Arena Careers

Swing Left’s mission is simple: we make it easy for people to maximize their impact on the most competitive elections to help Democrats win. Since launching in 2017, Swing Left’s one million members have raised more than $100 million for Democratic candidates, civic organizations, and voter mobilization efforts, and engaged more than 50 million voters door-to-door, by phone, and through handwritten letters. What makes us different:

• Swing Left is singularly focused on directing grassroots time and money to help Democrats win close races that will determine the balance of power in our government, from the White House to key state houses.
• We use data and technology to increase volunteer and donor impact by driving the right resources to the right campaigns, at the right time.
• We put people first, delivering a member experience focused on strategic action, not noise—no spam emails, texts, or doomsday messaging.

About Vote Forward

Vote Forward is a nonpartisan organization that helps grassroots volunteers turn out citizens from underrepresented communities and encourage active participation in our democracy through high-impact voter engagement tactics. Since 2018, more than 250,000 grassroots volunteers have used the Vote Forward platform to send handwritten letters to more than 40 million prospective voters to encourage them to register to vote and turn out for elections. Vote Forward is affiliated with Swing Left.

Job Summary

The Managing Director (MD) oversees the day-to-day work of Swing Left and Vote Forward to ensure we meet our organizational goals and maximize our impact. The MD directly manages the members of the senior leadership team and oversees cross-cutting organizational processes, all in service of effective internal alignment, culture, and decision-making. The MD reports to, and works in close partnership with, the Executive Director, with whom the MD develops strategic priorities and agrees on major plans and initiatives.

Although exact duties are varied and may evolve over time, the Managing Director will be responsible for the following:

Oversee the leadership team to set goals and drive work in alignment with strategic priorities

• In collaboration with the Executive Director, set high level strategic direction, priorities, and organizational objectives

• Lead strategic planning and goal setting processes across teams, bringing helpful perspective, smart questions, and substantive insight that advances team members’ thinking;

• Ensure we track org-wide progress-to-goals and adjust our approach as needed;

• Directly supervise senior leaders*, steering and supporting them to lead and execute against ambitious aims in their areas of responsibility*Direct reports currently include leaders of the following areas of work, though this list may evolve: digital and communications, engineering and product, operations, political, and program (organizing, mobilization, and research / direct voter contact) Hold direct reports accountable for managing their teams to ensure deliverables are met Lead the evolution of our organizational structure Hire new team leaders when we have vacancies

• Act as a vital link between the Executive Director, senior leadership, and staff

Build and implement cross-cutting processes and a powerful culture

• Ensure feedback and learning occurs across all levels of the organization so that we constantly improve
• Lead the development and implementation of systems and processes that ensure streamlined, collaborative, efficient, and effective work across the organization; unstick issues and remove blockers to keep work moving forward
• Model excellent project management and execution skills
• Inculcate an internal culture rooted in impact, innovation, ambition, and constant learning
• Lead the ongoing development and implementation of organizational DEI objectives and initiatives, ensuring this work is layered into strategic planning and goal-setting
• Oversee organizational strategies and programs for staff engagement, effectiveness, development, and retention

Serve as an effective ambassador of the organization

• Interact with members of our board and other external constituents, helping to build their enthusiasm in our work
• Act as a magnet for talent, drawing in top-notch and diverse talent who want to work here
• Occasionally represent Swing Left and Vote Forward externally

Qualities of the Ideal Candidate

We are looking for a highly effective manager of people, process, and execution who can lead our teams by bringing substantive insight to their work. The right candidate can operate well at everything from high-level strategy development to the nitty-gritty of creating clear agendas and running effective meetings. They are impact-driven, a strong strategic thinker, an excellent communicator (up, across, and down), and an excellent project manager who knows how to unstick issues, ask the right questions, and help solve problems.

More specifically, we seek someone who brings:

Mission and Culture Alignment

• A strong interest in and understanding of Swing Left and Vote Forward’s missions and values
• Excitement about joining and fostering a culture rooted in impact, innovation, and ambition
• Comfort managing to ambitious goals and high expectations for performance; demonstrates and inspires accountability
• Commitment to equity and belonging across all identities, including but not limited to race, gender, sexual orientation, age, and ability; ability to hear, reflect, act on, and learn from feedback related to identity and equity
• Comfort with giving and receiving direct feedback and fostering a culture that prioritizes direct communication and constant learning; models openness, honesty, and directness, providing constructive feedback, expressing concerns without hesitation, and leading with a coaching and learning mindset

Leadership Skills and Experience

• Significant management experience, including in senior roles responsible for overseeing large bodies of work and ideally multiple functional areas and directly supervising other team or department heads
• Success building a high-performance, impact-driven, highly collaborative team culture
• Expertise in electoral and voter engagement programs
• Experience improving organizational systems and leading teams to implement them effectively and efficiently
• Able to engage multiple stakeholders and gain buy-in to develop strategy, set goals, and make decisions with a focus on impact; able to align and motivate others to drive work forward
• Ability to oversee functions outside of areas of expertise and ask the right strategic questions
• High degree of self awareness and emotional intelligence, able to bring tact and diplomacy in interacting with staff, board, volunteers, and external partners
• Ability and inclination to partner closely with the Executive Director across all areas of our work

Judgement, Adaptability, and Problem-Solving

• Quickly diagnoses problems, foresees potential issues, and develops strong solutions
• Grasps the subtleties of complex issues and identify patterns in challenges
• Able to shift plans when necessary, staying nimble and goal-oriented within a rapidly shifting political environment

Essential Baseline Skills

• Exceptional interpersonal and management skills, both in person and in a virtual environment
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively across teams in a virtual workplace
• Familiarity with (or ability to quickly learn) tracking and managing work using project management software (e.g. Asana, Monday, Jira); proficiency in Google Suite, Zoom, Slack, and Excel and/or Google Sheets

Hiring Process

• Submit your application below
• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis
• The priority deadline to apply is January 22, 2025, but applications will be accepted until the posting is closed
• We aim to begin interviews in February at the latest
• We will communicate about our expected timeline as the process progresses, and all candidates will receive communication from our team regarding their application status

Logistics

Compensation:

• The pay range is $183,000 - $193,000/year (starting salary)
• We provide an annual cost of living compensation increase

Benefits for Full-Time Employees:

• Medical, dental and vision insurance: 100% of the premium paid for employees and 50% for dependents
• FSA and Dependent Care FSA accounts
• Employer-paid life insurance and short- and long-term disability insurance
• Retirement plan
• Professional development, remote work and technology stipends
• An unlimited time-off policy + a flexible medical and parental leave policy
• Our office is closed for approximately 25 business days each year

Location and Working Hours:

• This position is a full-time, exempt, and remote position based in the United States. We are an entirely remote team with staff located across the country
• We expect employees to be available for virtual meetings and asynchronous collaboration during our core working hours
• Some travel is expected for this position, including for team retreats and occasional in-person meetings

We are happy to answer any questions you have about our benefits and policies in interviews.

We are an equal-opportunity employer and seek applications from all qualified candidates who are eligible to work in the United States. However, we are not able to sponsor visas at this time. We use E-Verify during onboarding to complete the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification.

We welcome all applicants regardless of age, citizenship, gender identity or expression, national origin, pregnancy status, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other differences.