Program Associate, Elections and Government Program

The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that seeks to improve the systems of democracy and justice in the United States. It works to hold our political institutions and laws accountable to the twin American ideals of democracy and equal justice for all. The Brennan Center’s work ranges from voting rights to campaign finance reform, from ending mass incarceration to preserving constitutional protections in national security policies.

Part think tank, part advocacy group, part cutting‑edge communications hub, we start with rigorous research. We craft innovative policies. And we fight for them — in Congress and the states, in the courts, and in the court of public opinion.

The Brennan Center’s Elections and Government Program works to improve the administration of our elections so that they are free, fair, and secure for all voters; reform campaign finance to combat corruption and amplify the voices of everyday people in politics; combat election disinformation and political violence; and put forward solutions to ensure that government institutions have the capacity to meet contemporary challenges, among other goals.

This work aims to bring the ideal of representative self‑government closer to reality by eliminating barriers to full and equal political participation, reforming campaign finance to combat corruption and amplify the voices of everyday people in politics, and striving to ensure that public policy and institutions are effective and reflect the diverse voices and interests that make for a rich democracy.

We seek a full‑time Program Associate who will be responsible for performing administrative, research, and operational duties that are central to the program’s ability to achieve key goals. The candidate will report to the Directors of the Elections and Government Program and will work under the supervision of and in collaboration with other senior and mid‑level program staff.

Location:

Headquarters in New York City or Washington, D.C. office. This position will require occasional travel.

• Manage scheduling, expense reports and invoices, travel arrangements, and team events and logistics, and provide other logistical support for day‑to‑day program operations, with accuracy and timeliness.
• Support smooth and timely execution of deliverables by planning, tracking, prioritizing, and providing progress reports on tasks and projects.
• Provide administrative and other support for research publications, federal and state advocacy, litigation, and other projects.
• Organize internal and external meetings, including calendaring, distributing reference materials, timekeeping, note‑taking, and following up with next steps.
• Collect and synthesize information to draft memos, talking points and presentations, board reports, correspondence, and other communications.
• Communicate with external stakeholders, including government officials, allies, donors, and journalists.
• Help to coordinate inter‑department initiatives with the Communications and Development teams, in addition to other programs within the organization.
• Research and summarize legal, academic, and news sources; citation and fact‑checking; writing and proofreading to support preparation of articles, speeches, reports, and organizational materials, with opportunities for named authorship.
• Work collaboratively, respectfully, and productively with colleagues at all levels of the organization.
• Engage in special projects and other duties as assigned.

• A bachelor’s degree and at least one year of work experience are required.
• Careful attention to detail, accuracy, timeliness, and organization.
• Ability to work productively under different…