Associate Director

Location: Washington, DC

The Knight-Georgetown Institute (KGI) is seeking its first Associate Director. KGI was recently established to translate research about technology and the online information environment for policy and industry audiences, and to connect and convene academics with policy stakeholders. The Associate Director will be a central member of KGI’s small start-up team, helping to bring the vision of the institute to life. This role will involve substantive technology policy and research synthesis work, strategic direction and oversight for KGI’s events and publications, and some operations support during KGI’s formative phase. The Associate Director will be a thought partner and close collaborator with KGI’s Executive Director in defining and executing the institute’s work program.

The Associate Director is expected to be an experienced professional with a successful track record in technology policy, research, or practice. This role will span all of KGI’s focus areas: tech platform regulation and design, generative AI and public trust, and competition issues in tech.  This position offers the opportunity to shape high-impact policy analysis and research synthesis, and to engage with decision makers in government, industry, and the media. KGI is a brand new organization and the person taking on this role will have the opportunity to help build KGI’s presence and reputation at the intersection of policy and research.  

The Associate Director will report to the Executive Director and work collaboratively across the small but growing organization, including with KGI’s Research Director, Policy Analyst, and graduate student affiliates. The KGI team works in hybrid mode at present, splitting our time between our Washington, DC office and working remotely. 

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with the Executive Director to refine and implement KGI’s strategic and operational plans, including helping to develop and implement communications and engagement plans
• Act as a thought partner to the Executive Director in developing KGI’s work programs and growth strategy
• Support KGI’s internal operations related to personnel, team-building, and procurement on an as-needed basis during KGI’s formative phase 
• Formulate and author written materials including blog posts, reports, op-eds, presentations, and other materials synthesizing research developments and relating them to policy debates
• Represent KGI externally with policymakers, researchers, industry, civil society, and the media
• Analyze legislative, regulatory, and industry developments related to KGI’s areas of focus
• Identify new policy topics and priorities based on legislative, regulatory, industry, or academic activity
• Participate in external public events, panel discussions, and workshops
• Manage proactive and reactive press and social media relations
• Collaborate with the Executive Director to conceptualize and organize KGI-hosted public and private events
• Oversee delivery of pre- and post-event communications and work products
• Cultivate relationships with current and new collaborators and supporters across policy, academia, and industry
• Assist with the creation and evolution of KGI’s plans for development and diversification of income sources

Requirements and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in any field with coursework experience related to public policy or technology
• 5+ years of relevant experience in technology policy or applied research in civil society, industry, academia, or government
• Direct experience in policy or advocacy at the federal or state levels pertaining to social media, trust and safety, content moderation, misinformation, platform competition, or AI
• Experience taking new projects from conceptualization through to execution and evaluation, independently or as part of a team
• Experience engaging with the media
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear analysis, exert editorial control, and tailor communications to different audiences
• Deep understanding of the policymaking process at the US federal level
• Proven ability to work collaboratively in a team environment
• Proven ability to take initiative independently, manage multiple projects, and meet deadlines
• Intellectual curiosity and a desire to learn
• Proficiency in Google Suite products and a quick learning curve to adapt to new tools (i.e., Asana, Slack)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Graduate or professional degree in any field related to public policy or technology
• Philanthropic fundraising or grantmaking experience, especially as it relates to technology and/or democracy
• Direct experience in international technology policy, advocacy, or applied research, especially in the EU or UK
• People management experience
• Ability to define and carry out communications strategy in concert with the University Communications Office
• Familiarity with quantitative social science research methods

The salary range for this position is $66,783 to $113,000. Georgetown University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as, but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity and external market pay for comparable jobs.

Interested applicants should apply through the Georgetown Careers web site.