Associate, Just & Inclusive Society

Democracy Fund is seeking a highly motivated and skilled Program Associate to support the work of the Just & Inclusive Society (JIS) program. The JIS program supports organizations, networks, and field-builders that dare to reimagine what American society could look like, and that stare down the most daunting challenges our democracy faces over the next several decades. We support diverse organizations and communities to work together to center everyday people, especially those that have been historically marginalized or excluded from participation and power, to lead and shape the pro-democracy social movements needed to achieve an inclusive, multi-racial democracy that is open, just, resilient, and trustworthy. We do this through support for community organizing, movement-building, and cultivating ecosystems and networks committed to our vision. 

This position involves working closely with colleagues to implement JIS’ grantmaking strategy, building close relationships with grantees, grantmaking, and project management. It provides a unique opportunity for a detailed and creative thinker, committed to improving our democracy. 

The ideal candidate will have a high level of curiosity, integrity, and an interest in civil and human rights, racial and gender justice, community organizing, and innovative approaches to pro-democracy movement building. We are looking for an organized, collaborative, and goal-oriented individual who can take a step back and connect details across our larger vision. 

The program Associate will report to the Associate Director, and will also support the work of Democracy Fund Voice, a separate social welfare organization.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Associate’s primary responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, the following:  

GRANT MAKING, COORDINATION, AND CAPACITY BUILDING 

• Review grant application materials. Conduct and document strategic alignment for program, financial, and legal due diligence for grants, sponsorships, and amendments, applying a racial and gender justice analysis to the work.
• Prepare grant, sponsorship, and amendment agreements.
• Compile and analyze grant and portfolio data that can be used for internal portfolio reviews, board meetings, and Democracy Fund’s annual tax return and audit.
• Serve as a main point of contact for a portfolio of grantees as a relationship manager as well as to provide support in using the organizational grants management system.
• Engage with grantees via remote meetings, site visits, and other evaluation efforts—supporting Democracy Fund’s responsibility as stewards of financial resources and providing strategic thought partnership to grantees.
• Monitor grantee developments and track impact metrics.
• Complete other administrative grantmaking projects and duties, as requested by the Program Director and Associate Director.
• Contribute actively to organizational strategy, impact, and learning activities—drawing from field engagement, relationships with grantees, and coordination with peers in philanthropy. 
• Support and/or design convenings critical to building the fields and networks necessary to advance grantee priorities and advance toward the vision of an inclusive, multi-racial democracy. 

TEAM MEMBER 

• Team player with the ability to build strong relationships and work collaboratively.
• Contribute to a team culture that values integrity, interpersonal respect, solutions orientation, and transparency.
• Ability to work effectively cross-functionally and creatively solve problems.
• Actively work to support the success of the entire Democracy Fund team through the development of shared goals and priorities.
• Promote a team culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and quality.
• Embrace the importance of organizational citizenship and is a willing and enthusiastic participant in relevant internal working groups and organization-wide activities.
• Understand the needs of a hybrid organization, and will adapt to the norms of the team and evolving needs of the organization.
• Embody curiosity, good humor, initiative, and humility.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, & SKILLS REQUIREMENTS

• Deep passion for strengthening American democracy.
• Three to five years of related work or equivalent experience, including military service, in roles that engaged questions related to multiracial democracy, marginalized communities, racial justice and advocacy, reducing political violence, and/or advancing civil rights.
• Proven analytical and research skills.
• An outstanding work ethic; self-starter, dependable, responsible, with a creative and entrepreneurial mindset.
• Previous grantmaking experience is valued but not necessary. Candidate should be able to analyze and assess organizations and their contributions to the field.
• Willingness to work with leaders, advocates, and media from across the political spectrum.
• 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.
• Works well both independently and as part of a team.
• A sense of humor.
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint and comfortable using online tools for project and contact management.
• Democracy Fund follows a hybrid-remote and in-the-office model, which enables flexibility and meets collaboration needs. New staff must reside in the D.C. Metro area, and all employees are expected in the office several days a month.

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.