Director of Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives

WHO WE ARE

American Oversight (AO) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit watchdog that advances truth, accountability, and democracy by enforcing the public’s right to government records. We use multiple tools, backed by aggressive litigation, to fight attacks on democratic institutions, threats to civil rights and liberties, abuses of power, and the erosion of government transparency. We expose and disrupt these attacks — and the officials and networks behind them — by forcing the government to turn over records officials would rather keep secret. 

Since our founding in 2017, American Oversight has worked on issues that touch nearly every aspect of American life. Our team has: 

• Secured a court order to preserve records in the 2025 “Signalgate” scandal, and spurred a related investigation by the Department of Defense inspector general that found Secretary Pete Hegseth had put troops’ lives in danger and violated federal recordkeeping laws.
• Forced DOGE to implement a records preservation policy to ensure long-term accountability for its chaotic actions.
• Revealed the Trump-sanctioned pressure campaign on the Ukrainian government by forcing the Trump administration to turn over records initially withheld from Congress.
• Unmasked sham “audits” of the 2020 election in Wisconsin and Arizona, which used taxpayer money to undermine state elections.  
• Exposed the Trump administration’s unprecedented use of personal data to target immigrant communities and remove people from state voter rolls.

We are committed to fighting threats to democracy at the federal, state, and local levels, using time-tested and innovative tools to expose misconduct, defend against attacks on marginalized communities, and demand accountability.

For more information, please visit our website: www.americanoversight.org

JOB OVERVIEW

The Director of Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives is a key member of American Oversight’s leadership team, responsible for shaping and executing the organization’s vision for partnerships and external engagement. The Director identifies, initiates, and cultivates strategic relationships that expand American Oversight’s influence and position it as the nation’s leading public records watchdog.

The Director builds and sustains mission-aligned partnerships that strengthen American Oversight’s sustainability and amplify its long-term impact across the progressive movement. By ensuring that the organization’s investigative findings and records reach partners, coalitions, policymakers, and other stakeholders best positioned to act on them, the Director helps translate American Oversight’s work into broader policy impact and systemic change.

Internally, the Director works closely with executive leadership and the Development team, and collaborates across the legal, communications, editorial, and investigations teams to ensure the organization’s work achieves maximum reach, strategic coordination, and measurable impact.

RESPONSIBILITIES (including but not limited to)

Partnerships and External Engagement

• Direct American Oversight’s partnerships and external engagement strategy to expand the organization’s influence and cement American Oversight as the go-to authority on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and public records work across the progressive movement at the federal, state, and local levels.
• Strengthen American Oversight’s reputation as a trusted leader in government transparency, using strategic partnerships to identify high-impact investigations, litigation, and communications strategies designed to expose misconduct, expand public access to information, drive accountability, and support democratic progress. 
• Set and lead American Oversight’s strategic partnership priorities, building relationships with organizations whose complementary strengths, networks, and connections to impacted communities advance shared goals and broaden collective impact.
• Proactively monitor and analyze political and policy dynamics at the federal, state, and local levels, cultivating partner insights to surface emerging threats and opportunities that guide American Oversight’s strategic direction and advance democratic accountability.
• Develop and lead coalition-based strategies that leverage American Oversight’s expertise and records to shape accountability efforts, advance advocacy campaigns, and defend democratic institutions — including by drafting or supporting sign-on letters, joint statements, and other collaborative initiatives that amplify collective advocacy and align with American Oversight’s strategic priorities.
• Facilitate webinars, presentations, and other public-facing engagements that showcase American Oversight’s findings, elevate the organization’s expertise, and strengthen relationships with partners, policymakers, and funders.
• Elevate American Oversight’s visibility and influence across the accountability and democracy ecosystem by identifying, recommending, and securing opportunities for organizational leadership to participate in high-impact conferences, coalitions, and convenings that enhance the organization’s reputation and amplify its impact.
• Advise executive leadership on strategic positioning within the broader progressive and democracy ecosystem, including assessing and managing potential risks in partnerships and coalitions.
• Serve as American Oversight’s senior representative to external partners, coalitions, and public forums, advancing the organization’s mission, amplifying its priorities, and strengthening its credibility and influence across the accountability ecosystem.

