Advocacy Manager

Arnold Ventures

Arnold Ventures is a philanthropy whose core objective is to maximize opportunity and minimize injustice. We are dedicated to tackling some of the most pressing problems in the United States. We invest in sustainable change, building it from the ground up based on research, deep thinking, and a strong foundation of evidence. We drive public conversation, craft policy, and inspire action through education and advocacy.

Position Overview

Arnold Ventures’ Advocacy, Communications, and External Affairs team (ACE) aims to effectively position the foundation as a trusted champion for evidence-based, nonpartisan policy solutions to America’s toughest challenges. This includes both communications through original content creation and distribution of our policy priorities, and direct engagement and relationship-building with targeted policy stakeholders.

We are seeking a manager to provide research, analytical, and operational support to our policy and advocacy teams. This individual will work closely with team members on substantive advocacy, communications, and external affairs projects and gain experience in supporting the development and management of high-impact philanthropic projects across Arnold Ventures’ priority issues. The manager will support multiple portfolios, beginning with the Public Finance portfolio. The manager will be based in our Washington, D.C. office and report to the Chief of Staff – Advocacy, Communications, and External Affairs.

Core Responsibilities

• Support the development and execution of strategic advocacy campaigns around the foundation’s policy priorities.
• Conduct due diligence on relevant developments in the field to inform strategy and project development; develop summary memos and other written materials for Arnold Ventures’ Board, Advocacy leadership team, and other individuals in collaboration with relevant team members.
• Develop grant recommendations that align with the Advocacy team’s strategies, including reviewing proposals and advising applicants on scope and budget.
• Facilitate the award, management, and tracking of advocacy grants, which includes working with grantees and partners to develop strategic campaign plans, assist grantees in troubleshooting and overcoming project obstacles, and make strategic connections between partners to facilitate collaboration.
• Coordinate across Advocacy and policy teams to ensure maximum synergy in accomplishing goals.
• Oversee and track multiple issue advocacy campaigns simultaneously across several states and at the federal level.
• Support intra-department connectivity and work collaboratively with other cross-functional teams.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 4–6 years of experience, including positions involving policy advocacy, strategic communications, political campaigns, external affairs, and/or project management.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to research, summarize, and communicate key takeaways to diverse, non-technical audiences and senior executives.
• Strong understanding of federal and state political and policy processes and critical thinking skills.
• Strong strategy development, project management, and organizational skills.

Salary Range

The salary range for this role is $100,000–$130,000.

Benefits Overview

Arnold Ventures is committed to providing a robust and comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees. Our current benefits package includes:

• 100% paid employee premiums for medical, dental, vision, basic life, and short- and long-term disability insurance.
• Flexible spending accounts for eligible healthcare and dependent care expenses.
• 20 days of paid time off and 18 paid holidays, including a winter break from December 24 to January 1.
• A hybrid work policy that includes four days in office and one flexible remote workday.
• A summer schedule with alternating Fridays off from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
• Paid parental leave.
• A 401k retirement savings plan with an employer match, profit-share contribution, and immediate vesting.
• Pre-tax transit benefits.
• A professional development stipend.
• A charitable giving stipend.
• Employee assistance programs.

Our Culture and Core Values

Our culture seeks to inspire and empower our people to innovate and develop bold ideas that will help Arnold Ventures achieve lasting impact. Our core values create an environment that encourages our team to think outside the box, push boundaries, and make meaningful change through our philanthropic efforts.

We are:

• Adaptable and comfortable with ambiguity.
• Intellectually curious, open-minded, objective, humble, collegial, and receptive to feedback.
• Action-oriented with strong self-direction and self-motivation, capable of working on multiple projects simultaneously.
• Confident and collaborative in interactions with team members, external experts, government leaders, and advocates.

Arnold Ventures’ core values reflect who we are as an organization and guide our decision-making:

• Respect for Ourselves & Others
• Audacious Action
• Collaborative Engagement
• Depth of Thought
• Clear Communication

Diversity and Inclusion

Arnold Ventures is an equal opportunity employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace.

All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, military/veteran status, or any basis prohibited by applicable law.

We acknowledge the importance of diverse perspectives and are committed to employing individuals from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. Members of historically marginalized communities and candidates impacted by the systems we seek to change are strongly encouraged to apply.

Click here to apply!