Program Officer

Democracy Fund • Full-time • Washington, District of Columbia, United States • $124.33k / year • 1d ago

About Us

Democracy Fund is a foundation working to build an inclusive, multiracial democracy that is open, just, resilient, and trustworthy. Created by eBay founder and philanthropist Pierre Omidyar, Democracy Fund and its partner organization Democracy Fund Voice have committed almost $425 million in grants to support those working to strengthen our democracy. Democracy Fund collaborates with grantees, donors, and other partners to change America’s flawed system by strengthening and expanding the pro-democracy movement, defending against anti-democratic attacks, and advancing structural change. To learn more, visit www.democracyfund.org and www.democracyfundvoice.org.

Position Summary

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, and on ways we can more deeply embed diversity, equity, and inclusion as values central to the success of our work and mission. Since we believe in the power of human connection, we follow a hybrid-remote and in-the-office model, which enables flexibility and encourages collaboration. New staff must reside in the Washington, D.C. metro area (DMV), and all employees are expected in the office for several days every month.

The Reimagine and Rebuild program supports the people and projects who are building the vision and the pathway towards the democracy we need. This means investing in creative leaders, rigorous analyses, and bold actions necessary to catalyze and realize trusted information systems, responsive and equitable public institutions, and a new conventional wisdom and culture that can move us towards an inclusive multi-racial democracy.

Role Summary

Program Officers own individual grants and support grantmaking, grant administration, field building activities, and grantee relationships. They additionally support exploration, development, and assessment of a portfolio of grants.

This position reports to the Associate Director and collaborates closely with the organization’s other Program staff, the Chief of Staff for Programs and the organization’s grantmaking and finance teams. This role also supports the work of Democracy Fund Voice, our 501(c)(4) partner organization.

Primary Responsibilities

The Program Officer’s primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Manage and track individual grants through the whole grantmaking process and develop and maintain ongoing grantee relationships in partnership with Sr Program Officers and Associate Director.
Develop subject matter expertise in areas of Reimagine and Rebuild to support learning, adaptation, and success in reaching the program objectives.
Support the creation of communications materials for grantees and other external audiences.
Support influence and philanthropic partnerships activities.
Support and contribute to effective team and organization systems and processes.

Strategy, Grantmaking, and Learning

Manage individual grants, including shaping and preparing due diligence and handling every stage of the grant process.
Support strong and healthy grantee relationships and contribute to grantees’ resilience and success.
Support non-grantmaking activities (contracts, events, sponsorships, etc.) that advance the goals of the program. Identify opportunities to support or elevate grantees through events or convenings, and support execution of grantee events or conference travel.
Develop strong understanding of the key fields related to this program to identify new grantees, recommend them for consideration, and navigate dynamics across the system.
Develop subject matter expertise on identified areas of the program to contribute to learning and team goals
Contribute to the program and organization’s learning and impact tracking through grantee engagement and participating in learning activities. Ensure learning is shared consistently across the program and with peer Program Officers.
Participate in collaborative efforts and projects with other programs in areas of strategic overlap.
Support grantee engagement strategies.

Influence, Communications and Philanthropic Partnerships

Support external communications and content creation related to program grantees and goals. Identify and recommend opportunities to promote Democracy Fund’s and grantees’ work at convenings, conferences and in other venues.
Support philanthropic outreach and engagement by participating in conferences, networks, and professional associations.
Help draft content for donor guides and other written work to support relationship-building with funders, intermediaries, and other partners.

Team Member

Contribute toward a team culture that values collaboration, positivity, and transparency and that drives impact through continuous improvement and learning.
Work constructively across Democracy Fund functional and operations teams to support grantmaking and program activities, including the execution of team events.
Model initiative, problem-solving, and accountability as part of the team’s culture.

Education, Experience and Skills Requirements

A passion for strengthening American democracy.
A deep commitment to racial equity and justice.
A high level of integrity that embodies and reflects Democracy Fund values.
A minimum of 6 years of experience working on pro-democracy systems and organizations.
Professional experience in fields of civic engagement or narrative change.
Knowledge of nonprofit funding and grantmaking and ability to assess organizations and their contributions to the fields in which we work.
Detail oriented, able to implement project plans and collaborate with others.
Strong verbal and written communication skills and relationship building experience.
An outstanding work ethic; self-starter, dependable, responsible, with a creative and entrepreneurial mindset.
Ability to adapt quickly, work calmly, and maintain good judgment in a fast-paced environment; must be comfortable working through ambiguity.
Experience handling confidential information.
High proficiency in Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint and comfortable using online tools for project and contact management.

Salary

The projected hiring salary range for this position is starting at $124,330 per year.

Democracy Fund provides a comprehensive, generous benefits package that includes traditional and unique offerings: medical; dental; vision; and wellness; paid time off, which includes paid family and medical leave; and workplace flexibility.

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.

In your cover letter, please include responses to the following questions:

Describe your experience working in or with nonprofit or public sector organizations. What did you learn about how these organizations operate, and how has that shaped how you approach your work?
What interests you about working on pro-democracy or civic issues?
Who is one innovative organization or leader reimagining or thinking creatively about democracy? What makes their work exciting to you?

Applications are being accepted through May 8. Please apply by then to be considered.

Democracy Fund is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or any other legally protected class under federal, state, or local law.