• Translate broad organizational priorities into actionable partnership and strategic initiative plans, establishing milestones, coordinating internal contributions, and taking responsibility for execution and follow-through.
• Define and track key performance metrics to evaluate the reach, influence, and effectiveness of American Oversight’s strategic engagement, ensuring accountability for outcomes and progress toward strategic goals.
• Oversee American Oversight’s Client Relationship Management and Partnerships systems to ensure  data hygiene, efficient information flow, and measurable tracking of partnerships growth and external engagement impact.
• Build organizational capacity for external engagement by coaching and training staff across departments to effectively represent American Oversight in partnerships, coalitions, and public forums.
• Coach and mentor direct report(s) by setting clear performance expectations, providing regular feedback, and supporting skills development and professional growth to strengthen individual and team effectiveness.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Support American Oversight’s development and sustainability efforts by collaborating with executive leadership to design, execute, and sustain fundraising strategies, engage funders, and cultivate relationships.
• Collaborate with the Development and Communications teams to translate American Oversight’s partnerships, impact, and investigations into compelling narratives that inspire donor engagement and investment.
• Assist with or draft grant and impact reports, as well as other funder-facing materials, that communicate American Oversight’s achievements and reinforce relationships with institutional supporters.
• Ensure alignment between external engagement initiatives and development priorities, leveraging partnerships, events, and visibility opportunities to advance fundraising goals and institutional relationships.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS 

• 10+ years of experience in nonprofit, advocacy, or related settings, including substantial experience working in or closely with 501(c)(3) advocacy, community-based, or watchdog organizations, and a demonstrated record of building strategic partnerships that advance shared goals.
  • 5+ years of experience advancing government accountability through advocacy, oversight, transparency, or related work.
  • 3+ years of experience directly managing early-career staff, including setting performance expectations, providing regular feedback, and fostering professional growth through mentorship and coaching.
• Strong working knowledge of the nonprofit advocacy landscape, including the role of 501(c)(3) and (c)(4) organizations, democracy  organizations and coalitions, and how national, state, and community organizations collaborate to advance shared goals.
• Demonstrated experience building a program, initiative, or partnership strategy from the ground up, including identifying opportunities, securing participation, and carrying the work through to measurable results.
• Experience delivering results in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities, including responding to emerging opportunities, managing competing deadlines, and independently advancing work with limited direction.
• Demonstrated ability to engage diverse stakeholders and communicate organizational impact through persuasive narratives that advance strategic objectives and influence decision-makers.
• Exceptionally strong skills in the following:
  • Relationship Cultivation: Demonstrated ability to build and sustain strategic, high-trust partnerships with advocacy groups, community organizations, senior government officials, policymakers, and funders. Confident and proactive in initiating contact with senior leaders, making clear requests, and turning introductions into substantive collaboration. Skilled at navigating sensitive dynamics, exercising discretion, and leveraging relationships to advance election integrity, civil rights, and democratic accountability.
  • Project Management: Sets priorities and strategies across multiple projects with varying timelines; manages high volumes of correspondence with internal and external stakeholders; and anticipates next steps to align expectations and outcomes. Maintains momentum through timely follow-up, clear ownership, and proactive resolution of obstacles.   
  • Communication:  Synthesizes and conveys complex ideas clearly and effectively across formats and audiences. Distills technical or nuanced information into accessible, compelling content. Provides strong editing support and helps team members strengthen communication for strategic alignment.
  • Judgment and Decision-Making: Makes sound, well-reasoned decisions, leading the Partnerships Department to highly impactful outcomes, including strong partnerships; responds to and addresses concerns or challenges appropriately and in a timely manner.
  • Problem Solving and Critical Thinking: Identifies issues and surfaces creative solutions to achieve desired outcomes; processes large volumes of complex information, discerns meaningful patterns, and draws well-reasoned conclusions.
  • Collaboration: Entrepreneurial in cultivating relationships, with deep experience engaging diverse stakeholders and coalitions. Facilitates strong internal cross-component collaboration. Brings self-motivation, collegiality, and the ability to thrive both collaboratively and independently. 

• Self-starter with demonstrated good judgment, critical thinking, flexibility, resourcefulness, and problem-solving abilities. 
• Exceptional organizational skills, discipline, and attention to detail with experience multitasking and managing several projects with varying scopes, timelines, or stakeholders. 
• Quick learner, able to rapidly build fluency across diverse issue areas and apply that knowledge to advance strategic goals.
• Experience working in and/or desire to contribute to workplaces with a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including a demonstrated commitment to coaching of entry and mid-level staff members.

• Established relationships with leaders in nonprofit advocacy, community organizations, national watchdogs, or related coalitions that could support American Oversight’s partnership goals.
• Deep understanding of the accountability and democracy ecosystem, including organizations, funders, and coalitions working to strengthen transparency, oversight, and civic participation at the federal and state levels.
• Knowledge of government transparency and accountability frameworks, including familiarity with FOIA or related state-level open records laws.
• Experience contributing to organizational planning and strategic initiatives, particularly those involving cross-departmental collaboration, external positioning, or long-term sustainability.
• Experience working in an advocacy organization that includes litigation as a primary tactic. 
• Experience positively navigating through change management.
• Development experience either with philanthropic organizations and/or donor cultivation.