NSSC Policy Director/Senior Policy Director

Americans for Responsible Innovation•Washington, DC

1d•$150,000 - $240,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI) is a nonprofit organization advocating for artificial intelligence policy in the public interest. The Policy Department develops policy frameworks, concepts, and analytical tools that shape ARI’s advocacy agenda and advance responsible AI governance. The National Security & Strategic Competition (NSSC) Portfolio focuses on AI’s impact on warfighting, intelligence, diplomacy, and international arrangements that help prevent global competition from becoming global conflict. Its work includes policy on AI integration into military and intelligence operations, lethal autonomous weapons, allied interoperability, escalation and crisis management, arms control, institutional readiness, talent management, export controls, and international governance of model outputs. The Policy Director or Senior Policy Director leads and manages the portfolio. The role sets portfolio direction, allocates attention, establishes expectations, oversees team workflows, gives actionable feedback, and is accountable for the quality, consistency, and delivery of the portfolio’s work. The director owns the portfolio’s quality assurance and quality control, ensuring its products meet departmental standards and remain aligned with ARI priorities. The role translates strategic direction into a coherent portfolio work plan and provides vision to the team. The director engages external stakeholders, serves as a thought leader, and coaches and mentors assigned policy analysts in developing policy frameworks and delivering approved advocacy objectives. The title—Policy Director or Senior Policy Director—depends on the selected candidate’s experience. This is a full-time position based in Washington, DC, with a flexible hybrid schedule: in person Tuesday through Thursday and remote Monday and Friday. Candidates must be willing to work in person at least three days weekly and relocate to the greater DC-Maryland-Virginia area if necessary. Relocation assistance may be available. The salary range is $150,000–$205,000 for Policy Director and $205,000–$240,000 for Senior Policy Director, commensurate with experience.

Requirements

Master’s degree in a field relevant to one or more portfolio focus areas, such as international relations, security studies, government or political science, public administration, or public policy.
7–10 years of academic training or professional experience in policy analysis, with demonstrated ability to move from problem definition to policy design.
Subject matter expertise in one or more portfolio focus areas, such as national security and technology, international relations or affairs, arms control, deterrence, export controls, adoption and diffusion of new technologies in complex bureaucracies, or lethal autonomous weapons systems.
Desire to serve as a public-facing thought leader, including writing op-eds, attending conferences, and speaking at panels, keynotes, and other relevant public forums.
Demonstrated ability to generate original policy ideas and translate them into coherent frameworks.
Advocacy mindset, including political instinct for how policy ideas are received and acted upon by legislative, executive, and public audiences.
Strong written and analytical communication skills, including ability to construct clear causal narratives connecting problems, solutions, and outcomes.
Comfort and effectiveness working in cross-functional teams with Government Affairs and Communications colleagues.
Demonstrated experience or interest in AI policy.
Willingness to work in person at least three days each week and physically relocate to the greater DC-Maryland-Virginia area if not already living there.

Nice To Haves

At least 3–5 years of prior management experience with direct accountability for team performance, an assigned budget, and teammates’ professional development.
Prior experience in a legislative, executive branch, think tank, or advocacy setting where policy ideas were designed for real-world uptake.
Demonstrated ability to translate research or analysis into advocacy-ready products for external audiences and ARI teammates supporting advocacy efforts.
Willingness to create and maintain relevant social media accounts, such as X, to help influence elite discourse on key AI policy issues.

Responsibilities

Set direction for the NSSC portfolio and allocate attention across its work.
Maintain accountability for portfolio outputs and deliverables.
Set clear expectations for products and performance, and oversee team workflows.
Provide regular, actionable feedback to team members.
Maintain the quality and consistency of portfolio output and own portfolio quality assurance and quality control.
Ensure portfolio work meets departmental standards for rigor, relevance, and advocacy orientation and aligns with Policy Department and ARI priorities.
Translate strategic direction into a coherent portfolio work plan and provide vision and direction to the team.
Engage relevant external stakeholders and serve as a thought leader on portfolio issues.
Coach and mentor assigned policy analysts in policy framework design and delivery of approved advocacy objectives.

Benefits

Healthcare, vision, and dental insurance premiums covered at 85% for employees, partners, and dependents.
Discretionary paid time off and approximately 20 office holidays, including federal holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
401(k) retirement plan with a 6% employer match.
$150 per month taxable wellness stipend supporting physical and mental well-being.
$150 per month taxable internet and utilities reimbursement for remote work.
Up to $500 for new full-time employees’ home-office setup expenses.
Professional development stipend of up to $2,500 annually.
Employer-paid basic life, basic AD&D, short-term disability, and long-term disability coverage, with optional employee-paid supplemental coverage.
Dependent Care FSA, Medical FSA, Transit FSA, and Parking FSA.
Relocation assistance may be available.
$3,000 referral bonus for a successful referral who accepts the offer and meets the program’s employment and eligibility conditions.