This is a moment of existential consequence for American democracy. At this juncture Protect Democracy stands as one of the nation’s leading and most respected nonpartisan organizations dedicated to preventing our democracy from further declining into authoritarianism. We are now seeking a courageous, exceptional leader to serve as our Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), leading our work in finance, accounting, risk management and legal, IT, and security—while uplifting and advancing our core culture principles.
Reporting directly to the Executive Director, the CAO is amongst the most senior operational leaders overseeing Protect Democracy’s business operations in service of our mission. This is a unique opportunity for a highly experienced senior leader to drive a transformational operational strategy—maximizing resilient systems, strengthening organizational health, and enabling our team to meet the complex demands of this moment in our democracy’s history.
Our mission is not partisan. We build coalitions of conservatives, moderates, and progressives who put aside politics to defend the principles of democratic government and the rule of law. Critical to this mission is maintaining strong programmatic partnerships, including a Harvard Law School clinic and coalitions with dozens of leading national and local groups and actors.
What makes Protect Democracy so unique is our culture and the diversity of tools at our disposal. In 2023, our team received a Skoll Award for Social Innovation and a MacArthur Fellowship. Our organization is composed of 130 expertswho have served under Democrats and Republicans and in the senior ranks of other nonprofit, political, or media organizations. Our integrated impact strategy includes:
World-class impact litigation team: A nationally recognized legal team inside the organization bringing some of the most complex and high-stakes cases in the country.
Influential legislative, coalitions, & advocacy operation: Drivingpolicy change at the federal and state levels to build more resilient democratic institutions, with a strategy rooted in working across the aisle.
Wholly owned & operated technology and data analytics team: Building cutting-edge software and analytic tools to understand and counter threats to democracy (such as VoteShield).
Strategic media & communications shop: Shaping the narrative landscape and ensuring the public understands the stakes of the current moment, including producing the Authoritarian Playbook.
In-house think tank: Generating groundbreakingresearch and analysis to diagnose and solve the core problems facing our democracy.
Forward-looking agenda for reform: Developing a comprehensive, affirmative visionfor a 21st-century democracy.
Emerging projects: Incubating nascent efforts in areas like expanding the pro-democracy grasstops coalition and AI for Democracy exploration.
Growth-oriented feedback culture: Essential to our organization’s ability to meet the needs of this moment is our unique culture—guided by mission as our north star, we aim to balance collaboration and decisive leadership; excellence and work-life balance; candor and kindness.
The person we are looking for leads with integrity, is driven by operational impact, and is deeply committed to a growth- and feedback-forward culture. This is a role for a leader who knows how to get the very best out of high-performing, mission-driven teams; who can lead with inspiration, clarity, and purpose; and who has the courage to make hard and unpopular decisions when the mission demands it. The Chief Administrative Officer will oversee and directly manage the organization’s legal and finance directors (and through them, staff members across IT, security, compliance, legal, and FP&A), providing strategic leadership, coordination, and support across teams.
At Protect Democracy, we believe that diversity isn’t just a strength—it’s a necessity for tackling the complex challenges facing our country today. A broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences strengthen our ability to analyze problems, craft solutions, and drive meaningful change. We strongly encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds and from across the political and ideological spectrum to apply.
Key Responsibilities
Executive & Operational Leadership
Serve as a core member of the senior leadership team, acting as a strategic partner to the Executive Director and providing decisive leadership across all business operation domains;
Develop and execute a unified operational strategy that aligns IT, security, legal/compliance, and finance to sustain and expand the organization’s impact;
Ensure PD’s infrastructure, systems, and resources are resilient, compliant, and optimized to support programmatic excellence;
Lead a process to innovate workflows with new AI tools to build additional efficiencies that free up team capacity to focus on higher priority needs;
Collaborate with the Executive Director and senior leadership to set organizational priorities; manage enterprise risk; and uphold a culture of accountability, integrity, and security;
Act as the steward of organizational health—balancing ambition with sustainability, ensuring that Protect Democracy’s operational foundation scales in step with its mission.
Organizational Systems, Finance & Risk Management
Safeguard the organization's financial assets by ensuring financial functions—including budgeting, forecasting, reporting and auditing—are transparent, disciplined, and aligned with the org’s strategic long-term goals;
Partner with the finance and development teams to strengthen financial strategy, resource allocation, and compliance with funder and regulatory requirements;
Supervise legal and compliance operations, providing guidance on risk management, governance, insurance, contracts, and compliance frameworks;
Ensure that IT and security systems are world-class—secure, scalable, and prepared to meet our mission—and that the organization maintains the highest standards of data protection, cybersecurity, and physical security;
Continuously improve internal systems, processes, and policies to enhance efficiency, responsiveness, and collaboration across teams.
