Deputy Executive Director

Who We Are:
American Oversight (AO) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit watchdog that advances truth, accountability, and democracy by enforcing the public's right to government records. From the federal Freedom of Information Act to state transparency laws, we file carefully crafted records requests to extract information from the government, and if officials fail to respond as required by law, we take them to court and enforce the public's right to hold our leaders accountable. Since our founding in 2017, we have obtained and published more than one million pages of emails, memos, calendars, text messages, and other records to ensure accountability, expose threats to democracy, and drive significant corrective action at all levels of government.

About the Role: 
Reporting to the Executive Director, AO is seeking a Deputy Executive Director (DED) to join its team. 

The DED is a key member of the leadership team at AO. This role works closely with the Executive Director to design, develop, manage projects, and implement strategy, goals, and objectives to achieve the organization’s mission.

The DED will lead the communications, legal, and research departments by providing day-to-day guidance and support, and serve as a thought partner and resource to the department directors and their respective teams. Additionally, this role will provide strategic insights and vision to each of (and across) these teams while promoting and fostering the highest levels of engagement, collaboration, trust, and inclusion.

What You Will Do:

• Serve as thought partner and strategic advisor to the Executive Director, including standing in for the Executive Director and serving as final decision-maker in the Executive Director’s absence.
• Oversee, provide strategic guidance to, and help advance the work of the legal, research, and communications departments; ensure cross-functional alignment across these teams.  
• Lead, in coordination with the Executive Director and the legal, research, and communications department directors, the setting of strategic priorities and establish goals for the respective departments; ensure the timely completion of department deliverables.
• Lead, in collaboration with the Executive Director and Human Resources department, the hiring, coaching, and management of reporting teams as well as identify and support opportunities for employee learning, development, and growth.  
• In coordination with the Executive Director and partnerships department, develop relationships and sustain regular engagement with external partners, including congressional offices and committees.
• Develop, implement, and institutionalize metrics to track progress of key projects and initiatives within the legal, research, and communication departments.
• Partner with the Director of Human Resources and Operations to ensure high-quality daily operations, including making decisions about the right tools for collaboration and communication.
• In coordination with the Executive Director, maintain compliance with and make recommendations regarding existing and proposed laws and regulations affecting AO operations, programming, and non-profit status. In partnership with outside counsel, consultants, and vendors, ensure adherence to the best practices in the nonprofit sector.
• Serve as a media spokesperson for the organization and represent AO in external working groups or meetings.
• Attend and participate in Board of Directors meetings.
• Promote, foster, and advance the organization’s goals on diversity, equity, and inclusion; lead, engage others, and participate in evolving organizational practices, processes, and programs to be inclusive and equitable.
• Oversee and implement special projects or initiatives as assigned by the Executive Director.

What You Will Bring:

• Juris Doctor degree.
• 10+ years of relevant experience at a similarly sized and structured or mission-aligned organization, including 5+ years of experience working with organizations focused on any of the following: government transparency, government oversight or investigations, democracy protection.
• 5+ years’ experience in effectively managing, developing, and coaching direct reports, including those with senior-level experience.
• Strong understanding of the media landscape in which AO operates with an ability to recognize opportunities for earned media.
• Exercises a high degree of confidentiality and discretion, professionalism, integrity, diplomacy, and ethics.
• High level of attention to detail and follow-through; thrives on delivering excellent results.
• Exceptional skills in the following areas:
  • Project Management: tracks, drives, reports, and engages the necessary stakeholders, tools, resources, and information to produce desired results; ability to move nimbly among a variety of projects with varying timelines.
  • Communication: written, verbal, and listening; manages expectations; understands who the key stakeholders are; curious, asks questions early; anticipates and prepares next steps and outcomes. 
  • Judgment and Decision Making: escalates and addresses concerns/challenges appropriately and in a timely manner.
  • Problem Solving: troubleshoots and surfaces creative solutions to achieve desired outcomes.
  • Collaboration: is an inclusive, highly engaged team player, proactively seeks and provides thought partnership, assistance, and/or resources with/to colleagues.
• Experience working effectively and collaboratively within a fast-paced, agile environment among a diverse employee base that works remotely and is distributed across the United States.
• Experience working in environments with a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. 
• Ability to attend in-person work-related events and functions, and work on-site in AO’s Washington, DC office one to three days per week; may require evening and weekend working hours during critical and/or peak periods.
• Strong technology skills with an aptitude to learn quickly to ramp up on new platforms or technology: Microsoft Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint); Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides); project management platforms (e.g. Asana, Monday, Airtable).

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience working with any of the following: Freedom of Information Act, state open records or open meetings laws.
• Experience with developing or helping to drive short-and long-term communications strategy.
• Experience litigating in state or federal court.

We encourage individuals to apply even if they do not have any of the desired qualifications. 

What We Offer:
AO offers its employees a generous and comprehensive benefits package that includes 80% of health, dental, and vision premiums paid by the organization and a retirement plan with a matching contribution.

Location:
The DED will be based out of our Washington, DC office on a hybrid basis, while working with a primarily remote team. Candidates must be located in or willing to relocate to the Washington, DC area.  

Salary Range:
$220,000 - $245,000 (commensurate with experience)

Timeline: 
Interested applicants are encouraged to apply by April 17, 2024 to ensure consideration of their application. We will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Our Commitment to an Inclusive Workplace:
At AO, we value and strive to hire, develop, and grow a diverse and inclusive team. We are an equal opportunity employer, and encourage applications from all individuals without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local laws. 

We strongly encourage individuals to apply for opportunities at AO even if they do not have any of the desired qualifications.