Program Associate, Digital Democracy Portfolio

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.

Democracy Fund is seeking a highly-motivated and skilled program associate to support the work of the Digital Democracy Portfolio (DDP). The Digital Democracy Portfolio supports the work to create an equitable and just democracy for all. We believe that no matter where they live or who they are, Americans should be able to access the news and information they need to engage in civic life and to participate fully in online conversations without facing discrimination or harassment. DDP’s work is animated by the ideas of Reparations, building race-conscious equitable investment in our technology, telecommunications, and media systems; and Rights, securing civil and human rights in the digital environment. This portfolio includes funding the advancement of data-policy innovation within a human rights framework, developing pathways for community governance of broadband services, and supporting media policy to fund equitable journalism.

DDP sits within our broader Public Square Program, which supports trustworthy local news and investigative reporting, equitable newsrooms, press freedom, community engagement, and digital spaces that advance democracy. Grantmaking is just one tool we use to support change. We believe, as grantmakers, we must be humble and oriented toward listening and service, recognizing that our grantees are visionaries and collaborators whom we want to help succeed in the world. 

The program associate will report to the Director of the Digital Democracy Portfolio and will collaborate closely with the team. The program associate will work with others on the Public Square Team and across Democracy Fund to execute on a long-term strategy, improve internal processes and administration across the organization, and contribute to learning and team growth.

The program associate will also support the work of Democracy Fund Voice, a separate social welfare organization. Democracy Fund is committed to working on systems-level changes to address complex problems facing our democracy. We are looking for an organized, entrepreneurial, and goal-oriented individual who brings astute analysis, creative problem solving, and great communication and project management skills. Candidates must be comfortable working in a small, highly-collaborative team within a fast-paced environment.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibilities will include, but will not be limited to: 

GRANTMAKING, STRATEGY, & LEARNING

• Support execution of approved Digital Democracy Portfolio strategy. 
• Support, and in some cases manage, grantee relationships and collaborate closely with the Democracy Fund Grants Team.  
• Manage individual grants, including shaping and preparing grants for consideration and handling every stage of the grant process. This includes: supporting the exploration, development, and assessment of the portfolio of grants for the Digital Democracy Portfolio.
• Execute and support non-grant related tactics, projects, and interventions where needed to advance the Digital Democracy Portfolio. 
• Develop strong relationships across relevant fields for system sensing and grant pipeline development.  
• Contribute to board presentations when needed. 
• Support strategy development and learning for the Digital Democracy Portfolio.  

COMMUNICATION & OUTREACH

• Support external communications about the Digital Democracy Portfolio.  
• Support efforts to grow the philanthropic resources available to the field, such as development of donor guides.
• Develop and nurture relationships with partner funders.  

TEAM LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

• Contribute to a team culture that values collaboration, positivity, and transparency and that drives impact through continuous improvement and learning. Serve as a team player with the ability to build strong relationships. 
• Contribute to team administration and processes that make the Public Square Program effective. 
• Participate in collaborative efforts and projects with other programs in areas of strategic overlap. 
• Support budget record keeping for the Digital Democracy Portfolio. 
• Responsible for contracts and budgets for external consultants to ensure strong work products are produced and used by the organization and field.   

TEAM MEMBER 

• Collaborate with the larger Public Square Team to defend press freedom, promote equitable journalism, and promote local journalism. 
• Ability to work effectively cross-functionally and creatively solve problems.
• Promote a team culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning, quality, collaboration, positivity, and transparency.
• Contribute to team administration and processes. 
• Serve as a liaison between the Public Square Program and other Democracy Fund teams.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, & SKILLS REQUIREMENTS 

• A deep passion for strengthening American democracy and supporting news and information that serves communities, both online and offline. 
• A deep commitment to racial equity and justice.
• A high level of integrity that embodies and reflects Democracy Fund values.
• Collaborative and strategic approach to work and planning. 
• Team player with the ability to build effective relationships and work collaboratively, and comfortable working in a small, highly-collaborative team. 
• BA or equivalent experience preferred, with at least 3-5 years of experience in roles that involved managing multiple projects, attention to detail, strategic thinking, and organizing events, in the fields of journalism, digital democracy, and/or philanthropy. 
• Proven ability to analyze and assess organizations and their contributions to the field.
• A self-starter with an outstanding work ethic, and who is dependable, responsible, and has a creative and entrepreneurial mindset. 
• Previous grantmaking experience is valued but not necessary.
• A learning mindset, self- and other-awareness, and success in developing and sustaining interpersonal relationships across differences. 
• Operationally focused with strong organizational and execution skills. 
• Ability to adapt quickly, work calmly, and maintain good judgment in a fast-paced environment; must be comfortable working through ambiguity. 
• Confident and diplomatic oral communicator with exceptional writing and editing skills. 
• Skilled in proactively handling multiple assignments simultaneously with a sense of urgency, prioritizing tasks, and meeting deadlines to deliver high-quality results. 
• Professional maturity, with demonstrated ability to exercise good judgment, and proven track record contributing to complex projects. 
• Works well both independently and as part of a team. 
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint and comfortable using online tools for project and contact management. 

SALARY

The projected hiring salary for this position is $87,270.00 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.

Democracy Fund is committed to a diverse workplace, seeking voices and expertise from people from across the political spectrum. Our board, staff, advisors, and grantees include Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. Democracy Fund is an Equal Opportunity Employer, where we encourage candidates of all ages, color, ethnic background, country of origin, religion, disability status, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity to apply.