Director of Government Affairs, Institute for AI Policy and Strategy (IAPS)

About the Job

The Institute for AI Policy and Strategy (IAPS) is seeking a Director for Government Affairs to provide strategic guidance on IAPS’s policy research and to represent the organization in Washington, DC. IAPS is a remote-first think tank aiming to secure benefits and manage risks from advanced AI, with work in three areas: policy and standards, compute governance, and international governance.

The Director of Government Affairs will work closely with the Chief Advisory Executive and Director of IAPS while retaining significant autonomy to set our policy direction, shape their own role, and set the overall strategy of IAPS. We are open to flexibility in the name of the title to best suit our chosen candidate.

About IAPS

The Institute for AI Policy and Strategy (IAPS) is a remote-first think tank dedicated to securing the benefits and managing the risks of advanced AI systems. 

We:

• Conduct policy research, looking over the horizon to identify policy proposals that are actionable today but relevant tomorrow, and
• Cultivate policy talent, forging a community of researchers and practitioners who are thoughtful about uncertainty but able to get things done.

Across all our work, intellectual independence is a core value; we are nonpartisan and do not accept funding from for-profit organizations. 

We welcome you to review our database of published work here. 

Key Responsibilities

As a Director of Government Affairs, your main responsibilities will include:

Building relationships for and representing IAPS in DC (50%)

• Serve as one of IAPS’s senior representatives in policy meetings
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders in the US federal executive and legislative branches that are relevant to our work
• Identify, scope, and formalize collaboration opportunities with think tanks and other civil society organizations to advance IAPS’s mission
• Work with other IAPS leads to fundraise from a diverse range of prospects, including both foundations and high net worth individuals

Developing strategies to achieve policy wins (40%)

• Formulate and implement strategic plans for IAPS's outreach and brand-building, both internationally and in DC
• Develop strategic roadmaps for individual IAPS projects (i.e., turning them into policy wins)

Supporting research, communications, events, and other organization functions (10%)

• Assist with building relationships with key stakeholders outside of US, such as in the UK and EU
• Provide thought leadership through established media channels such as magazine articles and interviews
• Interface with key media contacts
• Evaluate and provide feedback on the feasibility and relevance of IAPS policy recommendations
• Coordinate organization of policy briefings, roundtables, happy hours, and other in-person events

Location and Travel Requirements

The Director of Government Affairs is responsible for representing IAPS in Washington, DC, and must be based there for most of the year.

Given that we are a globally-distributed organization:

• The candidate should be comfortable with hybrid and virtual modes of operation
• Some meetings may fall outside standard working hours, though we do try to keep this to a minimum
• You may be asked to join staff delegations to locations such as San Francisco and London a few times a year, for networking, conferences, staff retreats, and other work purposes. In most cases, this travel beyond DC is encouraged but not mandatory.

What We Are Looking For

Must-haves:

• Strong network in DC policy circles, and able to comfortably reach out to contacts on a range of issues for advice and assistance
• Deep familiarity with the DC policy ecosystem, with a strong understanding of how to get things done in DC 
• Aptitude for strategy work, with good instincts around institutional reputation-building and political dynamics in DC
• Ability to engage meaningfully with our research and help us communicate complex ideas to a range of audiences

Nice-to-haves:

• Knowledge of AI or technology policy
• Knowledge of the intersection of technology policy and national/homeland security (e.g., cybersecurity, disinformation, CBRN risk mitigation and counterproliferation, critical infrastructure protection)
• Experience with managing communications (especially digital communications and crisis communications) and media
• Fundraising experience (if you have fundraising experience, please mention volume of funds in your resume)
• People management experience (if you have people management experience, please mention the size of the team in your resume)

What We Offer

Compensation

• Annual salary between the following ranges for a full-time position: $145,000 - $225,000 USD pre-tax.
• The exact salary will be based on the candidate’s relevant experience and calculated using our fixed salary algorithm. To ensure fairness, we will not negotiate salaries.

Other Benefits

• Comprehensive global benefits package
• Generous paid time off and unpaid leave, including:
  • Unlimited vacation with minimum 30 days off per year (incl. public local holidays, vacation time, and “mandated” 3-weeks total mid- and end-year organization-wide breaks)
  • Unlimited (within reason) personal and sick leave
  • Parental leave: up to 6-9 months of a combination of paid and unpaid parental leave that can be taken prior and/or during the first 2 years after a child’s birth or adoption
• Technology stipend of the equivalent of $2000 USD every 3 years that can be used to cover costs of purchasing work and office equipment
• Learning opportunities, including workshops / training sessions, three Free Weeks per year to pursue new projects, and 10% of work time dedicated to professional and personal development
• Paid work trips, including one team retreat and relevant conferences
• We are open to flexibility in the name of the title to best suit our chosen candidate.

Additional Information

• Application deadline: While this position closes on 2024 June 21, IAPS will review applications on a rolling basis. We recommend that you submit your application early if interested.
• Language: Please submit all of your application materials in English and note that we require professional level English proficiency.
• Accessibility: We’re committed to running an inclusive and accessible application process. We warmly invite you to reach out to info@iaps.ai with any questions or accessibility requests.
• Inclusivity and fairness:  IAPS is committed to building an inclusive, equitable, and supportive community for you to thrive and do your best work. We encourage everyone to apply regardless of your age, gender identity/expression, political identity, personal preferences, physical abilities, veteran status, neurodiversity, or any other background. 
• Hiring Software: We use Pinpoint for all of our hiring processes and all the communication is done through Pinpoint. We encourage you to add Pinpoint domain (@pinpoint.email) to your trusted contacts and/or check your spam folder, if you don’t hear from us within the expected timeframe.