Minnesota Senior Strategy & Program Director

Organization Overview

America Votes works year-round to build a more representative democracy, strengthen every American's right to vote, and win elections in key states.

America Votes leads a robust, growing coalition of more than 400 progressive organizations across the country, building coordinated plans and executing shared strategies to win elections. America Votes provides a range of services to partners, including strategic planning, advocacy and electoral campaign coordination, data tools and targeting services, and on-the-ground leadership in states.

For more than 20 years, America Votes has been the common link between many of the most influential and impactful issue and membership organizations in the country, serving as the coordination hub of the progressive community. America Votes' work has brought together a wide range of causes and built a unified coalition that has transformed how the progressive community works. Together, America Votes and its partners have engaged communities across the country to act on critical issues – from fighting for working families, to defending reproductive freedom, to protecting the environment, and more – and mobilized millions of voters.

Racial Equity Statement

As a leader of collaborative efforts to mobilize voters, protect voting rights, and win elections, America Votes is committed to advancing racial equity within our organization and across our coalition. We acknowledge the systematic racism that permeates all facets of our society, including the right to vote. America Votes is also engaging with an understanding of the ways gender, sexuality, and other forms of oppression intersect with race and how those relationships impact inequities faced by our staff, our partners, and the communities that we engage in our work.

America Votes strives to model our commitment to racial equity through our internal and external operations, programs, and partnerships. We acknowledge the inequitable structures that continue to exist and are moving forward with a sustained commitment in time, resources, and people to challenge structural racism and work towards creating a reflective organization and democracy.

Position Description

America Votes is seeking a dynamic, collaborative leader with a history of successfully executing issue and electoral campaign programs as well as deep experience building strong partnerships and coalitions to serve as the Minnesota Senior Strategy and Program Director through 2026.

This position is responsible for developing the strategy to advance coalition-wide priorities and managing the execution of coordinated direct voter contact plans in Minnesota. The Senior Director will coordinate strategies between state and national partners to maximize the priorities, resources, and effectiveness of all partners.

The Senior Director will take a strategic, collaborative, and flexible approach to coalition management and leverage immediate political opportunities to service short and long-term strategic priorities.

The ideal candidate will have expertise in electoral field program management, superb interpersonal skills, a demonstrated commitment to racial equity, the ability to foster trust and respect with stakeholders, and the capacity to lead an inclusive, collaborative and diverse coalition of partner organizations. This is a full-time temporary position that ends on December 31, 2026. This is a management position and is not union eligible.

Position Responsibilities

• Strategic planning: Supporting coalition partners and allies through the development of campaign plans (electoral, accountability, issue advocacy, and voting rights campaigns), providing technical and organizing assistance, responding to programmatic requests and participating in long-range strategic planning for the Minnesota progressive movement.
• Work with America Votes partner organizations and stakeholders to design efficient and strategic electoral and voter education plans.
• Responsibility: Work with America Votes' national team to identify in-state funding opportunities to support America Votes' operations and partner-led programs.
• Serve as a liaison between national and state based partners to align resources and strategies. Convene individual coalition partners and the collective table on a regular basis and facilitate discussions, decision making, and other critical work.
• Assist local organizations in identifying resources to build capacity and improve performance, shared strategy, and organization-specific campaign plans.
• Lead the coalition in approaching campaign, electoral, and coalition work through a lens of racial equity.
• Support or develop ongoing programs and legislative advocacy related to election modernization in collaboration with voting rights organizations and advocates.
• Manage the Minnesota staff of America Votes. Manage lobbying contracts and vendors as assigned.
• Play a key role in shaping America Votes strategy for the ongoing engagement and coordination of stakeholders in Minnesota-focused programs.
• Other responsibilities as needed by partners and stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Relationship-building: Enthusiasm for building strong, trusting relationships with a diverse set of partners and allies over the long term; ability to build consensus, negotiate, and strategically disagree within a highly collaborative environment
• 6+ years of electoral and advocacy campaign experience. At least two cycles in leadership for statewide campaign operations and management of campaign staff.
• Expertise in electoral field program management, including outstanding organizing skills and the ability to write, evaluate, and execute winning campaign plans with a strong direct voter contact component. Ideal candidates have experience with ballot initiatives, early voting programs and strategies, and election modernization programs.
• Ability to successfully manage a coalition in a thoughtful, strategic and inclusive manner. Proven track record of leading work through a lens of racial equity.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise excellent political judgment and discretion.
• Demonstrated ability to recognize the strengths of others; to coach, manage, and develop them as professionals; and to exemplify a people-management style that is results-oriented, inclusive, collaborative, and respectful.
• Superb interpersonal skills, with an impressive history of forging strong and positive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders.
• Ability to negotiate, build consensus, resolve conflicts, and strategically disagree.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Experience working with funders, including preparing reports and presentations.
• Ability to understand and synthesize data, using it to inform strategy and problem solve across diverse audiences.
• Willingness to work long and irregular hours campaign style hours and to travel as needed.

Nice to have

• Understanding of the Minnesota political landscape and election administration laws.
• Baseline understanding of campaign finance.

Location

This position is based in Minnesota and is a cycle position through December 2026.

Compensation

The salary for this position will be $110,000 and will depend on the applicant's experience. America Votes offers a competitive benefits package covering 100% of employee medical, dental, & vision insurance premiums, life insurance, long term disability coverage, monthly cell phone reimbursement, personal professional development funds, parental leave, and 401 (K) after four months of continuous service with the organization. America Votes provides a generous paid time off policy with paid vacation, unlimited sick and safe leave, paid personal days, at least 10 Federal paid holidays including Juneteenth, as well as paid organizational time off from at least December 23 to January 1.