Director of Worker Rights and Power

The Century Foundation • Full-time • New York, NY or Washington, DC • $160k - $190k / year • 6d ago

The Century Foundation (TCF) is seeking a dynamic, motivated, and experienced director of worker rights and power to lead TCF’s labor policy portfolio and develop policies that build worker power and rein in runaway corporate power by strengthening the tools to collectively bargain, secure good jobs, and promote broadly shared prosperity for all families across the country.

The director will work on a range of issues related to unions and collective bargaining, workers rights and power, job quality, artificial intelligence, and corporate power/accountability, including worker surveillance. The director will also bring their own unique expertise and interest areas to the team, set the direction for TCF’s labor policy work going forward, devise policy strategies to influence policymakers, and produce their own original research and writing to build worker power for the benefit of workers and the economy overall.

The right candidate will bring extensive policy, analytical, and research skills; a network of relevant contacts in public policy, unions and worker organizing, and press and philanthropy; and a demonstrated interest in analyzing persistent gaps in wages, wealth, and power based on race, gender, immigration, and disability status.

About TCF’s work

One in three Americans are skipping meals and medication to save money. Half are draining their savings to cover everyday expenses. Meanwhile, the richest 1 percent now hold nearly as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent. Powerful corporations jack up prices with impunity while billionaires write the tax code to their own benefit. When families can’t afford the basics and believe government only works for the wealthy, democracy itself becomes fragile. History shows where this leads: strongman politics, widening inequality, and the erosion of basic rights and norms. TCF is addressing the crisis facing working families and our democracy by fighting for policies that restore power to workers, families, and consumers and tangibly improve Americans’ daily lives. We’re using every tool at our disposal—from research and data analysis to policy development, polling, and messaging research to strong partnerships with movement and advocacy groups—to reshape markets and build an economy that actually works for working people.

Responsibilities include:

Direct TCF’s worker rights and power team, including setting a vision for research and policy development designed to influence public policy and drive progressive change.
Author reports and commentaries on labor policy issues and oversee policy research projects by internal and external contributors on issues in the labor policy field.
Devise strategies and tactics to advance new ideas and influence key policy debates in the short and long term.
Establish and maintain strong networks among labor unions, worker organizations, advocates, policymakers, and colleagues at other think thanks.
Lift TCF’s profile and influence as a leader on worker power and collective bargaining, including engaging with the media and on social media, speaking at and hosting conferences and convenings, briefing policymakers on TCF’s labor policy agenda, and more.
With support from TCF’s development team, lead the worker rights and power team’s fundraising and development strategy, cultivating new funding sources.
If applicable, manage a team of direct reports and collaborate with other TCF policy teams on projects that overlap with worker rights and power.

Highly desired skills and qualifications include:

At least ten years of experience in labor policy, research, organizing, or public service/practice, and the ability to develop and advance policy, strategy and analysis that builds worker power.
Existing working relationships with peer organizations, advocates, and policymakers that would help advance policies to build worker power.
A commitment to bold, progressive policy change that advances racial, economic, and immigrant worker justice for working people across our economy.
An eagerness to think creatively to develop and execute strategies to help policy change take hold, including through legislation, executive orders, guidance, regulation, enforcement, and more.
Political acuity and the ability to craft research and policy recommendations to advance or capitalize on new or ongoing policy debates.
Excellent writing and communication skills, including for expert and popular audiences alike.
A willingness to build and maintain relationships with philanthropic partners to achieve even greater policy impact.

Compensation and benefits

TCF offers a competitive compensation package, with a salary range determined by years of experience, skills, and abilities. Each candidate’s placement within the range will be based on these factors while ensuring alignment with our commitment to equitable internal pay practices. TCF is a unionized workplace and is represented by the Communications Workers of America (CWA1180). This position is not in the bargaining unit.

TCF’s benefits include health, dental. vision, and life insurance, and an employer-funded health reimbursement account (HRA). This benefit package is in addition to generous vacation, sick and personal days, an employer matching 403(b) plan, and up to fourteen weeks parental leave.

The salary range for this position is $160,000–190,000.

Location

This is a hybrid work position to be based in either Washington, D.C. or New York City.

Apply

Please apply with a resume, cover letter, and two writing examples (three to five pages maximum) via BambooHR. No inquiries by third-party vendors and no phone calls please. If you have any issues accessing the hiring portal, please reach out with questions to hr@tcf.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The deadline for submission of application materials is May 30, 2026.

The Century Foundation is committed to diversity and building an inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds. Everyone is encouraged to apply, including women, LGBTQIA people, people of color, and people with disabilities. Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States.

About TCF

The Century Foundation is a progressive, independent think tank that conducts research, develops solutions, and drives policy change to make people’s lives better. We pursue economic, racial, gender, and disability equity in education, health care, and work, and promote U.S. foreign policy that fosters international cooperation, peace, and security. TCF has offices in New York City and Washington, D.C. You can learn more at tcf.org.

Apply

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