UNITE & RENEW Careers

Organization: Unite & Renew Fund
Location: Remote, US-based (some travel required)
Type: Full-Time

To Apply: Please submit a resume and cover letter to jobs@uniteandrenew.us

About Unite & Renew
Unite & Renew is a philanthropic venture fund working in US politics, through strategic, long-term investments in non-profit organizations and campaigns. We don’t back candidates, parties, or policy outcomes. Our mission is to make a concrete, measurable difference in what we consider the central issue of our time: passing to the next generation a rights-based, rules-based democracy that is secure; and that is reformed to be more competent, representative, and trusted than what we have now.

Unite & Renew invests from a long-term capital base provided by donors from across a wide ideological spectrum, united in agreement that functional American constitutional democracy under law is the “first condition” that allows for all other values, interests, and successes that Americans enjoy and pursue.

We back best-in-class teams at nonprofit organizations and ballot initiative campaigns, pursuing concrete change in two areas: defense of core institutions required for democracy, including the rule of law and free, fair, nonviolent elections; and ballot initiative and lobbying campaigns to achieve changes to the incentive structures – such as gerrymandering and partisan primaries – that are responsible for much of our current political crises.

Unite & Renew is led by two Managing Partners, one of whom founded U&R 6 years ago, who are active day to day, and are also principal investors in the fund. Their background is in leading successful venture capital partnerships and high-growth, innovative companies. Aware of the difficulty of achieving political and social change, they operate Unite & Renew with a high-discipline, nimble, and results-oriented approach, which begins by backing and hiring only “A” leaders.

The Investments and Operations Director role is the senior-most full-time staff position reporting to the Managing Partners.

Key Responsibilities
While working in close coordination with the Managing Partners, the Director has accountability and decision-making authority across most aspects of U&R’s operations, including these duties:

Sourcing, Evaluating, and Managing Investments in Non-Profit Organizations and Ballot Initiative and Lobbying Campaigns:

• Hands-on responsibility for managing impact of investments in a portfolio of campaigns, 501c4, and 501c3 organizations: lead the full lifecycle from sourcing and due diligence to investment decision-making and post-investment support
• Define and monitor KPIs for portfolio organizations to evaluate impact versus our investment thesis
• Engage with non-profit and campaign leaders and teams to assess excellence and support them in refining strategy and tactics after we invest
• Build relationships across the democracy sector, including other funders, strategists, and movement leaders, to identify promising opportunities and coordinate funding

Driving Investor Relations & Communications:

• Draft investment memos and portfolio updates for internal discussion and external review with the U&R investor group
• Develop materials and present at quarterly investor meetings
• Support Managing Partners in recruiting and onboarding new investors
• Drive external communications program: produce quarterly newsletters for the “Friends of Unite & Renew” community
• Collaborate with developers to develop and enhance U&R’s communications materials (i.e. website, pitch materials, etc.)

Running “Backoffice” Operations:

• Work closely with the CFO to manage Fund operations, including capital calls, fund accounting, and campaign finance compliance

What You Bring 

• Deep passion for strengthening U.S. democracy and a commitment to nonpartisan, pro-democracy work
• Exceptional analysis and synthesis skills: both in writing and verbally, you can explain a problem and evaluate a solution with unusual clarity
• Exceptional communication skills: both in writing and verbally, you have top-decile ability to explain complex issues succinctly and accurately, and to motivate others with your arguments
• High intellectual integrity and humility – you have strong values but no sacred cows, point out the flaws of your own arguments, and immediately flag errors and issues for rapid course correction
• Autonomous and organized – you bring order to your work, enabling you to get more done in a day than almost anyone, regardless of whether a supervisor is giving you daily direction on what to do or checking up on your work
• Your experience: you’ve played a critical role in driving a political campaign or organization; or you’re an entrepreneur in the private or nonprofit sector with experience building your own org; or you have had success as a private sector investor in a challenging, competitive environment

Compensation

• Salary range: $140,000 – $175,0000, commensurate with experience – with a competitive benefits package