Senior Associate

~ Through our cutting edge research and our many diverse programs, The Democracy Collaborative works to carry out a vision of a new economic system where shared ownership and control creates more equitable and inclusive outcomes, fosters ecological sustainability, and promotes flourishing democratic and community life.  ~

We are a national leader in equitable, inclusive and sustainable development through our Community Wealth Building Initiative. This initiative sustains a wide range of Advisory, Research and Field Building activities designed to transform the practice of community/economic development in the United States. We also host the Next System Project, ongoing intellectual work designed to connect Community Wealth Building to the larger context of systemic economic transformation.

Position Overview

The Democracy Collaborative, a national research institute creating pathways towards a more democratic economy, seeks a Senior Associate for Next System Communications to help amplify and disseminate our research and analysis around the need for systemic solutions, and to create and tell the stories that can illuminate pathways towards alternative models of ownership and control of the economy.

Reporting to the Director of Communications, and working closely with our Next System Project team, the Senior Associate will be responsible for helping translate a growing body of research on systemic alternatives into accessible and actionable communications products.

Length of position: Two-year commitment (contingent on satisfactory 90-day and annual review) necessary. Position can extend beyond two years by mutual agreement. 

Location: Dupont Circle, Washington DC.

Responsibilities

Duties will include:

• Significant amounts of writing for both internal and external outlets.
• Editorial work to shape and polish work of Next System Project staff and external collaborators.
• Participation in shaping the overall communications strategy for the Next System Project.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate:

• is an excellent writer, capable of quickly and effectively producing quality prose that conveys complex ideas in clear and engaging ways.
• is comfortable writing in multiple registers, able to engage equally well with committed social movements, interested policymakers, and a curious public.
• is able to use evocative storytelling to illuminate the stakes of complex arguments in a compelling way.
• has experience writing for nonspecialist publications (newspapers, magazines, online).
• has excellent editorial skills, with the ability to quickly help others refine and polish their writing.
• thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment in which competing priorities and deadlines have to be managed with grace and diligence.
• understands how to embed self-directed productivity within a larger organizational framework for collaborative action.
• is able to quickly immerse themselves in unfamiliar subject material in order to distill key points of interest and action.
• can quickly iterate to refine strategies and styles for maximum impact, without getting stuck in attachments to approaches that fail to deliver results.
• is comfortable navigating the tonal contradictions that surface when trying to take radical, system-changing ideas to mainstream scale with diverse sets of stakeholders and supporters.
• approaches work with a sense of professional responsibility and friendly camaraderie.
• enjoys working on a team and is ready to make that team stronger by helping where needed.   
• has a personal and intellectual commitment to the project of imagining and fighting for systemic economic alternatives to our current capitalist system.

Beyond these requirements, we are especially excited about a candidate who:

• has more than passing familiarity with key debates around heterodox political economies and alternative economic institutions.
• is specifically excited about an agenda for systemic change that centers a transition to plural forms of socialized ownership.
• understands both the power of ideas to inspire movements and the need for social movements to turn ideas into reality.
• has experience with or enthusiasm for new forms of interactive and multimedia storytelling.
• sees policymakers and organizers as natural audiences to be influenced through their work.
• wants to take on the challenge of helping build a far larger audience and platform for the work of the Next System Project.  
• is excited to help a growing organization scale effectively, and ready to take on new responsibilities and roles as this happens.

Compensation: Salary is no less than $57,500/year and is otherwise commensurate with experience and qualifications.  Job includes a generous benefits package including health care, three weeks of paid vacation per year, year-end paid time off from 12/25-1/1, cell phone subsidy, and an employer contribution to a 403(b) retirement plan.

To Apply

• Please click "Apply" below to email your résumé/CV with references, a detailed cover letter regarding your interest in the work of The Democracy Collaborative and The Next System Project, together with a portfolio of relevant writing samples.
• Be sure to type “Next System Communications” in the subject line.
• Please note that due to the volume of applications we receive, we cannot respond to every applicant.
• No phone calls please.
• We will contact all candidates who qualify for first-round interviews, and will be accepting applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

The Democracy Collaborative is an Equal Opportunity Employer—people of color, immigrants, people with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply; we are committed to a diverse workplace, and to supporting our staff with ongoing career development opportunities.