Principal, Programs and Policy

Omidyar Network•San Francisco, CA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Omidyar Network (ON) is a philanthropic organization dedicated to guiding the digital revolution towards shared power, prosperity, and possibility. The Programs and Policy team focuses on the culture, governance, and business of digital technology, aiming to shape societal governance and amplify agency through grantmaking and advocacy. This role is crucial for shaping the development of frontier technology and influencing its trajectory through capital and convening power. The position involves working across investments, grants, ecosystem-building, and thought leadership, requiring fluency in frontier tech and comfort in diverse professional settings. The role reports to the Director, Programs and Policy.

Requirements

7+ years of relevant experience.
Genuine fluency in technology and AI, with the ability to read technical papers, understand model architectures, and engage in conversations with founders and researchers.
A track record of self-directed learning (writing, building, side projects).
Comfort across discourses, able to engage seriously with technical safety research, public-interest tech, venture capital, and traditional philanthropy, and translate between these worlds.
A bias toward originating opportunities, building relationships, and starting initiatives.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Endless curiosity, demonstrated by wide reading and taking meetings out of intellectual interest.
Current U.S. work authorization.

Nice To Haves

Product management at a technology or AI company, with exposure to how frontier products are built, shipped, and positioned.
Early-stage venture capital experience, particularly with technical deals and a desire to broaden focus beyond financial return.
Technology journalism experience, especially reporting that moves beyond industry commentary to shaping the industry.
Strategy, business development, or growth roles at a technology startup, with cross-functional and external operational experience.

Responsibilities

Help implement the Responsible Technology & AI strategy, translating it into action across priority domains like frontier AI, nuclear and advanced energy, and brain-computer interfaces.
Shape the evolution of the strategy in response to technological and field advancements.
Originate and maintain relationships across the ecosystem, including AI labs, technology companies, venture capital firms, AI-focused philanthropies, academic institutions, and civil society organizations.
Manage complex stakeholder ecosystems by convening and participating in conversations across diverse groups such as journalists, founders, researchers, policymakers, funders, and advocates.
Develop ON's point of view in writing, creating internal memos and external thought pieces on technology trends and ON's perspective.
Help execute transactions, investments, and grants, including running diligence, structuring deals, drafting memos, and managing the operational details of deploying capital.
Work alongside senior investors and program leads on a portfolio ranging from frontier AI companies to public-interest technology infrastructure.