Political Director
Political Director
Galvanize USA
Position Title: Political Director
Location: Remote (Washington, D.C. area required)
Reports to: Director of Strategic Partnerships
Hours per week: 40
Overtime Status: Exempt
Position Summary
The Political Director will operate as a senior political strategist and relationship-builder for Galvanize Action—owning how our work translates into electoral impact and unlocking the political partnerships that drive it. This role leads with strategy and high-value relationship development. It also carries the execution to make that strategy real, including internal tracking and reporting, political sensemaking, and partner coordination.
Externally, this person will build and grow high-trust relationships with state-based partners and national organizations—prioritizing new relationship development alongside stewardship of existing ones. They will identify leverage points, unlock political dollars for the electoral outcomes we care about, and ensure Galvanize Action is operating as a credible and strategic actor across the broader movement.
Reporting to the Director of Strategic Partnerships, this person will lead our political strategy and internal sensemaking of Galvanize Action’s unique political lens—connecting our research, content, and programming to clear electoral impact pathways. They will read the landscape and the data well, applying that knowledge to define how we fit within the broader political ecosystem, identify where we can uniquely add value, and ensure our strategies are grounded in the realities of the political landscape.
This role will also own electoral reporting and impact visibility internally, ensuring leadership and cross-functional teams have a clear understanding of where and how our work is driving political outcomes. They will partner closely with digital media, research, and fundraising departments to translate strategy into execution—supporting teams in securing the relationships, resources, and alignment needed to deliver impact at scale.
The ideal candidate is a proven strategist with deep relationships across the political ecosystem—someone who knows the landscape, reads the data, and can use both to open doors and unlock investment. They are equally comfortable charting the path and walking it. They come in ready to hold strategy and execution together.
Responsibilities and Tasks
- Drive electoral strategy across priority geographies ensuring Galvanize Action’s programming is aligned to where it can have the greatest impact on political outcomes
- Build and proactively grow high-trust relationships and lead alignment with key state and national allies that position Galvanize Action as a strategic political partner and ensure our work is integrated into broader movement efforts
- Own internal political sensemaking, translating shifts in the political landscape into clear implications for Galvanize Action’s strategy, programming, communications, and investments
- Monitor and analyze electoral dynamics in real time, providing timely, actionable guidance to Leadership and cross-functional teams to inform decision-making and maximize impact
- Define and operationalize Galvanize Action’s political role in the ecosystem, identifying where we uniquely add value and ensuring our efforts are coordinated, not duplicative
- Lead internal electoral reporting, creating clear, credible visibility into how our work is contributing to political outcomes and ensuring insights are shared across teams
- Partner closely with programs, research, and fundraising to align strategy with execution—supporting teams in securing the resources, partnerships, and positioning needed to deliver impact at scale
- Translate research and program learnings into movement value, ensuring partners receive actionable insights, messaging guidance, and strategic inputs that strengthen collective impact
- Evaluate and prioritize external opportunities through a political impact lens, filtering for alignment, leverage, and return on investment
- Represent Galvanize Action externally in high-level political, strategic, and coalition spaces, bringing credibility, clarity, and a strong point of view
- Build systems to track political impact and partner engagement, using data to guide prioritization, deepen relationships, and scale what works
- Own day-to-day execution as a solo operator to start—including tracking and reporting key political insights, relationship management, and end-to-end electoral reporting for internal and external audiences
- Manage staff and/or cross-functional initiatives, when applicable, to advance electoral strategy and deepen organizational impact
- Miscellaneous
- All employees of Hopewell Fund are required to complete timesheets
- Performs other duties as needed
Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Ability
We are seeking a proven political strategist with deep movement relationships who can also own execution—someone equally strong at charting the path and walking it. You should have:
- 6+ years of relevant experience in political strategy, electoral campaigns (candidate and/or issue), independent expenditure programs, or closely related work (partnerships alone is not sufficient without political strategy experience)
- Strong track record of building new relationships and maintaining existing ones with state partners, national organizations, and coalitions—while maintaining a clear point of view
