Deputy Director, Democracy 2025 - Democracy Forward Foundation

Democracy Forward Foundation is seeking a Deputy Director for Democracy 2025 to help lead and coordinate a nationwide network of pro-democracy legal initiatives. This role offers the opportunity to shape strategy, support coalition partners, and advance equity and inclusion in the legal field. Ideal candidates will have extensive experience in coalition management, nonprofit leadership, and legal strategy. Read more in the job post below.

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Organization Name:
Democracy Forward Foundation

Role Title:
Deputy Director, Democracy 2025

Employment Type:
Full-Time

Compensation:
$160,000–$180,000 annually, commensurate with experience, plus excellent benefits

Location:
Washington, D.C., United States (hybrid; remote candidates considered with quarterly travel to D.C.)

Link to Apply:
https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/democracyforward/jobs/4821425008?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Position Overview:
Democracy Forward Foundation seeks an experienced attorney and manager to serve as Deputy Director of Democracy 2025. Democracy 2025 is the organization’s infrastructure supporting the pro-democracy legal movement, providing resources, thought leadership, and strategic coordination to over 550 partner organizations.

The Deputy Director will work closely with the Director of Democracy 2025 to manage and support a network of approximately 20 working groups, ensuring meetings are strategically valuable and responsive to emerging legal issues. This role includes supervising team members, improving internal processes, coordinating with coalition partners, and identifying legal resources to strengthen the field.

The ideal candidate is a collaborative leader with deep experience in coalition management, legal strategy, and nonprofit operations, committed to advancing democracy and equity.

Key Responsibilities:

• Coordinate and support the leadership of Democracy 2025’s working groups to maximize strategic impact.
• Develop and improve internal processes to ensure alignment, efficiency, and effectiveness across Democracy 2025 initiatives.
• Track emerging legal issues and guide integration into working group activities.
• Identify opportunities for new working groups based on coalition needs.
• Support the creation of legal resources to empower partner organizations.
• Serve as a thought partner with the Director to supervise and advance all Democracy 2025 workstreams.
• Foster collaboration and trust across internal teams and external partners.
  
  

Qualifications:

• J.D. required.
• 10+ years of professional experience, including 5+ years in people management and 5+ years leading coalitions in nonprofit, union, or movement contexts.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Comfortable leading and influencing in a non-hierarchical structure.
• Strong commitment to democracy, social progress, equity, and inclusivity.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and respond flexibly to emerging challenges.
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Democracy Forward is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds, including people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, women, people with disabilities, and veterans. We welcome candidates with nontraditional career paths or varied experiences in mission-driven legal and policy work.