Overview
Are you committed to living your values through your work? Do you want to help others do the same by starting a career in Democratic politics? Do you love to try new ideas, make mistakes, and figure out the ways to do it better next time?
This is your opportunity to structurally change the talent pipeline for progressive and Democratic organizations while building the long-term power needed for success, not just this year, but for years to come.
In 2019, NDTC launched Staff Academy, a program designed to recruit, train, and connect new leaders to paid career opportunities in Democratic politics across the country. When inviting applicants to join our program, we prioritize leaders who are women, people of color, and trans and nonbinary.
In its third year, Staff Academy aims to graduate 150 new campaign staff who are deeply trained in the essential skills needed to operate in the fields of communications, digital, and fundraising, as well as the underlying management and leadership practices needed to succeed on a campaign. This will be accomplished through a 10-week intensive training program with blended online and weekend capstone training as well as numerous professional development activities.
In 2021, NDTC plans to expand this program to include training for senior leadership roles on campaigns and further development of alumni engagement programming with Staff Academy Graduates. This expansion includes a deeper understanding of the long term impact of our work on retaining and diversifying campaign leadership.
Job Description
The Staff Academy Associate Director will lead NDTC’s Staff Academy program and collaborate with a cross functional team on a regular basis to execute a program that will attract, train, and prepare a diverse and talented group of leaders for paid campaign roles on Democratic campaigns across the country. As the program expands, you will also directly manage a yearly cohort of rising field/organizing directors or campaign managers. To succeed in this role, you will need experience on electoral campaigns as well as project and people management experience.
Responsibilities:
Program Management and Development:
Direct the vision and strategy for executing and continuing to expand NDTC’s Staff Academy program with a particular focus on:Development of a more robust alumni engagement program including continuing education and job search support
Increased training and job search support resources for NDTC’s staff trainee audience in partnership with communications and curriculum teams
Future expansion of Staff Academy training program to include cohorts of field/organizing directors and/or campaign managers
Utilize research, data and analytics, and user feedback to ensure that program is effective and useful for trainees and to guide future additions and updates
Maintain and commit to Staff Academy’s culture of inclusivity, feedback, collaboration, and continuous learning and improvement
Ensure Staff Academy’s curriculum and programming are inclusive of and reflective of the diversity of the Democratic party especially prioritizing the recruitment, retention, and support of leaders who are women, people of color, and transgender and non-binaryIn the past, the Staff Academy team has lived this value by:Intentionally using an equity screening tool to evaluate our external materials and make changes to be more equitable
Thoughtfully requesting demographic information from Staff Academy applicants and holding ourselves accountable to specific disaggregated goals for reaching our prioritized leadership groups
Incorporating identity specific courses, resources, and experiences into Staff Academy to meet the needs of all our cohort members and build strong allies for various communities
With the support of an Operations Manager, develop Staff Academy’s goals, project plan, and budget to ensure the program is appropriately resourced and executed
As the program expands to include training for field/organizing directors and/or campaign managers, directly manage and coach future cohorts of Staff Academy training for senior level roles
Internal and External Leadership:
Demonstrate a commitment to equity and inclusion within NDTC using a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences in regards to race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstance
Manage and coach a team of 3-5 program staff promoting NDTC’s robust culture of excellence and commitment to learning including the establishment of professional development pathways for each team member
Manage a cross-organizational working group to execute the yearly Staff Academy program prioritizing regular collaboration, debrief, and iteration of the training program for continual improvement
Collaborate with political, marketing, communications, and design teams to develop external promotional materials for partners, donors, and potential Staff Academy applicants
Partner with marketing and design teams to ensure seamless integration of both Staff Academy and NDTC’s on demand learning experience for potential political staffers that differentiates the programs and ensures our audience’s needs are appropriately met between the two programs
In partnership with the political team, recruit and maintain relationships with political partners and consultants to facilitate hiring Staff Academy graduates for paid political positions, ongoing development of alumni programming, and increased utilization of NDTC’s training programs at large
Engage as a member of NDTC’s senior leadership team supporting organizational wide priorities including strategic planning, equity and inclusion efforts, and budgeting
Position Requirements:
Political campaign experience in at least two election cycles at the local, state or federal level in a leadership role is required. Applicants with management and/or field strategy experience are preferred.
Demonstrable track record as a people manager with success in managing, developing strong team culture around learning and inclusivity, and inspiring a talented diverse team to achieve excellent results
Experience managing large projects with cross functional teams with successful outcomes
Strong commitment to developing a team and a program that prioritizes the leadership of women, people of color, and transgender and non-binary people
Ability to work some weekends and evenings as necessary during the program (October-March for 2020-2021 program). NDTC works with staff to ensure they have predictable schedules dictated by our program’s design. Regular work schedules will be adjusted and planned to accommodate these regular evening and weekend commitments. It is not the norm, but some weeks, we may need to work over 40 hours to execute Staff Academy. Any time worked above 40 hours will be provided in comped with time off within 2 weeks of the overage.
About NDTC as an Employer
The National Democratic Training Committee (NDTC) is a hybrid PAC that offers free, interactive online and in-person training for Democratic candidates, staff, and leaders. We aim to empower any Democrat who wants to be involved in politics with the tools needed to be successful.
This full-time position will join the Staff Academy team, and reports to the Chief of Staff and Operations.
Due to COVID-19, this position is remote through at least early 2021. NDTC will reopen an office in Chicago, IL when it is safe for us to resume working in an office, traveling, and holding in-person meetings. At that time, this role will be based in Chicago, IL.
NDTC believes that our differences enhance our strength as a political party—and as a nation—and we as an organization benefit from staff of diverse races, ethnic origins, religions, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, economic backgrounds, abilities, and other facets of our identities.
Application Process
Salary is commensurate with experience, with a starting range of $85,000 – $95,000 per year. NDTC offers a strong benefits package including health insurance with the employee premium paid-in-full by NDTC, a 10% employer match on contributions to 401(k), short and long-term disability and life insurance, as well as a flexible paid time off policy. Additionally, NDTC’s offices close for a full week each year during Thanksgiving, final week of December, and first week in January as well as all Federal holidays.
To apply, email your resume in PDF format to allison@traindemocrats.org – subject line “Staff Academy Associate Director.” Instead of a traditional cover letter, please include a PDF with a 1-2 paragraph response describing your style of leadership and approach to managing people and teams. Please also include the date on which you would be available to start. No calls, please.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.