Summary

CivilWorks is a nonpartisan civic organization focused on strengthening the systems that shape how democracy actually functions. We work to restore and improve the conditions that make responsive democracy possible. CivilWorks is seeking a Founding Executive Director.

Description

About CivilWorks

Mission

CivilWorks equips citizens with clear information, structured deliberation, and organized pathways to improve how their democracy works.

About

Many of today’s most urgent policy goals fail not because people disagree on outcomes, but because the underlying structures of governance are out of balance. When money distorts political influence, when executive power goes unchecked, when Congress cannot function as designed, or when courts become unaccountable, even hard-won reforms become fragile.

CivilWorks exists to work on those structural problems.

We bring expert knowledge to citizens in clear, accessible language. We convene structured deliberation that respects people’s ability to handle complexity and truth. And we help turn shared understanding into organized, collective action that carries real civic authority.

CivilWorks does not advocate a single policy agenda. We operate as civic infrastructure. Our role is to clarify how power works, create the conditions for serious public judgment, and support durable democratic reform across four core areas: money in politics, executive power, Congress, and the judiciary.

As a convener and force multiplier, CivilWorks connects scholars, practitioners, advocacy organizations, donors, and citizens who understand that lasting change depends on fixing the system itself, not just fighting within it.

CivilWorks is preparing to launch full operations. This is a founding leadership opportunity for someone who wants to shape not just the strategy of this organization, but its soul.

Position Summary

The Executive Director will serve as the chief executive and public face of CivilWorks, responsible for translating our mission into a functioning, financially sustainable, and nationally impactful organization. This is not a role for someone who needs a playbook. It is a role for someone who writes the playbook.

You will work in close partnership with the Board of Directors to set strategy, build the team, cultivate funders, develop partnerships, and lead a growing movement of citizens committed to structural democratic reform. You will combine the vision of a founder with the discipline of an operator and the persuasive clarity of a communicator.

There is a lot we don’t know about you. You might be a social enterprise leader looking for an opportunity to build and scale civic infrastructure. You could be a seasoned nonprofit executive ready to put your experience in service of an urgent cause. You might be a policy veteran, a civic entrepreneur, or a movement organizer who has been waiting for exactly this kind of organization to exist.

You don’t wait for permission to lead.
You can hold complexity without losing clarity, and you communicate both to very different audiences.
You understand that nonpartisan doesn’t mean neutral — you have a fierce commitment to democratic institutions and the principles that sustain them.
You are equally at home with a major donor, a state legislator, a grassroots organizer, and a constitutional scholar.
You think about meaning as much as you think about influence, and about truth more than tribe.
You are a happy warrior: undaunted by the scale of the challenge, energized rather than exhausted by the work.
You know that building something lasting takes patience, resourcefulness, and a genuine belief that citizens — when well-informed and well-organized — can change things.
You understand that, even as some political and policy fights are vitally urgent, structural defense of democracy is durably important and can’t be ignored.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

Partner with the Board to develop and refine CivilWorks’ long-term strategy, annual priorities, and theory of change.
Translate mission and values into programs, partnerships, and communications that move people to action.
Serve as the organization’s primary strategic thinker and decision-maker for day-to-day operations.
Monitor the civic and political landscape and adapt organizational strategy accordingly.

Fundraising & Financial Stewardship

Lead all fundraising efforts, including major donor cultivation, foundation grants, and emerging revenue streams.
Develop and manage the organization’s annual budget in partnership with the Board.
Ensure financial health, transparency, and accountability across all operations.
Build and steward a diversified funding base appropriate to a fast-growing nonprofit.

External Relations & Communications

Serve as the primary public voice and spokesperson for CivilWorks across media, events, and partner convenings.
Cultivate and maintain relationships with allied organizations, academic institutions, civic leaders, and government stakeholders.
Oversee and drive CivilWorks’ communications strategy, including messaging, brand, digital presence, and earned media.
Build a national network of partners, experts, and citizen advocates who amplify and extend our reach.

Organizational Building & Team Leadership

Recruit, hire, develop, and retain a high-performing staff aligned with CivilWorks’ mission and culture.
Establish the systems, structures, and culture necessary to support a rapidly growing organization.
Ensure strong program design, delivery, and evaluation across all CivilWorks initiatives.
Foster an organizational culture that is collaborative, rigorous, adaptive, and joyful about the work.

Board Partnership

Work in close collaboration with the Board of Directors to fulfill governance responsibilities and advance strategic priorities.
Prepare and present regular updates on organizational performance, finances, and emerging opportunities or risks.
Support board recruitment, engagement, and development in partnership with the Board Chair.

One Year In

CivilWorks successfully launches initial programs
CivilWorks has established a credible fundraising base including lead donors and foundations
CivilWorks has a clear public articulation of its role in the civic ecosystem
The ED has a strong working relationship with the board

Qualifications

We are looking for a combination of demonstrated leadership, deep mission alignment, and the rare ability to build something from the ground up.

Required

5+ years of director or executive director level leadership experience in the nonprofit, civic, political, or policy sector.
Proven track record in fundraising, including major gifts, foundation relations, and budget management.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to make complex ideas accessible and compelling to broad audiences.
Experience managing and developing staff and building organizational culture.
Demonstrated ability to build and sustain partnerships across ideological, institutional, and sectoral lines.
A genuine and abiding commitment to democratic governance, civic engagement, and CivilWorks’ nonpartisan mission.

Preferred

Experience founding or significantly scaling an organization.
Familiarity with structural reform movements, government accountability work, or civic technology.
Existing relationships in philanthropic, policy, academic, or civic communities relevant to CivilWorks’ mission.
Experience with digital organizing, communications, and modern tools for civic engagement.

Compensation & Terms

This is a remote-first position with periodic travel for board meetings, partner convenings, and events. While our founding board members are primarily located in Minnesota, the Executive Director can be located anywhere in the United States.
This is a full-time position offered at a salary range of $110,000 to $125,000 depending on experience level.
A benefits package will be determined by the board in consultation with the founding Executive Director.

CivilWorks is an equal opportunity organization. We actively seek candidates from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

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