Position Overview

The program officer is part of a small project team that works to advance evidence-based and nonpartisan solutions that improve the accessibility, integrity, and trustworthiness of the U.S. election administration system. This position will work with the team and our partners to develop strategies to strengthen the field of election administration, identify and vet grantees, provide business planning and capacity building support to key organizations in the field, develop metrics to assess and monitor the portfolio’s progress in attaining its objectives, and coordinate strategies with allied philanthropic partners also investing in the elections sector. This work will involve building relationships with elections officials, researchers, policymakers, non-profit organizations, donors, and other key stakeholders.

The position is based in Washington, D.C., though remote candidates will be considered, and it is eligible for up to 60% telework if working from the DC office. The position will report to the executive director of the Election Trust Initiative.

Responsibilities

Strategic Planning

· Develop extensive assessments of long-term and emerging questions, challenges, and opportunities facing the field of election administration working closely with key stakeholders, advisors, philanthropic partners, innovators in the private sector and the broader project team.

· Develop and implement targeted, effective and measurable grantmaking strategies to address specific gaps, vulnerabilities or opportunities in the election administration field.

· Identify possible grantees and conduct extensive due diligence that will include among other assessments an analysis of the alignment and strength of an organization’s health, mission, priorities, strategies, role in the field and potential for growth.

· Develop strategies to build the organizational capacity of grantees in areas such as governance, organizational management, financial management, program management, and human resources that will be needed to achieve ambitions of scale and sustainability.

Grants Management

· Work with potential grantees to structure grants to meet grantmaking policies, procedures and strategies.

o Prepare and present strategies and grant recommendations to decision-making bodies.

· Working closely with colleagues on the Election Trust Initiative team, collaborate to develop grant documents.

o Translate grantmaking recommendations into grant deliverables and milestones.

o Assist with the development of grant budgets.

o Assist with the completion of operational and reputational due diligence, upon request.

· Oversee management of approved grants.

o Serve as main point of contact for grants in your portfolio.

o Continually assess performance against identified objectives, determine when goals are at risk of not being met, identify the causes and, when needed, take appropriate steps to fix any problems in ways that keep the initiative on course.

o Effectively tie individual grantees into the broader strategic framework for building the field.

o Work with grants and operations specialist to track grant budgets and spending, and to coordinate with Pew operations units, as needed.

o Process and approve needed changes to grant deliverables as needed.

Stakeholder Engagement

· Inform the development of agendas for meetings of founding partner representatives overseeing strategies and grants and participate as needed.

· Serve as a spokesperson for the Initiative to cultivate and engage the public and key constituencies on core issues, including representing the Initiative publicly at conferences, seminars, and official forums, and authoring articles and other communications.

· Contribute to the planning of meetings and conferences of key stakeholders in the field.

· Acquire and maintain a broad knowledge of trends in election administration including changes in policy and practice at the local, state and federal levels, emerging academic research, and innovations in related arenas and ensure the team is notified of key developments in these areas.

· Build and maintain strong working relationships with election administrators, nonprofits, policymakers, researchers and innovators in the field, grantees, and partners.

· Perform other project-related duties as necessary.

Requirements

Minimum requirements

· Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience with at least eight years of specialized and directly applicable experience or a Master’s degree with at least 4 years of specialized and directly applicable experience.

· A non-partisan orientation and approach to the work.

· Strong interpersonal skills and a willingness to work collaboratively as a member of a team.

· Excellent written and oral communication skills, including ability to synthesize and summarize complex ideas and recommendations in a clear, effective manner.

Key attributes and preferred experience

· Experience in the field of election administration, particularly at the local level, or in state policymaking.

· Ability to collaborate effectively with representatives from the election administration, academic, policy, philanthropic, private sector and advocacy fields. Able to work productively with people and institutions with differing points of view, and to listen carefully and integrate the insights of others into your analysis.

· Persuasive, highly articulate in building support for and commitment to initiatives and ideas.

· Demonstrated time- and project-management skills, including the ability to meet multiple deadlines by maintaining a high level of organization, juggling multiple priorities and adjusting to changing circumstances while maintaining attention to details.

· An ability to make decisions after contemplating various courses of action, justify recommendations with evidence or clear reasoning, and be responsive, clear and resolute when appropriate.

· The capacity to resolve problems creatively and logically.

Travel

This position may involve frequent travel to meet with policymakers and external stakeholders or to attend conferences and meetings. For candidates not based in Washington D.C., this position will also require travel as needed to Washington, D.C. to participate in team events.

To Apply

https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3560266847/