Finance & Compliance Manager

The Challenge and Opportunity

The Institute for Responsive Government helps policymakers find solutions that make government more efficient, accessible, and responsive to the needs of real human beings. We start with the mechanics of democracy: our key focus areas include practical pro-voter policies like Automatic Voter Registration and voter-centric election administration, and resource solutions like predictable federal funding to loosen chronic policy problems. Then, we work to make democracy meet its promises. Government should provide customer service and material benefits at every touchpoint—from health benefits to taxes to the DMV. If we choose to come together with our neighbors to make up a democracy, that government must deliver well enough to make us choose participation.

The Organization

Building on a decade of success working in partnership with state political leaders from both parties, lawmakers, NGOs, and academic leaders, the Institute for Responsive Government is a hub for policy and technical experts, organizers, and government officials working together to craft pragmatic, human-centered policies designed to make government more responsive to all of us.

The Person

The Finance and Compliance Manager plays a critical role in managing grants, contracts, and regulatory compliance across both 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) entities. Reporting to the COO and working closely with Finance and Legal teams, this position ensures compliance with legal, financial, and grant-related requirements in a dynamic, advocacy-focused environment.

A strategic partner across departments, this individual helps align funding, programming, and expenditures with applicable laws and organizational goals. Experience supporting educational campaigns, public policy, and multi-state lobbying or campaign ecosystems is highly valued.

Key Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Compliance Oversight & Support
  • Collaborate with the COO, finance, and legal teams to support the operational and compliance needs of affiliated 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations with a multi-state lobbying function, including tracking lobbying-related expenditures.
  • Oversee proper allocation and reporting of shared costs across entities.
  • Design and implement systems to monitor lobbying, political expenditures, and compliance-sensitive activities.
  • Monitor, advise, and train staff and contractors on lobbying restrictions and charitable purpose compliance.
  • Support audits, tax filings, and funder reporting; maintain up-to-date compliance policies.
  • Serve as a resource on legal distinctions between 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and political activities.
  • Keep abreast of changing compliance requirements and proactively update internal policies, processes, and training.
• Grants and Donations
  • • Outgoing Grants:Manage full lifecycle—intake, diligence, agreements, reporting, and closeout.
    • Develop and maintain systems to track grant obligations, timelines, and compliance with IRS and organizational guidelines.
    • Incoming Donations:Track funder requirements and deliverables.
    • Maintain records, ensure proper classification, and collaborate with Development and program staff on proposals, budgets, amendments, and reporting.
• Financial and Contract Management
  • Draft and manage a high volume of contracts with vendors, consultants, and research partners. Create systems to track deliverables, payments, renewal dates, and ensure compliance with 501(c)(3)/501(c)(4) and risk protocols.
  • Act as liaison between internal teams, vendors, and COO/legal counsel to ensure contracts are accurately scoped, executed, and archived.
  • Oversee day-to-day processing of accounts payable and staff travel in coordination with COO and an external accounting firm.
• Cross-Departmental Coordination
  • Foster collaboration across Legal, Finance, Development, and Program teams to support seamless compliance operations.
  • Regularly brief COO and Chief Counsel on risks, status updates, and process improvements.
  • Lead efforts to build and refine internal infrastructure and systems to manage a growing volume of grants and contracts effectively.

Skills and Qualifications

The Ideal Candidate is:

• Deeply committed to strengthening democracy and thrives in fast-paced, remote environments.
• Proactive, self-directed, and comfortable managing complex projects independently and collaboratively.
• Experienced in nonprofit, advocacy, or campaign settings, especially with C3/C4 structures.
• Skilled in compliance, experience with lobbying disclosures, grant reporting, and cost allocation methods valued.
• Adept at designing or improving systems..
• Discreet, analytical, organized, and an excellent communicator.
• Willing to respond to occasional time-sensitive, after-hours needs.

Preferred Tools & Platforms:

• Google Workspace
• Slack
• Signal
• Asana
• Excel
• Zoom
• Airtable
• Docusign
• Quickbooks Online
• Bill.com

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or certification in nonprofit management/law, finance, or public administration a plus.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in finance, grants, contracts, or compliance management, ideally within a 501(c)(3)/501(c)(4) political, advocacy, or campaign-related environment.

The Tangible Good

We are committed to providing our employees with a competitive, comprehensive benefits program that gives staff and their families the support they need to lead healthy, productive lives. The compensation and benefits package for this role includes:

Compensation

• Annualized salary range of $90,000 - $115,000
• 401(k) program with a 3% employer contribution plus a 3% employer match that is fully vested day one
• Monthly cellphone and wellness stipends

Health and Wellness

• Comprehensive health insurance (medical – platinum PPO, dental, vision) with 100% of premiums fully covered for employees and dependents
• Generous health reimbursement account (HRA) that is 100% employer-paid and is intended to offset co-pay, deductible, and a variety of other health-related expenses incurred by employees and dependents
• Short and long-term disability and a $50K term life/accidental death benefits that are 100% employer paid
• Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) and care navigation assistance, up to 12 free video sessions on Talkspace annually, discounts on services provided through OneMedical and Kindbody

Time-off

• 15 company holidays (including a week long winter break from December 25th through December 31st) and 4 floating holidays
• 20 days of front-loaded vacation time and 10 days of personal leave annually (pro-rated based on start date)
• Reduced Summer Friday schedule.