Director of Federal Affairs and Voting Rights Programs

FAIRVOTE SUMMARY

FairVote, headquartered in Silver Spring, MD, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that is associated with FairVote Action, a 501 (c)(4) advocacy organization. We work to advance nonpartisan election reforms that improve representation and functional government. Our primary reforms are ranked-choice voting (RCV) and proportional RCV, which have a 20+ year evidence base in the United States of providing voters greater choices and more say in who represents them. Since 1992, FairVote has been the national leader in developing and disseminating programmatic and educational tools, analyses, and support necessary to aid public consideration and adoption of nonpartisan election reforms that result in fair representation.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Federal Affairs and Voting Rights Programs will lead FairVote’s federal policy initiatives, voting rights portfolio, and Congressional outreach while managing key national partnerships. This senior-level position plays a crucial role in advancing our mission through federal advocacy, program leadership, and coalition building.

POSITION TYPE:

This is a full-time exempt position. Exempt employees are expected to work the appropriate and necessary time to complete key assignments and related tasks on schedule. This is a non-union, managerial role that reports to a member of the Senior Executive Team and serves as a member of FairVote’s Leadership Team.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Federal Affairs Leadership (60%)

• Directs the organization's federal affairs strategy and policy priorities, including continued commitment to key structural election reform bills
• Develops and implements an effective and broad-reaching federal strategy for ranked choice voting and proportional ranked choice voting, including engaging in proactive and reactive strategies
• Oversees federal legislative monitoring, analysis, and response
• Represents the organization in meetings with federal legislators, agencies, and staff
• Leads all planning/measurement/evaluation/learning practices on behalf of the department, including biannual reviews/reflections and post-campaign after-action reviews
• Supports FairVote’s Director of Research and Policy in establishing FairVote’s position on election reforms throughout the federal legislative cycle
• Works in collaboration with the Director of Communications to develop relevant public relations materials and social media throughout the federal legislative cycle
• Works in collaboration with the Chief Program Officer FVA/Advocacy Department to coordinate FairVote’s federal, state, and local advocacy initiatives
• Plans and manages the budget for Federal affairs and voting rights programs
• Manage assigned staff member(s) and contractors to plan and complete the necessary work to support overall program strategies and priorities.
  • Define individual work goals, expectations, priorities, and measures for success
• Lead and create an environment that fosters a positive team culture, professional development, and growth
• Educate staff on federal-level developments and strategies related to FairVote’s reforms

Voting Rights Portfolio Management (25%)

• Leads the development and implementation of the organization's voting rights strategy
• Oversees voting rights programs, initiatives, and campaigns
• Leads coalition efforts specifically within the voting rights space
• Monitors and analyzes voting rights legislation, court decisions, and policy developments
• Collaborates with FairVote’s legal roundtable as it supports the voting rights coalition
• Develops policy positions and advocacy materials related to voting rights

Partnership and Coalition Management (15%)

• Cultivates and maintains relationships with approximately one-quarter of FairVote’s national partner organizations
• Provides guidance to FairVote’s senior leadership in connecting voting rights and racial justice work to the broader structural election reform and pro-democracy coalitions
• Represents the organization at high-level meetings and conferences
• Builds strategic alliances to advance shared policy objectives

Qualifications:

• 8-10 years of relevant experience in federal affairs, voting rights, or related fields
• Bachelor’s degree required in law, public policy, or related field; advanced degree strongly preferred
• Demonstrated interest in FairVote's core strategic priorities issue areas and a strong commitment to FairVote's mission and values
• Proven track record of successful advocacy at the federal level
• Thorough knowledge of the legislative process, outstanding political judgment, and commitment to work across the political spectrum for FairVote reforms
• Demonstrated understanding of voting rights issues and the democracy space
• Strong coalition-building and relationship management skills
• Excellence in strategic planning and execution with demonstrated ability to prioritize work tasks and effective leadership of federal level initiatives (including strategic budget planning)
• Strong track record of using data and research to drive strategic decisions and measure impact
• Experience managing staff and complex projects
• Excellent interpersonal skills and team-building experience
• Excellence in working in cross-partisan and nonpartisan spaces
• Excellent writing, editing, and communications skills.
• Excellent public speaking/presentation skills
• Demonstrated ability to synthesize legislative and regulatory developments and deploy effective engagement and communication strategies around them for desired outcomes
• Self-motivated, creative, organized, and deeply committed to personal and organizational excellence
• Ability to appreciate and contribute to a work environment that values integrity, adaptability, reliability, collaboration, equity and a commitment to learning

LOCATION

FairVote is based in Silver Spring, MD. While FairVote staff follow a remote/voluntary hybrid schedule, this position requires regular in-person engagement with Hill staffers and regular travel to Silver Spring, MD; as a result, candidates must live within a commutable distance of our Silver Spring, MD office.

SALARY & BENEFITS

This is a full-time, exempt position. FairVote offers a competitive benefits package for all full-time employees. The starting salary for this position ranges from $135,000 to $154,000; a higher salary range is possible for candidates who exceed qualifications.

HOW TO APPLY

A Cover Letter and Resume are required to consider an application complete. Applications should be submitted using this link and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Unfortunately, due to the volume of applications, we will not acknowledge receipt of all submissions. Please, no phone calls.

FairVote is an equal-opportunity employer committed to maintaining a non-discriminatory work environment. FairVote places a high value on fostering an inclusive workplace, and we are committed to building a team as diverse as the American people. We do not make hiring or advancement, or other employment decisions based on race, religion, gender, gender identity & expression, sexual orientation, political affiliation, pregnancy, disability, or any other status protected by law. Individuals from across all spectrums who are passionate about fixing our broken political system are strongly encouraged to apply.