Program Officer/Senior Program Officer, Strategic Communications — AI Governance and Policy

Responsibilities

• Develop strategy — Build and refine our approach to funding strategic communications measures that might help actors — particularly governments and relevant organizations — address risks from transformative AI systems. This includes identifying which audiences matter most, understanding what messages resonate with them, mapping the landscape of relevant actors, and adapting as the policy and technical environment evolves.
• Source and evaluate opportunities — Most of this work is proactive: scoping new projects, identifying the right organizations or individuals to execute them, and convincing talented people to take on new work. Projects might span polling and audience research; media tracking and engagement; coalition building; spokesperson recruitment and training; convenings; and media, social media, and ad campaigns. You would also evaluate inbound proposals and make grants for rapid-response work as opportunities arise.
• Support grantees — Help the organizations and individuals we fund succeed. This includes providing strategic feedback, connecting grantees to each other and to relevant experts, hosting convenings to share learnings across the field, and troubleshooting when projects hit obstacles or need to adapt.
• Advise internally — Help other Coefficient Giving teams think through the communications and PR implications of their work. This might include flagging how a grant or public statement could land, pressure-testing messaging on sensitive topics, or coordinating across teams to avoid conflicting signals.

Skillset

• Strategic communications experience:
  • You have at least 5 years (for PO) or at least 10 years (for SPO) of experience leading strategic communications, public affairs, advocacy, electoral campaigns, corporate communications, or agency work.
  • You have made a demonstrable impact across multiple target types (corporate, policy, and/or public opinion) using a wide range of tactics.
• Familiarity with the potential issues posed by transformative AI:
  • Interest in and familiarity with issues related to transformative AI. (This is preferred but not required. Strong candidates might instead have experience in related fields and/or a track record of quickly getting up to speed on new policy domains.)
• Other potentially helpful characteristics:
  • Experience in the tech sector (particularly at frontier AI companies), in politics, or in grantmaking.
• Familiarity with the AI ecosystem
  • Relationships with relevant actors in policy, media, or advocacy.
• Good judgment: You are able to:
  • Anticipate how communications efforts might backfire.
  • Navigate sensitive situations with care.
  • Understand, evaluate, and synthesize competing perspectives.
  • Prioritize effectively between opportunities, weighing feasibility and real-world constraints — not just absolute importance.
• High ownership and entrepreneurialism
  • You’re focused on getting to the right outcomes.
  • You excel at owning ambitious, poorly-scoped projects and making things happen; you find the right people, convince them to start new work, and support their success.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
  • You can build and maintain relationships with grantees, funders, and other stakeholders.
  • In writing and conversation, you avoid buzzwords and abstractions; you give concise, clear arguments with transparent reasoning.
  • You can make complex technical or policy concepts accessible to mainstream audiences while maintaining credibility with experts.