Director

JOB TITLE:                   Director
PROGRAM:                  Elections & Redistricting
LOCATION:                  Denver-Hybrid
SALARY:                      $126,529 annually
STATUS:                       Full-time

ABOUT NCSL:
Are you ready to join an organization with an extraordinary mission? The National Conference of State Legislatures offers careers where you can use your skills, knowledge, and experience to truly make a difference. NCSL’s mission is purposeful – strengthening the legislative institution. From informing effective policies and promoting communication among state legislatures, to ensuring states have a strong, cohesive voice in the federal system, our team works in service of legislatures. And, with a commitment to constantly innovating all resources and services to meet the evolving needs of members, NCSL has earned the reputation as the nation’s most trusted bipartisan membership organization for legislators and legislative staff. Our success serving NCSL members relies on our team of passionate, dedicated professionals who work diligently to strengthen the legislative institution. Join our team and contribute to this unique, essential mission. NCSL has a flexible remote work policy.  Building and maintaining our organizational culture is critical and we do so by bringing staff together, in person, for four consecutive days each month.  The remote work policy provides the freedom to work from anywhere with the requirement that staff travel on their own fare to the NCSL office once a month for team meetings and professional development. 

ABOUT THE ROLE:
NCSL is seeking a director for the Elections and Redistricting housed within the State Policy Research Division of our Denver Office. The Elections and Redistricting program is a group of motivated, fun and flexible people dedicated to tracking state policy developments, strengthening their expertise on evolving topics, sharing evidence-based information with state legislators, legislative staff and other audiences, and supporting state legislators, staff and the legislative institution. 

You will oversee a portfolio of topics that include elections, redistricting, campaign finance, initiative and referendum, ethics and state politics. Your responsibilities will include administering and directing all activities and personnel, supporting NCSL's positive organizational culture, seeking growth and development of your staff, overseeing budgets, fundraising and development, establishing program priorities, and ensuring high quality work. All work completed by NCSL, and by extension the Elections and Redistricting program, is nonpartisan and does not advocate for any policy outcomes. 

You will leverage your relationship building skills to maintain and cultivate the program and use your legislative, policy issues and management expertise to oversee important services to NCSL’s members and others. In this nonpartisan and non-advocacy role, the ideal director must have a deep passion for NCSL’s mission to strengthen state legislatures, and experience in directing and managing multiple people and projects. This position reports to the vice president of state policy research.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

• Establish the Elections and Redistricting program’s vision, plans and priorities, develop and manage project budgets, allocate resources, and assign staff to carry out project activities to meet NCSL's mission and best serve its members.

• Manage and mentor your staff, including planning for their professional growth and development. Ensure consistent and positive communication with your team and colleagues across the organization to build and maintain strong professional relationships.
• Organize, plan, manage and coordinate work across multiple projects, activities and funding streams.
• Manage, oversee or complete research and related writing tasks, testimony, training and presentations, often involving careful interpretation of political nuances. (This is NOT a scientific research position.) 
• Review, edit, and critique the substance and quality of related products created by staff.
• Manage or coordinate planning of meetings, seminars and technical assistance efforts, generally requiring astute political judgment, a high degree of responsiveness to constituents and an understanding of organizational priorities and concerns.
• Establish and ensure quality standards and contract specifications are met for all products and services, such as publications, presentations, meeting agendas and technical assistance.
• Develop and implement communication strategies in collaboration with NCSL's Communications team for disseminating and raising the visibility of the program, NCSL's products related to elections and redistricting and NCSL's mission.
• Develop and direct fundraising efforts and personally handle the most sensitive negotiations and high-level contacts with potential and current funders to carry out project activities and functions. 
• Collaborate with other NCSL programs and external partners to develop innovative projects.
• Develop and nurture an extensive network of relationships with legislators, legislative staff, and subject matter experts from academic and non-profit institutions, public- and private-sector partners and interest groups.
• Inform senior management on programmatic and administrative matters.
• Travel domestically for meetings, technical assistance, and other project activities as needed.
• Perform other responsibilities as needed.

SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE:
Supervisor/Management Responsibilities:
As a leader in the organization, you will supervise, support and coach your staff as well as cultivate leadership and management skills among supervisory staff on your team. In addition, you will:

• Recruit, interview, hire and train new staff.
• Oversee the workflow of individual team members and the program overall.
• Provide constructive and timely performance evaluations.
• Provide employees the opportunity for ongoing professional development within the assigned topic areas.
• Handle discipline and termination of employees in accordance with organization policy.

THE WORK ENVIRONMENT: This full-time position is mostly performed in an office environment, on or off-site, with prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. NCSL provides a unique hybrid remote work policy with the requirement that staff travel on their own fare to the NCSL office once a month for team meetings and professional development. Employees routinely use standard office equipment such as laptops, printers, scanners, copy machines, and smartphones. Occasional travel by airplane, including overnights and weekends, is required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR SUCCESS:
Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree.
• Ten years of work experience with state legislatures, government, public policy or other relevant field.
  • Including five or more years of increasingly responsible leadership and supervisory roles that include oversight of multiple functions, strategic planning, budget and grant development, personnel management, team building and program development.
  • At least five years of experience supervising or managing others. Excellence in staff supervision and development (i.e., delegating, supervising, evaluating work and coaching).
  • At least four years of fundraising, grant management, budget management and/or funder/partner relations.
• Substantial knowledge and expertise in elections, redistricting, campaign finance, initiative and referendum, ethics and state politics.
• Exceptional knowledge of state legislative and political processes and the separation of powers between the branches of government.
• Exceptional writing, editing and presentation skills and the ability to communicate information clearly and credibly to a variety of audiences.
• Excellent people and relationship-building skills. Proven ability to function as both a member and leader of the team, and the ability to develop a strong and trustworthy relationship with all internal and external teammates. Excellent ability to build and maintain relationships with legislators, legislative staff, national partner organizations and funders.
• Expertise in managing multiple projects (including budgets) in a fast-paced office environment.
• Ability to work in a politically neutral manner and maintain confidentiality and understand political sensitivities when required.
• Excellence in a wide range of policy and legislative analysis skills, including experience translating and analyzing policy, writing and presenting policy overviews.
• Advanced skills in developing and executing educational/informational products and services for adult learners (i.e., legislators, legislative staff and others).
• Proficiency in developing funding opportunities and grant management, such as project proposal writing and reporting, negotiating new projects, managing public and private grants and maintaining funder relations.
• Ability to travel by air up to 10 times per year, with most trips being 1-3 nights, as well as to occasionally work extended hours, possibly evenings and weekends, usually associated with events/travel.

YOUR BENEFITS AT A GLANCE: 
NCSL has a flexible remote work policy.  Building and maintaining our organizational culture is critical and we do so by bringing staff together, in person, for four days each month.  The remote work policy provides the freedom to work from anywhere with the requirement that staff travel on their own fare to the NCSL office once a month for team meetings and professional development.  We are committed to offering a full range of other benefits for you and your eligible family members, including domestic partners.

Your total compensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. Our outstanding benefits include low-cost health, dental and vision coverage, a 401(a)-retirement plan with 10% contribution after 6 months and full vesting, life & disability insurance, 3-weeks paid vacation with 5+ years of paid full-time work experience, generous time off plans and paid family leave, floating holidays, identity theft protection, employee assistance programs, pet insurance, paid time off to volunteer, and more! Relocation assistance provided for out-of-state candidates.

HOW TO JOIN OUR TEAM:
If you are a purpose-driven, dedicated professional looking to give as much as you get – submit your resume and cover letter by 11:59 PM MT, May 22, 2025 for best consideration. Learn more about working with NCSL by visiting our careers page: https://www.ncsl.org/research/about-state-legislatures/ncsl-careers.aspx. We are looking forward to receiving your application!

NCSL is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to developing a diverse, dynamic team and inclusive workplace. NCSL does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability, or any other status protected by law or regulation.