Vice President, Civic Engagement

We value diversity and inclusion and are dedicated to growing our teams with people who have diverse experiences, backgrounds, and skills. We are committed to fair and unbiased hiring practices that support equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, ethnicity, gender, national origin, age, abilities, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Role and Responsibilities

Your primary responsibility as Vice President for Civic Engagement will be to grow a portfolio of projects and partnerships to advance ideas42’s mission to achieve a vibrant, multi-racial democracy in the United States that equitably empowers and encourages every person to be civically active. This role provides a pathway to more senior management positions within the organization, as well as more senior roles in the private, public, and non-profit sectors. As a note of transparency, an offer for this position is contingent upon funding

Your responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

• Building a portfolio of projects that design, build, and test products, policies, and processes that use behavioral science to expand who votes, make voting easier, deepen participation in local elections, and build power among underrepresented communities. This includes but is not limited to:

• Leading on the strategy, design, and development of new behaviorally- informed innovations;

• Generating creative and transformative thought leadership on promoting lasting habits of civic participation;

• Establishing and managing partnerships with election offices, civic tech companies, and non-profit voting organizations;

• Designing research plans, tools, and activities;

• Overseeing, guiding, and coaching ideas42 junior teammates in project execution and delivery across multiple projects simultaneously;

• Serving as a main point of contact for project partners and funders;

• Writing proposals for funding to support project work.

• Writing and speaking about ideas42’s work in behavioral science and voting (e.g. writing opinion pieces, presenting at conferences and industry events).

• Actively fostering a collaborative environment and team with all members from the leadership level to all individual contributors.

• Managing the professional development of junior staff.

Qualifications

We are seeking an inquisitive and resourceful individual who is a strong analytical thinker and has an entrepreneurial spirit. You must have a passion for innovation in U.S. voting systems and civic infrastructure, promoting the social good, and the study of human behavior, though prior experience or training in the behavioral sciences or psychology is not required.

Minimum:

• Bachelor’s degree
• 10+ years of full-time professional experience
• 2+ years of managing teams or staff
• Experience in voting and elections, especially with elections administration, community organizing, or voter mobilization
• Substantial client-facing experience
• Substantial project and team management experience: both of managing internal teams and work streams, and managing external implementation partners
• Experience designing, developing, and implementing innovative projects in real-world settings
• Excellent written and verbal communication with a commitment to high-quality output
• Mission-aligned, self-starter, and able to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
• Smart, logical, and structured thinkers, who are also creative
• Available and willing to travel on a flexible schedule as needed (typically less than 25%)

Preferred:

• 2+ years of product management experience
• Past experience developing and launching a new technology

About ideas42

We’re a non-profit looking for deep insights into human behavior—into why people do what they do—and using that knowledge in ways that help improve lives, build better systems, and drive social change. Working globally, we reinvent the practices of institutions, and create better products and policies that can be scaled for maximum impact.

We also teach others, ultimately striving to generate lasting social impact and create a future where the universal application of behavioral science powers a world with optimal health, equitable wealth, and environments and systems that are sustainable and just for all.

We have deep expertise in voter-centric design aimed at making voting easier and more meaningful for all eligible voters in the United States. In 2020, the Voter Innovation Lab at ideas42 worked with Secretaries of State, leading civic nonprofits, and community-based organizations to reach over 50 million people with behavioral solutions that lowered the barriers to voting nationwide.

Across domains, we have been at the forefront of applying behavioral science in the real world. And as we’ve developed our expertise, we’ve helped to define an entire field. Our efforts have so far extended to 40 countries as we’ve partnered with governments, foundations, NGOs, private enterprises, and a wide array of public institutions—in short, anyone who wants to make a positive difference in people’s lives.

Working with Us

We are a culture-first organization where rules or processes do not take precedence – people and their ability to make well-reasoned decisions do. You’ll find that our team members are deeply caring, wicked smart, and both tenacious and rigorous in their work.

Our core values are at the heart of everything at ideas42:

• We live and breathe what we do. We look at everything through a BEHAVIORAL LENS.
• We take OWNERSHIP. We don’t just work at ideas42, we take shared responsibility for it.
• We DO GOOD. We use our expertise to improve millions of lives and create a better world for all.
• We have fun. We let PLAYFULNESS inform the way we work and our approach to the world, helping to drive our creativity and improve our solutions.
• We live with a SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY. We approach our colleagues, partners and people whose lives we seek to improve with an attitude of selflessness and cooperation.
• We are TENACIOUS. We never take the easy route, but push to stretch the limits of what’s possible.
• We are RIGOROUS in how we think and how we tackle problems.

Benefits and Compensation

We hope that you are excited by the opportunity to work with us. We are proud to offer a comprehensive and behaviorally designed benefits package and other perks to support our team and allow us to focus on our work of solving tough social problems.

• Insurance: We offer fully-covered medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance coverage for you and your families. You will never have to pay any out-of-pocket medical expenses.
• 401(k) Match: We contribute 3%, even if you don’t contribute at all.
• Generous Vacation and Paid Time Off: We’ve built infrastructure to encourage our team to rest and recharge throughout the year. Team members accrue 10 sick days per year and 2 vacation days per month, for up to 24 vacation days at a time.
• Paid Parental Leave: Team members can take a total of 12 weeks paid leave during the first year following a birth or adoption.
• Fitness benefit: Team members are reimbursed for fitness-related expenses to $90 per month.
• Compensation: Our compensation is competitive within the non-profit industry.
• Loan Forgiveness: Based on our 501(c)3 status, you are able to receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Application Process Overview

The ideas42 application process has four stages:

• Application: Submit your application and resume
• Case Study: Selected candidates will receive a short assignment, to be completed over approx. 1 week
• First Round Interview: Selected candidates will be invited to interview with an ideas42 program team member
• Final Round Interview: Selected candidates will be invited to interview with an ideas42 senior team member. References will also be requested and contacted during this time.