Chief of Staff

Chief of Staff

The New Foreign Assistance · Washington, D.C. · Full-time

The New Foreign Assistance is a conservative aid reform advocacy group. We believe that the end of USAID creates a unique opportunity to build a better approach to American aid. Stripped of the bureaucratic barnacles that inhibited USAID, the system being created at the State Department can draw on principles of private sector-led development, cost-effectiveness, flexible procurement, and government accountability.

We believe development happens organically by supporting those making change on the ground; not by parachuting in programs designed from behind embassy walls and implemented by outsiders. We support the Trump Administration’s direction of travel on foreign assistance to simplify program design and procurement and use commercial diplomacy to unlock productive bilateral relationships. Our work centers on supporting authorizing and appropriating committees, foreign assistance leadership and staff at the State Department, and relevant White House officials as they work to establish this new approach.

To learn more see: thenewforeignassistance.org

About the role

We seek someone to help build and manage the organization. You will join the Executive Director in working with the Administration, Congress and other advocates to bring a better foreign assistance system into being. You will play the lead role in building the systems, operations and programs necessary to move the organization from startup to maturity. The ideal candidate will be able to pick up threads as they emerge, chase down big opportunities, and discern from what and to what to pivot. The candidate should be tenacious and firmly dedicated to America having an excellent foreign assistance system. That system will take the best of the old system and jettison the rest.

The ideal candidate has the ability to thrive in a startup environment and take on a wide variety of tasks. The right person could have learned these skills in a Hill office, a campaign, a startup, the executive branch, an innovative social enterprise or an established business. We care more about whether you can build, manage, organize, and follow through than whether you have a conventional résumé.

In practice, that means you will:

Build and manage the organization

• Provide strategic advice on expanding organizational impact and the systems needed to do so successfully
• Manage operations, finances, communications
• Manage strategic partnerships

Assist in managing our policy programs

• Help turn policy ideas into white papers, meeting materials, event agendas, follow-up plans, and funder updates
• Pitch initiatives to funders, the State Department and Congress
• Work with other advocacy organizations to build bipartisan support where possible
• Promote a conservative vision for foreign assistance

Build and manage the team

• Run recruitment for full-time employees
• Design and manage onboarding processes for new employees
• Manage employees
• Manage contractors, lobbyists, accountant, and outside counsel

Requirements

You are a builder. The role requires the ability to quickly build an effective organization operating on a variety of fronts. Ideally you have helped build an organization before.

You are detail oriented. The role requires balancing moving fast with moving strategically and appropriately. Experience with non-profit operations, Congress, the State Department and/or lobbying desired.

You are at home in the conservative and Republican policy world. We enthusiastically work with reform-minded Democrats but don’t hide our core conservative values.

You write well and think clearly. AI use is expected and encouraged. Human judgment and polish required.

You don't need to be a foreign assistance expert. Foreign assistance experience is not necessary. Interest in foreign assistance required.

Y ou are comfortable with ambiguity and a small team. The New Foreign Assistance exists to exploit a tight window for policy impact. We plan to staff up over the next 6 months. Comfort with strategic pivots, opportunistic flexibility and rapid decision-making required.

Benefits

$150,000–$180,000 commensurate with experience as well as a full benefits package.

The role is based in Washington, D.C., with in-person work expected several times per week, generally along the Orange Line. Candidates must be able to get to D.C. on short notice. There will not be fixed in-person and work from home days. We are not covering relocation. Regional and international travel is expected to be 10% or less.