Senior Program Director (iLIT Temple University)

Profile

iLIT seeks a passionate, detail-oriented researcher, advocate, and program manager who excels at results-oriented strategic planning and managing complex, transnational projects that advance social justice in technology policy.

Position Summary

iLIT, the Institute for Law, Innovation &Technology at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law, seeks a versatile Senior Program Director to help significantly expand iLIT’s presence at the intersection of social justice and tech accountability. Initial funding covers two years, with a predominant focus on managing iLIT’s programming in support of human rights protection and accountability for digital public infrastructure. The Senior Program Director is expected to function as an executive-level senior officer, serving as a thought partner to the Executive Director and helping to shape iLIT’s future across all areas of work.

About iLIT

Founded in 2022, iLIT creates legal education and advocacy programs to illuminate and address the root causes of inequity and human rights challenges connected with technological innovation. We build open knowledge resources, foster inclusive approaches to knowledge sharing, and reinforce diverse coalitions dedicated to a just and equitable future. We do this by investing in students and local communities, and working in solidarity with community organizations and civil society transnationally. iLIT selects research and advocacy projects that address systemic discrimination and disparate impacts of new technologies. We employ movement-based approaches to partnership and project implementation, integrating this work within the clinical legal tradition as a tool to advance access to justice and legal empowerment.

Major Areas of Responsibility

• Oversee implementation of iLIT’s grantsupported
• activities, with primary responsibility for capacity development of civil society partners, public sector actors, and activists.
• Enhance the quality, strategic focus, and consistency of iLIT’s research and policy work, including the work of students and fellows.
• Assist the Executive Director in expanding iLIT’s capacities in strategic litigation, both in the US and internationally.
• Support the Executive Director in further strengthening iLIT, in general operations, staff development, communications and resourcing.
• Working relationships: the Senior Program Director reports to the Executive Director, indirectly supervises and mentors fellows and students, and closely coordinates with Temple Law departments overseeing school-wide programming; marketing, events and communications; development; and budget and finance.

Skills and Capacities

Primary

• Organizational and program management, including strong track record in successful execution of complex deliverables involving diverse teams and large, globally dispersed networks.
• Building and expanding strategic partnerships: ideal candidates will have a proven track record of building and working in networks of activists, advocacy organizations, policy makers, and researchers within the fields of technology policy, human rights, and social justice.
• Research design and execution, including excellent writing and editing skills, ability to serve as a spokesperson in communicating research findings to strategically significant audiences.
• Strategic thinking: we seek a problem-solving person who is determined to get things done and will identify and effectively utilize resources proactively with autonomy and limited supervision.
• Commitment to social justice and global equity: the candidate for this role must bring a global social justice lens to tech policy work and appreciate the unique capabilities of a university-based center toward advancing this goal.

Ideal

• Fundraising capacity, including assistance with developing and writing proposals, and meeting with current and prospective funders.
• Impact litigation and legal advocacy: support the strategic design and execution of iLIT’s capacity building, training, facilitation and research support activities.

Personal traits and attributes

• A strong commitment to diversity and a personal approach that values and respects differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ability and socioeconomic circumstances.
• Interest in and commitment to mentoring fellows, other junior staff, and students.
• Ability to contribute to the growth and inclusive culture of a small institute within a large U.S.-based public research university.
• Cultural humility, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence.
• Fluency in one or more non-English languages is a plus, but not essential for the role.

Education & Experience

• Appropriate advanced degree (law, public policy, social sciences, human rights, or related fields); relevant experience can substitute for education-based knowledge.
• At least five (5) years overseeing complex research and advocacy project.
• Strong background with programs advancing social justice through community organizing, legal advocacy, research, or policy reform work in a range of national, regional, and international contexts.
• Fluency with relevant technology policy legal frameworks and technical concepts; most of iLIT’s research projects require a general background in technology regulation and human rights and strong partnerships with public interest actors engaged with these issues in Majority World countries.
• Ability to work as a team member and independently, in young and still evolving organization, with high level of self-motivation.

Compensation, Benefits, and Working Environment

• The salary range for this position is $90,000 - $110,000 and key factors in determining salary within that range are experience and location.
• Temple University offers a generous benefits package, including health insurance, tuition remission, wellness programs, retirement savings programs, life insurance, and access to R1 level research resources.
• iLIT cultivates an organizational culture that is welcoming, growth-oriented, and supportive of all staff and students involved in our work. As an institution whose mission is the advancement of diverse practitioners within tech policy and accountability fields, iLIT actively recruits women, people of color, persons with disabilities, persons with diverse gender and sexual identities, and immigrants.
• The Senior Program Director will join a small hybrid team. Staff have the option to work remotely or in person, with flexibility on remote work for personal, health, and family needs. Candidates located within commuting distance to Philadelphia are preferred for this role, although excellent candidates located outside of this area will be considered.
• U.S. work authorization is required for this position.
• The ideal start date for this role is May 2025, with flexibility to allow for transitions.
• The position is funded for two years with the possibility of extension if additional funding is secured.