Associate Director, Governance Program

Democracy Fund; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 127,000 - 171,000; Full time

Job summary

Democracy Fund is seeking an Associate Director of the Governance Program in Washington, DC to help lead initiatives that strengthen representative and accountable institutions. Reporting to the Senior Director, Governance, you will coordinate with other programs and external partners, manage a team, and promote strong grantmaking processes and internal communications.

The role emphasizes systems thinking, collaboration, and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion while advancing

Responsibilities

• Lead initiatives within the Governance Program to improve governance outcomes and accountability.
• Coordinate with Democracy Fund’s other programs, foundations, and field partners.
• Manage staff and projects with emphasis on grantmaking processes and internal communications.

Job description

Democracy Fund is a foundation working to defend American democracy and challenge it to be more open and just. Created by eBay founder and philanthropist Pierre Omidyar, Democracy Fund has made more than $200 million in grants to support free and fair elections, a vibrant and diverse public square, 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. To learn more, visit www.democracyfund.org and www.democracyfundvoice.org.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Democracy Fund champions leaders and organizations who defend democracy and challenge our political system to be more open, just, resilient, and trustworthy. We believe that 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.

The Governance Program seeks to achieve representative and accountable governing institutions that are responsive to the public, especially those who have faced significant structural barriers to representation. Our governing systems do not currently provide adequate voice and power to the people who need it most. The Governance Program is exploring ways to remedy this inequity, while preserving the rule of law and bolstering accountability mechanisms to protect against abuse and tyranny.

The Associate Director of the Governance Program will help lead and strengthen its initiatives that aim to prevent, and hold government accountable for, abuses of power. Moreover, the successful candidate will explore ways to create a more representative political system by changing its rules and structures and diversifying the composition of its leaders. The position’s responsibilities include coordinating and collaborating with Democracy Fund’s other programs, foundations, and leaders and organizations in the field.

Reporting to the Senior Director, Governance, the Associate Director will also help manage a team of staff and projects across the Program, with a particular focus on maintaining strong grantmaking processes and promoting internal communications. The role may occasionally include managing cross-organizational teams engaged in collaborative project-based work. This position is an exciting opportunity to work on emerging initiatives in Democracy Fund’s new five-year organizational strategy that respond to existential challenges facing our democracy.

The successful candidate will be a systems thinker and builder who can drive impact while cultivating the internal processes and mechanisms 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. The Associate Director must be an exceptional collaborator, communicator, and project director who embodies our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and contributes to a culture where everyone feels they belong and can thrive.

The Associate Director will also support the work of Democracy Fund Voice, a separate 501(c)(4) social welfare organization.

COMPENSATION

Salary range begins at $149,040 per year.