Director, Administrative Law

ABOUT GSD & GOVACT

Co-chaired by Governor J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and Governor Jared Polis of Colorado, Governors Safeguarding Democracy (GSD) is a nonpartisan alliance of governors who work together to uphold and fortify American democracy in their states.

Supported by the Governors Action Alliance (GovAct), a nonpartisan nonprofit that supports governors in championing fundamental freedoms across the United States, Governors Safeguarding Democracy collaborates with think tanks, legal experts, and democracy advocates to shape policy that protects the rule of law and serves the people of our states. The strength, experience, relationships, and institutional knowledge of any one member becomes available to all members, giving governors access to the top policy and legal minds in the country. Together, we are pushing back against the ever-increasing threats of autocracy and protecting the systems of democracy our country and our states depend on.

GSD leverages Governors’ unique legislative, budgetary, executive, and administrative powers to deliver results, working across states to:

• Develop playbooks to enable Governors and their teams to anticipate and swiftly respond to emerging threats
• Reinforce key state institutions to protect executive agencies, elections, state courts, and other core democratic bodies
• Design affirmative strategies to protect the rule of law in the states

More information about Governors Safeguarding Democracy can be found at GovsforDemocracy.org.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Governors Safeguarding Democracy seeks a seasoned administrative law attorney to help lead its program to provide expertise, recommendations, and advice on how governors’ offices can best build up their own infrastructures, advance state- and local- agency work, and defend against potential threats to agency functions, at the state or federal level.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Planning

• In close collaboration with the senior leadership of GovAct and Governors Safeguarding Democracy (GSD), help develop and implement a strategic plan to advance democratic legal and policy initiatives at the state level, with a focus on building up state infrastructure and advancing/protecting state agency imperatives in the event they come under threat.

Project Management & Coordination

• Steward and manage a work plan to execute on the broader strategic plan developed with GovAct and GSD senior leadership, including by establishing clear timelines and deliverables, roles and responsibilities, and tracking progress to goals.
• Coordinate briefings, trainings, and other convenings and materials for Governors’ Office staff on a range of administrative law issues, and manage related calendaring, agendas, and project plans.
• Track deliverables and timelines for achieving them based on state budget and legislative cycles

External Partner Engagement

• Support broader team’s outreach to external partners to engage a diverse array of key stakeholders, including local and national policymakers and advocacy groups.

Democracy Communication Content

• Field inquiries from partners and coordinate communications within GSD and GovAct.
• Draft, review, and manage the sharing of written deliverables on critical democracy/ administrative law issues, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and alignment with GovAct’s mission (press communications will be handled separately by the communications team).

QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school and a member in good standing of a State Bar.

Experience: A minimum of 7-10 years of legal, policy, government, and/or other related experience in administrative law and adjacent areas, whether from within government, in private practice, or in a non-profit.

• Preference for experience working in local, state, and/or federal government on regulatory matters, including advancing/defending rules and regulations, experience with the public comments process, and/or rulemaking more generally.
• Litigation experience on rules/regulations is helpful but not required.

Skills: Exceptional writing and communication skills, with the ability to produce high-quality written work products on short timelines.

• Strong presentation skills.
• A demonstrated ability to build coalitions, plus cross-cutting relationship building skills, are essential.

To effectively meet this critical startup moment, successful candidates will also bring relevant and diverse lived and professional experiences to the build of the organization and will align with key founding values of GovAct including:

• Belief in the power of government, and governors’ offices in particular, to advance bold, affirmative agendas that protect fundamental rights and defend the Constitution.
• Strong, hands-on work ethic needed to support fast-paced start-up growth and development of a sustainable organization.
• Political adeptness, sound judgment, and experience handling sensitive information needed to gain trust and work effectively across governors’ offices.
• Collaboration, communication, and relationship skills needed to operate effectively across a complex and matrixed network of stakeholders and teams.
• Resiliency, optimism, and solutions orientation needed to advance a joyful approach to the work, remain responsive rather than reactive, and support progress when meeting difficult challenges.
• Commitment and demonstrated ability to work effectively and build alignment across lines of difference.