- A deep commitment to the mission and goals of Galvanize USA and Galvanize Action, including advancing democratic resilience and civic participation
- Demonstrated experience operating in or alongside campaigns, political organizations, or movement infrastructure, with a clear understanding of how electoral impact is actually achieved
- Deep familiarity with the national political and electoral landscape, including key actors, timelines, and power dynamics
- Experience advising senior leadership and contributing to high-stakes strategic decisions in fast-moving political environments
- High confidence with political metrics and evaluation approaches (e.g., persuasion measurement, RCTs, voter file analysis, turnout modeling)
- Demonstrated comfort operating as a solo executor—tracking, reporting, managing relationships, and producing deliverables directly—alongside senior strategic responsibilities, with openness to this balance shifting as the team grows
- Ability to synthesize complex political information into clear, actionable insights for internal teams and cross-functional partners
- Strong project management skills, with the ability to prioritize across multiple high-stakes workstreams, manage ambiguity, and keep work moving forward
- Excellent communication skills, including the ability to translate across audiences (internal teams, political partners, funders) with clarity and credibility
- High level of judgment and discretion, with the ability to assess opportunity cost, risk, and strategic value in real time
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively across lines of difference, with strong multicultural competence and the ability to build trust across diverse partners and stakeholders
- Ability to maintain perspective and composure in high-intensity political environments, including moments of rapid response
- Ability and flexibility to travel up to 25% of the time
Valued and Non-Essential Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Ability
- Experience leading or supporting sizeable and concurrently running national electoral programs
- Experience bridging research, content, and program execution within a political or advocacy organization
- Proficiency in tools such as Google Suite especially Google Sheets, Asana, Airtable, or similar systems used for cross-team coordination and tracking
- This is a remote position. Candidates must be based in the Washington, D.C. area to participate in partner meetings, stakeholder events, and the day-to-day relationship work at the center of this role.
Compensation & Benefits
The starting salary range for this permanent full-time position is $128,000-$143,000. Placement within this band will be determined based on years of prior experience and relevant skills. Galvanize USA also offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families. Employees are able to enroll in a 401k retirement plan and are eligible for a 3% automatic contribution and up to a 3% employer match on 401k contributions. Employees are also eligible for pre-tax transportation benefits and can contribute pre-tax to dependent care and health Flexible Spending Accounts. Employees will receive 120 hours of vacation time, 80 hours of health leave, up to 2 days of casual leave, and 20 hours of volunteer leave annually. Employees will also receive 13 paid holidays throughout the calendar year. Employees are eligible for 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave after 90 days of employment.
How to Apply
Submit a resume and custom application questions. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Applications received by July 19 will be given preference.
Hiring Process
- 45 minute - Initial Interview
- 60 minute - Panel Interview
- 60 minute - Final Interview
About Galvanize USA
Galvanize USA is a nonpartisan civic empowerment program for women who want to help build an America that works for everyone - white, Black, and brown. Women who participate in Galvanize USA programming gain confidence, knowledge, and skills to more fully and authentically engage in civic life. We believe in unlocking the power of every woman to use her political agency to advance progress for all.
The person holding this position will also work part-time for a coordinated project, Galvanize Action, in the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a 501(c)(4) organization, under a resource sharing agreement between the Hopewell Fund and Sixteen Thirty Fund. The responsibilities under that position will be overseen by Sixteen Thirty Fund. Galvanize Action identifies, engages, and moves moderate women in rural, small town, and suburban America to reliably vote for progress. To learn more visit galvanizeaction.org.
Hiring Statement
Galvanize USA is a project of Hopewell Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity that incubates new and innovative public-interest projects and grant-making programs. Hopewell Fund is committed to attracting, developing and retaining exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding and enables each of us to realize our potential. Hopewell Fund’s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.
Hopewell participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with employees’ Form I-9 information to confirm authorization to work in the United States. Job candidates and employees authorized to work may not be discriminated against on the basis of national origin or citizenship status.