Senior Program Manager, California

Common Cause is seeking a skilled and dynamic Senior Program Manager on Voting Rights and Redistricting to oversee the implementation and coordination of our programmatic and policy initiatives in California. This role will focus on advancing Common Cause’s core policy agenda on voting rights and ensuring that the organization’s strategic objectives are met through effective program management and oversight.

The Senior Program Manager will be responsible for leading programmatic efforts, managing a program associate, and ensuring the alignment of our statewide initiatives regarding voting rights policy, voter protection, election administration, and redistricting. They will also be responsible for policy analysis and development, legislative and administrative advocacy, research, strategic communications, coalition organizing, and public engagement.

This is a full-time role reporting to the Deputy Director of California; it is a remote role based in California, with an expectation of traveling up to two times per quarter statewide.

Responsibilities

Oversee programmatic and policy agenda implementation

• Lead and manage the execution of Common Cause’s state-level programmatic and election reform policy priorities, ensuring alignment with the organization’s mission and goals
• Oversee the development, coordination, and delivery of programmatic activities, including advocacy initiatives, education campaigns, election protection, and other high-priority projects
• Collaborate closely with the Legislative Director to ensure the programmatic goals align with legislative strategies and priorities, maintaining a cohesive approach to policy impact
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of voting rights initiatives and election administration, making adjustments as needed to achieve desired outcomes and ensure continuous improvement
• Lead the development of program plans, ensuring that timelines, milestones, and deliverables are met efficiently and effectively
• Provide strategic guidance and input on voting rights and redistricting policy issues, helping shape the organization’s policy proposals and advocacy strategies at the state level

Team management and staff oversight

• Manage the Program Associate to support their career progression and retention at Common Cause and provide guidance on election protection activities collaboratively through goal setting, coaching, and developing them towards these goals.
• Supervise temporary staff, consultants, volunteers, and interns as needed, in accordance with Common Cause management standards, practices, and procedures
• Manage and delegate work to members of the organizing team to ensure team-wide goals are met

Collaboration and stakeholder engagement

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including community organizations, coalition partners, decision-makers, and advocacy groups in California to advance programmatic and policy goals.
• Work closely with other teams, including communications, development, and advocacy, to coordinate cross-functional efforts in support of Common Cause’s mission.
• Represent California Common Cause in coalition meetings, public forums, and events, ensuring that program objectives are clearly communicated and aligned with broader advocacy efforts.
• Collaborate with external partners to amplify programmatic initiatives and maximize the impact of Common Cause’s efforts.

Program and Policy Research and Analysis

• Oversee policy research and analysis efforts to ensure that program initiatives are informed by up-to-date and accurate data.
• Collaborate with the Legislative Director and other team members to monitor and assess legislative developments, identifying trends, opportunities, and challenges relevant to the program’s objectives.
• Help draft policy reports, issue briefs, and other documents that communicate findings and recommendations to key stakeholders, including the public, policymakers, and partners.

Fundraising and Resource Support

• Support fundraising efforts by identifying and pursuing opportunities for grants, donor support, and other resources to sustain programmatic efforts.
• Collaborate with the development team to ensure that program outcomes and needs are effectively communicated to potential funders and donors.
• Manage the program budget, ensuring the responsible allocation and use of resources to meet program goals.

Support with Administrative and Logistical Tasks

• Oversee the logistical and administrative aspects of program implementation, including meeting coordination, event planning, and preparing materials for stakeholders.
• Ensure that the program team has the resources and support necessary to carry out their work effectively.
• Maintain accurate records of program activities and outcomes, providing regular reports to the Executive Director and other senior leadership.

Other Duties as Assigned

• Take on additional responsibilities as needed to support the success of the program and the broader organizational goals of Common Cause

Qualifications

You will thrive in this role if you have:

• A strong commitment to Common Cause’s nonpartisan mission and to advancing civil rights through our pro-democracy agenda
• A commitment to equity in the goals of your work and in how you work with others
• Openness to feedback and awareness of your own strengths and areas for growth
• An ability to build rapport, trust, and credibility with multiple stakeholders with diverse interests, with a track record of working collaboratively with others, navigating organizational and power dynamics to meet common goals, and respectfully navigating conflict while maintaining your values
• Innovative and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to navigate through ambiguity to achieve goals, and a resourceful approach to solve problems
• Ability to manage and meet deadlines for multiple short- and long-term priorities at once, with high attention to detail; strong organization skills, and the ability to manage your time independently
• Ability to compel action through both written and verbal communication, including distilling complex concepts for a broad audience, and to differentiate communications as needed for various audiences
• Working knowledge and proficiency with social media tools including Facebook and Twitter; proficient with Microsoft Office.
• Familiarity with office productivity tools including Microsoft Office, Slack, and Zoom

The following is required:

• Have led successful local- or state-level public advocacy campaigns related to democracy, elections, voting rights and civil rights, including creating and managing campaign or annual plans, from conception through implementation and completion
• Demonstrated experience with the California’s legislative process, including policy research and analysis, policy development, legislative drafting, legislative advocacy and lobbying, and policy implementation
• Have managed coalitions or groups that represent stakeholders with diverse interests to achieve a goal, as well as a demonstrated knowledge of funders and decision-makers at the state level, with a preference for candidates who have existing relationships with these people and organizations
• Have managed at least one staff member, intern and/or fellow
• Willing to have a social media presence on behalf of Common Cause, including being tagged on posts and creating content on behalf of the organization (as needed, Common Cause may provide accounts for staff members to use)
• Ability to travel 1-2 times per year for team and/or all staff retreats
• Ability to work in-person at various locations around the state up to two times per quarter.
• Per our nonpartisan policy, Common Cause staff members may not currently be in elected office (or running for office); on the Steering Committee or Finance Committee for any political candidate; or affiliated with the leadership of a political party

In order to ensure greater equity and transparency as an organization, Common Cause sets salary ranges consistently based on job responsibilities, and we determine salary for each staff member based on relevant years of experience (you can read more about our approach to compensation here, including where we offer geographical adjustments). For these reasons, we do not negotiate on our salary ranges, or our specific salary offers.

In addition to salary, we also offer a generous benefits package, including:

• A robust healthcare plan that covers 97% of employee’s medical care, 100% of employee’s vision and dental benefits, and 75% of family medical care and 100% of family vision and dental benefits
• Long-term disability and life insurance
• Generous Paid Time Off including 20 Days of Vacation and 10 observed Holidays per year, and additional days off for Thanksgiving and Winter break
• 16 weeks of paid parental leave
• Flexible spending accounts
• A 401k retirement savings plan, with immediate Employer Match
• Dependent Care and Pet Care Support when you travel for work
• Funds for professional development

And more! See more details here: https://www.commoncause.org/our-benefits/