Associate Director, External Affairs & Campaigns

Democracy Fund; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 173,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Job summary

Democracy Fund is seeking an Associate Director within External Affairs to lead philanthropic partnerships and campaigns, guiding staff and coordinating with program teams. The role focuses on turning strategy into actionable funder engagement, building relationships with donors, and advancing democracy-focused initiatives.

The position reports to the Director, Impact and Integration and works with cross-functional leaders.

Qualifications

• 8-10 years of experience in philanthropic field-building
• At least 4 years of demonstrated management responsibilities
• Strong knowledge of philanthropy and how funders make decisions
• Experience designing and leading complex campaigns, partnerships, or multi-stakeholder initiatives
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Responsibilities

• Lead strategies to organize, align, and activate funders around urgent needs and opportunities.
• Design philanthropic campaigns that combine goals, credible messengers, and funder engagement.
• Build and steward trusted relationships with funders, networks, and partners.
• Partner with communications to develop campaign narratives, materials, and outreach strategies.
• Coordinate cross-functional priorities across External Affairs leadership and program teams.

Skills

Philanthropy knowledge

Relationship-building

Campaign leadership

Project management

Strategic thinking

Job description

Democracy Fund is seeking an Associate Director within External Affairs to lead philanthropic partnerships and campaigns, guiding staff and coordinating with program teams. The role focuses on turning strategy into actionable funder engagement, building relationships with donors, and advancing democracy-focused initiatives.

The position reports to the Director, Impact and Integration and works with cross-functional leaders.