ABOUT TECHCONGRESS
TechCongress is a nonpartisan nonprofit that places technologists in Congress and state legislatures as fellows, building the technical expertise our democratic institutions need to govern AI, digital infrastructure, and emerging technology. Over eleven years, we have placed more than 146 fellows in top offices across both parties — including the offices of Speaker Pelosi, Senator Thune, and the Senate Intelligence Committee — with 31 hired into full-time congressional staff roles. We are now expanding that model to state legislatures across the country.

We have a small, high-trust team that operates with low ego, high accountability, and genuine commitment to public service. We believe that clear is kind, that everyone does everything, and that our fellows and staff deserve an organization that models the values it asks of them.

THE OPPORTUNITY
The Managing Director is the number two at TechCongress and the connective tissue of the organization. With broad ownership across programs, operations, finance, HR, and board management, this role frees the Executive Director to focus on fundraising and external relationships. The right person is a seasoned manager and systems thinker who is equally comfortable interfacing with legislative offices and troubleshooting a payroll issue, as well as someone who leads with clarity, develops the people around them, and brings a builder's mentality to organizational infrastructure. Specifically, the Managing Director will:

Serve as the primary manager and operational backbone for the TechCongress team. Directly manage the federal programs and operations teams, with responsibility for goal-setting, KPI tracking, performance evaluations, and professional development; lead team retreats, all-staff meetings, and cross-team coordination; partner with the ED on hiring, onboarding, and culture as the team grows; and serve as Acting Executive Director with full decision-making authority when the ED is unavailable.
Direct the full lifecycle of TechCongress's congressional fellowship programs. In partnership with the Deputy Director and Senior Program Manager, oversee recruitment and selection, orientation and placement, ongoing fellow support, and alumni engagement; support maintaining relationships with congressional offices and partner organizations; ensure events and trainings build cohort cohesion; and partner with the ED and Director of Expansion on new programmatic initiatives at the federal (legislative and executive) and at the state level.
Bring strategic rigor to budgeting, grant accounting, and financial management. Working closely with the Chief Operating Officer and external vendors, own day-to-day financial management including budgeting, monitoring, and reserve planning; develop and maintain grant budgets and ensure spending is tracked and coded strategically across the portfolio; author grant reports and proposals; and oversee the annual audit and 990 preparation, building the systems the organization needs to grow from $6M to $24M by 2030.
Own TechCongress's governance and HR infrastructure. Draft and maintain the policies and documents that keep the organization running well (finance manual, employee handbook, compensation policy, fellowship handbook, conflict of interest policy, and more); own backfill hiring processes when team members transition; and bring strategic thinking to compensation, benefits, and HR policy as the organization grows and the team evolves.
Support the board with preparation and follow-through. Prepare and deliver finance, operations, and HR updates at quarterly board meetings; manage board logistics and materials preparation; follow through on board decisions; and serve as the primary staff contact for board members on operational matters.

THE CANDIDATE PROFILE
The Managing Director role calls for candidates who bring the following experiences, competencies, and personal qualities:

A mission-driven leader with genuine commitment to TechCongress's work. You believe that a democracy that cannot understand technology cannot govern it, and that TechCongress is uniquely positioned to fix that. You are energized by the opportunity to do it at scale, and committed to doing it in a nonpartisan, public interest way.
A strong, direct, and caring manager. You have at least 15 years of professional experience, including at least five managing people, and a track record of developing talent, building accountability structures, and delivering clear feedback. Experience managing through organizational change or a period of significant team transition is a requirement for this role.
A systems thinker who brings strategic rigor to organizational infrastructure. You have direct experience in operations, finance, HR, and/or managing a team that owns these functions. You are comfortable with budgets, audits, grant reporting, and governance documents, and you have prepared or overseen grant budgets and managed reporting across a multi-funder portfolio.
A practitioner with an understanding of Congress, fellowships, and/or the civic tech ecosystem. You bring at least three years of direct experience in any of the following: running a fellowship program, working in or with Congress, or leading a team in the civic tech, government, democracy, or technology policy space. You know how to operate effectively in a politically diverse environment.
A self-starter who manages up proactively. You set your own agenda, move work forward without step-by-step guidance, and bring the ED into decisions at the right moments. You do not wait to be told what needs attention. You are also able to zoom out, identify what the organization needs before it becomes urgent, and act on it.
A relationship builder with high emotional intelligence. You have a warm and authentic presence that translates across a wide range of stakeholders. You listen actively, build trust, and communicate in ways that foster clarity and confidence. You are as effective one-on-one with a staff member as you are in a room full of congressional chiefs of staff.

It's a plus if you bring:

Experience writing and managing grants
Working knowledge of QuickBooks, Rippling, Bill.com, and Asana
Experience working with or building nonprofit boards
Technical background or fluency in technology policy.

We don’t expect you to have every qualification listed. We encourage you to apply if you believe in the mission and think you’re a strong fit.

WHAT TO EXPECT IN YOUR FIRST YEAR

Within your first month, you will meet every current fellow placed in Congress, spend time with each member of the team, shadow the ED across the full range of organizational work, and get trained on all operational systems.
Within three months, you will have taken over day-to-day management of the programs and operations teams, led at least one fellow event or training session, assumed ownership of grant reporting, and developed a clear picture of the organizational finance and operations landscape.
Within six months, you will have managed TechCongress’s January orientation and placement process, assumed primary responsibility for congressional office relationships, led first revisions of key governance documents, and delivered your first board report.
Within twelve months, you will fully own the day-to-day management of programs and operations, have completed TechCongress’s annual audit, have served as Acting ED, and be running board prep with minimal direction from the ED.

JOB LOCATION, SALARY, AND BENEFITS
This position is based in Washington, DC, with a hybrid schedule of two days per week in our office near the White House. Salary range is $210,000 to $225,000 depending on experience. Benefits include platinum-level health, dental, and vision insurance; a 401(k) with an automatic 9% employer contribution; 20 days PTO in year one and 30 days each year thereafter, plus federal holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year’s; every other Friday off in summers; 16 weeks paid parental leave; a $1,500 annual professional development stipend and $500 wellness benefit; and a sabbatical policy after six years.

TO APPLY
If this opportunity speaks to you, please apply here with 1) a thoughtful cover letter that explains why TechCongress’s mission excites you and why this role is a fit for you, and 2) your resume. Please address your cover letter to Travis Moore, Executive Director. We review applications on a rolling basis. No phone calls or emails please.

TechCongress has partnered with DH Search to support the search for a Managing Director. DH Search partners with mission-driven organizations to hire the people they need to create a more just and equitable world. Learn more at www.dhsearch.net.