Chief of Staff or Interim Chief of Staff

Company Description

Established in 1970, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (Reporters Committee) provides pro bono legal representation, amicus curiae support, and other legal resources to protect First Amendment freedoms and the newsgathering rights of journalists. Reporters Committee serves news organizations, reporters, documentary filmmakers, media lawyers, and many more who use its online resources.

Job Description

The Reporters Committee is hiring a Chief of Staff or Interim Chief of Staff to help improve internal collaboration and accountability across departments, facilitate strategic thinking, and serve as advisor to the President. The Chief of Staff or Interim Chief of Staff will be joining an organization that has grown substantially in response to the threats to press freedom and which continues to seek to improve our democracy by ensuring every reporter and newsroom around the country has the legal resources they need to be effective watchdogs of government.

The ideal candidate will help identify strategic needs within the organization and work effectively with senior leadership to identify and implement solutions. The Chief of Staff or Interim Chief of Staff must have excellent communication, interpersonal and management skills. The ideal candidate will handle complex situations and multiple demands, balancing the delivery of long-term projects with the urgency of immediate demands, and will play a key role as a thought partner to the President, the Steering Committee (Board), and the Executive Team (which consists of our Vice Presidents).

The Chief of Staff is a newly established new role in the organization. As such, we are approaching the hiring process with considerable flexibility so both permanent and interim Chief of Staff candidates will be considered given our immediate needs and long-term goals. We welcome experienced leaders interested in an interim arrangement who can hit the ground running, help us clarify our organizational priorities, and shape what this position becomes.

The Chief of Staff or Interim Chief of Staff is an Executive Team member and reports directly to the President. This is a full-time, exempt position.

The Reporters Committee is based in Washington, D.C. This position requires working at least three days a week from our Washington, D.C office. The starting salary, based on experience, will range from $156,100 - $170,400.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Promote cross-departmental and cross-functional internal collaboration, strategies and alignment;
• Advise President and effectively engage with Executive Team colleagues on strategic organization-wide decision making and workflows;
• Work with President to manage and support relationships with the Steering Committee;
• Collaborate with the President and other leaders on internal communications and processes involving the Steering Committee by serving as key point person;
• Facilitate planning and preparation for meetings of the Executive Team and tracking action items, cross-functional initiatives and outcomes;
• Track organizational performance and progress against stated goals and objectives;
• Help coordinate and facilitate strategic, multi-year planning and budgeting to ensure operational readiness for new organization-wide initiatives organizational growth; and
• Lead other special projects and priorities and for the President and Executive Team as needed.

Qualifications

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree, related graduate degree or certification (MPA, MBA, MPP, PMP, etc.) preferred;
• Minimum of fifteen (15) years of increasingly responsible experience in a Chief of Staff or leadership role, preferably in a nonprofit organization;
• Ability to implement strategies that support continued growth of a hybrid organization;
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage competing deadlines;
• Collaborative working style with proven ability to balance programmatic and administrative needs;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; 
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to interact effectively with Steering Committee, senior leadership, and staff;
• Sound judgment and the highest level of professional integrity;
• A passion for protecting press freedom and a strong desire to support the work of journalists across the country.

Additional Information

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and operate computer equipment. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Compensation: RCFP is committed to offering competitive pay and generous benefits, including group medical insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance, retirement benefits, health-reimbursement accounts, and paid family leave. The salary range for this position is $156,100 to $170,400.

How to apply: Submit a resume and cover letter. NOTE: Please submit materials in one PDF file. Only complete applications will advance in the hiring process. The role will remain open until filled.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. 

RCFP Is an Equal Opportunity Employer. At the Reporters Committee, we celebrate the diversity of our employees and our leadership. RCFP is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.