People and Culture Associate

Austin Community College; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 72,300 - 81,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) match

Full medical coverage

Parental leave

Paid holidays

Annual leave

Job summary

Protect Democracy is seeking a People and Culture Associate to join our small, collaborative People and Culture Team in the Washington, DC area. The role focuses on onboarding contractors and staff and coordinating in-person events and programming across the organization.

The ideal candidate will support employee lifecycle activities, including event planning, staff gatherings, and office operations from Dupont Circle, with in-person presence at least four days per week.

Qualifications

• Enthusiasm for human-centered work in a remote-first organization.

Responsibilities

• Help coordinate onboarding, including: Supporting the development of materials such as session slides, travel guidance, and session evaluations.
• Identifying obstacles and proposing pivots.
• Looking for areas of improvement and further alignment with culture.
• Support the planning, logistics, communication, and evaluation of various in-person and remote gatherings, including our annual all-team gathering and team-based retreats.
• Administer onboarding- and community-related systems and processes, identifying opportunities to enhance employee experience and foster connection, collaboration, and community across Protect Democracy.
• Work in coordination with hiring teams to seamlessly integrate new hires into our organizational culture.
• Contribute to other workstreams that strengthen how we develop, engage, and support talent.
• Act as dedicated DC office coordinator, including: Coordinating with team members to host in-person events (work retreats, happy hours or other special convenings).
• Welcoming external guests as needed with exceptional kindness and professionalism.
• Working with our Finance team to ensure the physical office supports a productive working environment, including through logistics and procurement.

Skills

Onboarding

Community building

Process improvement

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

Protect Democracy is seeking a People and Culture Associate to join our small, collaborative People and Culture Team. The role primarily supports onboarding of new contractors and staff and works closely across the organization to deliver in‑person events and programming. This is an excellent opportunity for an early‑career candidate based in the Washington, DC area.

Protect Democracy was formed in late 2016 with an urgent and explicit mission: to prevent our democracy from declining into a more authoritarian form of government. Our mission is non‑partisan and it is our guiding principle. Since 2016, we have assembled a team of 130+ experts who have served under Democrats, Republicans, and in senior ranks of other nonprofit, political, or media organizations. Our hiring practices value expertise and are uncompromising about building a culture rooted in growth, feedback, and team care and kindness.

This role helps create the experiences, systems, and connections that allow Protect Democracy staff to thrive. You will partner with the People and Culture team to support high‑impact programs and initiatives across the employee lifecycle, including onboarding, staff gatherings, internal operations, and other projects that strengthen our culture, community, and organizational effectiveness. You will coordinate logistics, manage details, solve problems, and help ensure that staff have a seamless experience as they engage with the organization.

While Protect Democracy is a distributed organization, several critical functions are centered in Washington, DC, making a regular in‑person presence important for this role. You will support the ongoing care and operation of our Washington, DC office, ensuring the space is welcoming, well‑maintained, and equipped to support staff through responsibilities such as supply management, vendor coordination, mail handling, and general office support. You are expected to be in our Dupont Circle office at least four days per week.

Success in this role requires flexibility, sound judgment, and a willingness to jump in wherever needed. The ideal candidate is energized by supporting people, comfortable managing a wide range of responsibilities, and excited to contribute to the people operations work that helps our organization achieve its mission.

Priority application deadline for the People & Culture Associate role is June 17, 2026; applications received after that date will be reviewed on a rolling basis. This is a hybrid position based in Washington, DC that will require in‑person commitments and periodic travel.

Responsibilities

• Help coordinate onboarding, including:
  • Supporting the development of materials such as session slides, travel guidance, and session evaluations.
  • Identifying obstacles and proposing pivots.
  • Looking for areas of improvement and further alignment with culture.
• Support the planning, logistics, communication, and evaluation of various in‑person and remote gatherings, including our annual all‑team gathering and team‑based retreats.
• Administer onboarding‑ and community‑related systems and processes, identifying opportunities to enhance employee experience and foster connection, collaboration, and community across Protect Democracy.
• Work in coordination with hiring teams to seamlessly integrate new hires into our organizational culture.
• Contribute to other workstreams that strengthen how we develop, engage, and support talent.
• Act as dedicated DC office coordinator, including:
  • Coordinating with team members to host in‑person events (work retreats, happy hours or other special convenings).
  • Welcoming external guests as needed with exceptional kindness and professionalism.
  • Working with our Finance team to ensure the physical office supports a productive working environment, including through logistics and procurement.

Qualifications

• Enthusiasm for human‑centered work in a remote‑first organization.
• Relevant experience (or professional interest) in any of the following:
• Implementing onboarding processes and programs.
• Designing and running virtual and/or in‑person community‑building events and retreats.
• Supporting community building and development initiatives.
• Improving or building processes and systems.
• Ability to track, prioritize, and balance a diverse set of responsibilities.
• Skill in fostering strong collaborative relationships with people from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
• Rigorous attention to detail and the highest standards for excellence in execution.
• Growth mindset and enthusiasm for giving and receiving feedback up, down and sideways.
• Flexibility and willingness to pitch in where needed to support our mission.
• A passionate commitment to the preservation of democratic norms and institutions, and an understanding that our democracy has never fully represented communities of color.

Compensation

The starting salary range for this role is $72,300–$81,000, commensurate with the candidate’s degree of experience, capabilities and skills, and in alignment with internal equity.

Benefits

• Generous sick leave and a flexible vacation policy that encourages taking 4–5 weeks per year.
• 12 paid holidays.
• 6 weeks of paid family medical leave.
• 18 weeks of paid parental leave.
• 401(k) plan with up to 6% employer match vests immediately.
• Full coverage of employee medical premiums, with up to 95% coverage for dependents depending on plan selection.
• Full coverage of employee and dependent dental/vision.
• Long‑term disability and life insurance.
• Fertility benefits, a home office stipend, and discretionary bonuses at the discretion of the Executive Director.

Ample opportunities for personal and professional development. Candidates who do not meet all listed criteria should still apply, as our organizational structure focuses on mentorship, support, and long‑term growth.

Commitment to an Inclusive Workplace

Protect Democracy is an equal‑opportunity employer. We believe that a broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences strengthens our ability to analyze problems, craft solutions, and drive meaningful change. Protect Democracy encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.

Diversity Statement

At Protect Democracy, we believe that diversity isn’t just a strength—it’s a necessity for tackling the complex challenges facing our country today. A broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences strengthen our ability to analyze problems, craft solutions, and drive meaningful change. We strongly encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds and from across the political and ideological spectrum to apply.