Civil Service Fellows Deputy Program Director

Position Summary:

Are you a strong program manager with a passion for strengthening, supporting, and advocating for a vibrant, capable, and independent civil service? If so, Democracy Forward Foundation (“Democracy Forward”) is hiring a Civil Service Fellows Deputy Program Director to join our team. The Civil Service Fellows Deputy Program Director (“Deputy Director”) will support management and oversight of the Civil Service Fellows Program -  a flagship initiative of Civil Service Strong at Democracy Forward. Designed in response to escalating threats to the professional, nonpartisan civil service, the fellowship activates former federal employees as researchers, storytellers, and strategic organizers to build momentum for rebuilding and reforming the federal workforce. The inaugural cohort of fellows will document how attacks on the federal workforce have been felt most acutely by people in America, and they will develop and incubate innovative work to inform future policymaking and to rebuild government capacity.

The Deputy Director will assist with strategic planning for the fellowship, including planning for future cohorts, developing programming to support the Civil Service fellows, and helping focus the fellows’ work on workforce and capacity solutions. They will also contribute to other Civil Service Strong initiatives, including Democracy Works 250

This position is full-time. Democracy Forward’s office is located in Washington, DC. While this position offers flexibility to work remotely, it requires regular in-office presence eight (8) times per month (averaging 2 times per week) to effectively support the nature of the role. Remote candidates within the United States will also be considered. If a candidate is outside of the DC area, travel to DC is expected 1-2 times per quarter.

The Deputy Director will report to the Civil Service Fellows Program Director, and will collaborate closely with the entire Civil Service Strong team.

Key Responsibilities:

Below are the key areas of responsibility for this role. The specifics of each responsibility may vary based on the needs of the organization and department.

Program Strategy and Delivery:

• Work with the Director to ensure high quality deliverables from the fellows related to the impacts of dismantling the federal workforce and plans for rebuilding government.
• Collaborate with fellows to ensure they are focusing on workforce and capacity solutions.
• Ensure that fellows are plugging in appropriately in other Democracy Works 250 projects.
• Facilitate connections between fellows and key partners across the Civil Service Strong coalition.
• Help scope, design, and implement plans for the fellows program beyond year 1. 

Program Operations & Coordination:

• Work with the Director on cohort programming to support a positive and supportive experience for the fellows.
• Support operations of the Civil Service Fellows Programs, including invoicing, scheduling, and customer service requests. 
• Help provide structure, accountability, and project management to ensure fellows meet key deadlines and deliverables. 
• Provide, as needed, support to teams within the Foundation on matters for which the employee has particular background or subject matter expertise, including discussing, reviewing, and contributing to litigation strategy, draft legal filings, and other documents.

Qualifications:

We recognize that strong candidates may not meet 100% of the qualifications listed. If you believe you can contribute meaningfully to our team, we encourage you to apply.

• 10+ years of relevant experience in government-wide policy making, talent management, or nonprofit work.
• Direct center of government experience, working in the federal government on workforce issues.
• Strong writing and editing skills with attention to detail.
• Excellent organizational and time management abilities.
• Ability to think at a systems level about how projects and workstreams interact to maximize efficient workflow and process. 
• Passion for public service, good governance, and Democracy Forward’s mission.
• Well-developed collaborative and interpersonal skills including demonstrated self-awareness, commitment to diversity and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Work Environment & Physical Demands:

• This role may require occasional travel for team retreats, conferences, or organizational meetings.
• This role may involve sitting for extended periods and working on a computer. Reasonable accommodations will be provided as needed.

The salary range for this position is $145,000 - $160,000 plus excellent benefits. Compensation is commensurate with experience.