengthening our grantmaking processes,
internal and external communications, and team operations.

The successful candidate will be a systems thinker and builder who
can drive impact while cultivating the internal organization needed
to achieve our goals. We are looking for a connector with a
demonstrated track record of managing people and creating
opportunities for growth, learning, and collaboration. This role
will work with the senior program director and Associate Director
of Programs to improve team operations, support learning and team
growth, and contribute to shaping Democracy Fund’s strategy and
position in the field. This role also supports the work of
Democracy Fund Voice, a 501c(4) social welfare
organization. 
The role’s primary responsibilities will include, but are not
limited to, the following:

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES GRANTMAKING,
STRATEGY, AND LEARNING 

• Partner with the Elections & Voting team’s Grants team to
  develop and implement team grantmaking practices and planning
  processes and provide peer review as needed; update the team’s
  grantmaking timelines and systems for streamlining communication
  with grantees.
• Develop and manage special projects that support the program or
  require collaboration with other programs.
• Maintain strong relationships with leaders across relevant
  fields for system sensing, grant pipeline development, and grantee
  support and problem solving.
• Lead development and execution of grants and grantmaking
  programs that cut across the Elections & Voting program.
• Contribute to strategy development and learning across the
  program.

COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH 

• Support philanthropic partnerships to grow the resources
  available to the elections and voting field, including: managing
  joint funds and representing Democracy Fund in funder
  collaboratives, developing materials that help new donors
  understand the elections and voting field, and advising donors and
  foundations on effective elections and voting investments.
• Contribute to internal practices and external thought
  leadership with other donors that help shift the dynamics away from
  cyclical, election-year giving toward more sustainable, year-round
  investments.
• Develop and execute an external communications strategy for the
  Elections & Voting program, in coordination with the
  Communications team. Identify opportunities for the program and its
  grantees to be represented at national conferences.
• Speak on behalf of the program publicly and with media, and
  represent Democracy Fund publicly in a manner consistent with its
  mission and values.

TEAM LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT 

• Empower direct report(s) to do their best work by providing
  ongoing guidance, coaching, and feedback on their core day-to-day
  responsibilities, project management goals, and overall
  professional development.
• Contribute to strong team culture and advance DEI priorities in
  the Elections & Voting team.
• Lead program team operations and develop team practices and
  workflows; lead team meetings and retreats; and ensure strong
  project management across the program.
• Oversee budgeting and financial management across the
  program.
• Maintain regular check-ins with individual team members,
  provide professional guidance and mentoring, and use ongoing
  feedback to support their development.
• Work with the Senior Program Director and Associate Director of
  Programs to contribute to developing job descriptions,
  interviewing/hiring, and onboarding for staff; and develop an
  onboarding protocol for new Elections & Voting team
  members.
• Develop, manage, and contribute to cross-team and
  cross-organization programmatic efforts and special projects; and
  increase visibility internally around program priorities.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND SKILL
REQUIREMENTS 

• Passion for strengthening American democracy.
• Deep commitment to racial equity and justice.
• At least 10-12 years of experience working in roles that engage
  in questions related to multiracial democracy, elections, and
  voting rights; and experience working with donors required.
• At least four years of demonstrated management
  responsibilities, including significant experience supervising
  staff and supporting their progress toward goals, and proven
  ability to provide useful feedback to develop and inspire
  staff.
• Track record of successful project management and working
  across diverse teams, and ability to evaluate, improve, manage, and
  maintain systems and processes to help teams execute programs.
• Strategic thinker and innovative problem-solver, with a proven
  ability to create and manage organizational change.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including
  the willingness and ability to communicate and collaborate with
  diverse leaders and stakeholders from across the political spectrum
  and different walks of life, and ability to engage external
  audiences and act as an evangelist for the Elections & Voting
  program’s work.
• Commitment to working collaboratively with staff at all levels
  to execute duties and to ensure positive, proactive, responsive
  relationships within and across departments for compliance,
  efficiency, and effectiveness.
• Interest in employing a systems approach to change, bringing an
  ability to synthesize complex, nuanced information and develop
  innovative solutions.
• Democracy Fund follows a hybrid-remote and in-the-office model,
  which enables flexibility and meets collaboration needs. New staff
  are expected to reside in the DMV, though exceptions will be
  granted on a case-by-case basis by the Personnel Committee. All
  employees, regardless of location, will be expected in the office
  several days a month.

SALARY

Salary range begins at $155,160 per year.

HOW TO APPLY
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to
our Jobs page. Applications submitted without a cover
letter or lacking the desired years of experience will not be
considered. Take this opportunity to tell us about
yourself and why you’re interested in joining our team. No calls,
please.

Democracy Fund is committed to a diverse workplace, seeking
voices and expertise from people from across the political
spectrum. Our board, staff, advisors, and grantees include
Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. Democracy Fund is an
Equal Opportunity Employer, where we encourage candidates of all
ages, color, ethnic background, country of origin, religion,
disability status, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity
to apply.