Team & Organizational Management
Lead, mentor, and empower a high-performing team of operational leaders, fostering a culture of excellence, candid communication, and shared purpose;
Collaborate closely with the Chief People Officer and Director of Partnerships to ensure alignment across org-side workflows;
Build strong cross-functional partnerships that integrate operations seamlessly with programmatic work;
Recruit and develop top-tier operational talent, ensuring the organization’s internal capacity and best practices evolve alongside its growing impact;
Make critical decisions to balance short-term operational needs with long-term strategic priorities;
Champion a learning-oriented, curiosity-led culture where feedback, growth, and continuous improvement are integral to how the organization operates.
Governance, Compliance & External Stewardship
Serve as a trusted advisor to the Executive Director and Board on all operational, legal, and financial matters;
Ensure organizational compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and proactively manage risk across domains;
Represent Protect Democracy externally with key partners, auditors, legal advisors, vendors, and funders to ensure operational alignment with mission and values;
Model ethical leadership and uphold the organization’s reputation for integrity and excellence in all business and legal dealings.
Requirements
The Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is a mission-driven leader who combines operational mastery with strategic vision. You are a systems thinker and a hands-on problem-solver who knows how to build robust, future-ready infrastructures in complex, dynamic environments. You thrive in translating vision into disciplined execution and are known for bringing calm, clarity, and structure to ambitious, fast-moving teams. You are also deeply values-driven—committed to openness, equity, and accountability—and have a steady hand in navigating legal, financial, and operational complexity with integrity and foresight.
More specifically, the CAO brings:
Extensive experience overseeing finance, legal/compliance, and technology functions in a complex, mission-driven organization with both 501(c)(3) and 501 (c)(4) entities;
Sophisticated understanding of risk management, governance, and regulatory frameworks across multiple states; including lobbying and state-based business, charity, and employer registrations;
Proven success in building and scaling operational systems that support organizational growth and impact;
Strong financial acumen, with the ability to connect financial decisions to strategic priorities;
Deep understanding of cybersecurity, data privacy, and information governance;
Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills across all departments and levels of an organization;
Growth mindset and enthusiasm for giving and receiving feedback up, down, and sideways;
Enthusiasm for the possibilities of how new AI tools can add additional improvements and efficiencies that don’t replace existing staff but rather empower them to be more efficient and effective;
A deep commitment to Protect Democracy’s mission and culture, and a clear understanding of the role sound operations play in securing and advancing our democracy’s future.
Compensation
The starting salary range for this role is $214,500-$260,000, commensurate with the candidate’s relevant experience, capabilities and skills and in alignment with internal equity.
About Protect Democracy
*Flexible location. We are a remote-first organization based exclusively in the United States, meaning our staff work within the US and primarily virtually. We also offer shared workspaces for those who enjoy working in an office environment. We are established for remote work in many states across the country, and while candidates based anywhere in the United States are welcome to apply, we may not be able to offer employment in your current location. If you proceed in the hiring process, we will discuss where you currently live and what is possible in our initial interview. All staff are also required to travel at least two times per year to team retreats, and this role may require periodic travel (~1-2 times per month). Accommodations to this requirement will be made only in exceptional circumstances.
Commitment to an inclusive workplace. Protect Democracy is an equal opportunity employer. We believe that a broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences strengthens our ability to analyze problems, craft solutions, and drive meaningful change. Protect Democracy encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.
Phenomenal benefits. Our benefits package includes generous sick leave and a flexible vacation policy where we encourage team members to take 4-5 weeks every year, along with 12 paid holidays, 6 weeks of paid family medical leave, and 18 weeks of paid parental leave. We also offer a 401(k) plan with up to 6% employer match that vests immediately. Additionally, we cover employee medical premiums at 100% (with up to 95% coverage for dependents depending on plan selection), and employee and dependent’s dental/vision at 100%. All employees have access to long-term disability and life insurance, fertility benefits, a home office stipend, and bonuses at the discretion of the Executive Director.
To apply for this position, please complete the application linked below. You will be asked to upload your resume and cover letter as PDFs. Applications missing any of the required materials will be considered incomplete and not reviewed. So long as this posting is live on our site, we are still accepting and reviewing incoming applications.
Important Notes
Contact [email protected] if you require specific accommodations at any point in the hiring process.
Keep an eye on your promotions/spam folders to avoid missed communication.
We are unable to provide status updates for each application we receive. If you reach out and do not hear back, please know it is not for lack of appreciation or interest, but simply for lack of staff capacity to respond to individual inquiries.
The application will include a voluntary EEO survey so that we can monitor the applicant pool as a whole for representation and equal employment opportunities, and to evaluate our progress as an organization toward a diverse and inclusive workforce, which we believe is a pillar of a thriving democracy.
The categories used by the EEO survey are limited and may not reflect your lived experience; please feel free to opt out of any of the questions. Your responses to this survey are entirely separate from your application materials, are not accessible to those responsible for hiring decisions, and will not affect your candidacy in any way.
Highlights
seeks a courageous, experienced leader to serve as our CAO, leading our work in finance, accounting, risk management and legal, IT, and security.
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