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Director, Effective and Accountable Government Program

We are no longer accepting applications for this position.

Founded in 1981 in partnership with whistleblowers, the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) is a nonpartisan independent watchdog that works to expose waste, corruption, abuse of power, and other instances where the government fails to serve the public. We champion reforms to achieve a more effective, ethical, and accountable federal government that safeguards constitutional principles. POGO has an over $7 million annual budget that supports a staff of over 50 employees.

POGO’s Effective and Accountable Government Program (EAGP) is looking for a talented Director to set legislative and strategic priorities and to develop and execute strategy to promote organizational interest with Congress and the executive branch. The Director supervises the EAGP team and works closely with other projects and programs to develop advocacy solutions and strategies to correct systemic problems. The Director reports to the Vice President of Policy and Government Affairs.

We encourage potential applicants to apply even if they only have experience or familiarity in some of the areas described below. We fully recognize that many great candidates will not have experience in all of the areas we list, or may have relevant experiences and skills that we have not listed or considered.

Responsibilities include:

  • Oversee the development of POGO’s policy recommendations, priorities, and advocacy campaigns. This includes directing and assisting the EAGP members to manage a fast-changing environment, set short-term and long-term policy objectives, promoting POGO recommendations, identifying key civil society allies and opponents, identifying targets for advocacy (either on Capitol Hill, in Executive Branch agencies, or in civil society), setting up advocacy meetings, distributing POGO’s investigative and analytical pieces to relevant offices, and recording the progress of advocacy campaigns.
  • Manage and provide support to day-to-day EAGP operations to accomplish approved objectives and organizational priorities.
  • Actively participate in internal organizational operations, reporting, and decision making.
  • Provide the organization with recommendations about what POGO’s public positions should be on legislation and executive branch programs and initiatives.
  • Keeping track of all POGO’s policy positions, this includes but is not limited to ensuring all public endorsement or opposition are consistent with POGO’s latest organizational positions and fit within POGO’s mission and nonpartisanship.
  • Represent POGO consistently with POGO’s mission at high level meetings with Executive Branch officials, congressional staff, and civil society.
  • Oversee the organization-wide analysis of legislative text to determine whether POGO should offer an organizational endorsement.
  • Disseminate POGO’s work to congressional offices and various coalitions and listservs POGO participates in.
  • Independently identify executive branch policy makers relevant to subject matter portfolio and identify opportunities to strategically engage in direct advocacy with those executive offices.
  • Write public facing statements of policy positions, such as testimony, letters, analysis pieces, and public comments to government offices.
  • Work with print, radio, and television media to discuss and advocate for policy reforms on organizational issues.
  • Work with congressional staff to draft hearing questions, oversight letters, and legislative text.
  • Coordinate with CDI, TCP, civic engagement, and POGO’s investigators on organizational priorities and policy solutions.
  • Support the development team in writing grants, developing programmatic goals, and communicating with donors and POGO supporters.
  • Support the communications team in identifying opportunities for public engagement on POGO’s policy work as well as the appropriate framing for that engagement, specifically taking the political landscape and POGO’s nonpartisanship into consideration.
  • Other duties as required to accomplish POGO’s mission.

Qualifications include:

  • Minimum of five years of experience in the government, nonprofit, or advocacy space – or demonstrated equivalent experience.
  • Minimum of three years of experience managing a team – or demonstrated equivalent experience.
  • A strong working knowledge of congressional and/or administrative procedures.
  • Outstanding written and verbal communication skills including writing clearly, organizing information in a compelling manner and making effective arguments. Written work includes public facing statements of policy positions, letters to policy makers, letters to senior government officials, or Congressional testimony.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively work on internal teams, across external organizations and independently when necessary.
  • Must have the ability to think critically about and apply POGO’s previous work/policy positions to new issue areas, with an eye toward identifying the system reform angle.
  • Strong focus on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
  • Dealing with confidential information and/or issues using discretion and judgment for sources, methods, and advocacy.
  • Must be able to respond to urgent matters during evenings/nights/weekend occasionally as required.
  • Sound judgement in handling sensitive and confidential matters.
  • Demonstrated commitment to working in a nonpartisan manner with diverse stakeholders and policy makers.
  • Demonstrated commitment to creating, maintaining, and otherwise fostering an inclusive work environment.
  • (+) Congressional experience preferred

Compensation, benefits, and other information:

Candidate must be located in the DC area or available to travel regularly to DC for in person meetings on the Hill, with executive branch officials, and with other stakeholders in and around the DC area when needed.

This is a full-time position and includes the listed benefits.

  • Competitive nonprofit salary starting at $90K
  • Health, dental, and vision insurance
  • 403(b) employee investment plan available, with employer retirement contribution through a SEP IRA once eligible
  • Life insurance and long-term disability coverage
  • Metro SmarTrip benefits participation available
  • Paid holiday, vacation, and sick leave

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