Senior Fellow

The Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) is hiring a Senior Fellow to provide on-the-ground policy support and analysis to advance FGA’s policy solutions at the federal level. In this forward-facing, federally focused role, you’ll be in the middle of the action on Capitol Hill, connecting with policymakers, responding to policy analysis requests, and developing language drafts for federal legislation to make commonsense policy solutions a reality. 

This is not the role for you if you prefer to write policy reports from the sidelines each day. You’ll be writing, but you’ll also be on the frontlines of federal policy work. This isn’t an abstract “think” job with a think tank—this is the “doing” part.

While most of FGA’s team is remote, candidates should be based in the Washington, D.C. area and expect to spend a significant amount of time engaging with policymakers on the Hill. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience in writing, communicating, and developing policy solutions. If this describes your experience, and if you’re a team player, able to think on your feet and communicate clearly and persuasively, and willing to become a policy resource for lawmakers in D.C., you may be a good fit for this role. 

CULTURE AND FIT

The people who consistently succeed at FGA are those whose actions and behavior reflect our five Core Values. If you adhere to these values and answer “yes” to each of these questions, you may be a fit.

1. Candid to Solve: Being willing to have tough conversations in order to solve issues and build trust.

• Do you seek out constructive feedback—and provide it to others—to solve issues and build trust with coworkers? 

2. Grow or Die: We don’t have a neutral gear; we must consistently challenge ourselves and each other to grow in our talents and skills.

• Are you aware of your strengths and weaknesses, and do you seek out complementary skills and growth in order to mitigate your weaknesses? 

3. Politically Savvy: Policy doesn’t change in a vacuum, but in a political reality that we must understand and account for.

• Do you agree that embracing the realities of politics is necessary to change public policy? 

4. Partnership-Oriented: Internal and external relationships are not transactional. That starts with our team members and the perspective that we need the rest of the team to succeed in order to win personally.

• Are you comfortable creating your own structure for work, such as setting work hours, your own priorities, and creating clarity and a workplan from a broad goal? Do you tend to be the one who initiates conversations with colleagues, rather than waiting for them to come to you?

5. Bought in to Win: We’re at FGA because we want to change policy. No one is counting hours or widgets, we are here to get results, and sometimes that will require going the extra mile or doing a job that isn’t technically ours.

• Do you wholeheartedly agree with the policies that we advocate and the underlying principles that people’s lives are made better through work, not government welfare, and that a free market creates greater freedom and equality than any command-and-control government system?

The vast majority of those who don’t get hired (or don’t last) at FGA are due to a lack of fit with these values. Be prepared to have very candid conversations about them in our interview process.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Senior Fellow will have five primary roles, broken down into key responsibilities. They are:

On-the-Ground Policy Support 

• This is not a passive policy role—you’ll be expected to attend frequent meetings with policymakers and their staff in D.C. You’ll serve as the point person who will not only be able to explain and answer questions about FGA issue areas, but you’ll also be expected to coordinate timely responses to policy development and collateral requests. 
• This role will also require you to work with the Outreach team to build and maintain relationships with key players in order to further FGA policy priorities at the federal level, so not every meeting will take place formally or in offices. You will engage with folks at events and other social settings as well to develop relationships that are not merely transactional. 

Federal Policy Review and Analysis

• The ideal candidate can dissect, understand, and explain complex legislative documents. You’ll be the go-to person for initial review and analysis of federal bills, regulations, reports, and other documents. 
• Strong written and in-person communication and persuasive skills are a must, as is the proven ability to operate under pressure and think on your feet. 

Craft Federal Policy Materials 

• Assisting with the development of custom federal policy memos—working with FGA’s Outreach team and policy experts—is a part of our proven recipe for success. You are the link between public policy and real-world implementation: Incorporating feedback from the policymakers you work with and the Outreach team can be the difference between a huge win and going back to the drawing board next year. 

Federal Policy Development

• This role will give the right candidate the opportunity to be directly involved in lawmaking at the federal level. You’ll coordinate with other members of the Policy & Research teams to develop language drafts for federal legislation and regulations. 
• This role will require strong organizational and interpersonal skills, the ability to work as a member of a team, and a strong command of writing bill language with clarity and confidence. 

Develop and Deliver Policy Presentations

• Work with FGA’s top-tier researchers, writers, and designers to develop compelling, clear policy presentations to educate federal policymakers at briefings and other federally focused events. 
• You will also be expected to coordinate the participation of the Policy team in other federal policy events, briefings, and meetings. 

REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to operate under pressure and quickly identify priorities and communicate them clearly to other team members. 
• Candidates should reside within a reasonable distance of the Washington, D.C. metro area, enabling them to regularly commute to D.C. for weekly meetings and engage directly with policymakers without difficulty. 
• Demonstrated ability to analyze public policy and articulate concepts clearly in both verbal and written format. 
• Demonstrated experience and expertise in conducting policy review and analysis, including reviewing or crafting legislation or regulations. 
• Substantial work experience may be a substitute for a bachelor’s degree. 
• Match FGA’s Core Values (described above).

TIMING, LOCATION, AND COMPENSATION

FGA is seeking to fill this position as soon as possible. This role is based in Washington, D.C., and the candidate must be readily available for frequent in-person meetings with staff and policymakers. FGA’s headquarters are in Naples, FL, but nearly all of FGA’s staff work remotely, so internal communication may require Zoom and remote communication. FGA has built a highly successful remote work culture over the past decade with systems and structures designed for clarity, flexibility, and great communication. Key elements of the environment include:

• Quarterly in-person team meetings at which you’ll build deeper relationships, set clear goals aligned with FGA’s big vision, and brainstorm how to seize new opportunities
• An intensive 90-day orientation to familiarize you with the FGA team, our policies, and how we operate
• Home office setup, including equipment and communication tools you need to hit the ground running

FGA offers a competitive salary of between $120,000 to $150,000, depending on experience, education, and qualifications, and a benefits package including a six percent retirement match, health benefit, and generous paid leave plan. 

Salary Description

$120,000 - $150,000