Technology Fellow: Digital Safety and Security

Ford Foundation • New York, NY

1d • $166,000 - $170,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Ford Foundation seeks a two-year Technology Fellow for Digital Safety and Security. The Fellow will focus in particular on expanding the foundation’s ability to support grantee digital safety and security. Civil society organizations face targeted information security threats, yet many civil society organizations lack resources and training to support robust digital security. The Fellow will play a critical role in expanding foundation capacity to support grantee partners' organizational digital safety and security practices, as well as assessing strategic gaps in the ecosystem for safety and security providers. Reporting to the Director, Office of the Vice President for U.S. Programs, the Fellow will identify field-building opportunities in the public interest digital safety and security field and work directly with program officers across the foundation on both US and global teams to integrate digital security capacity into Ford’s technical assistance programs and provide strategic support to high-risk grantees. As technology suffuses every aspect of our lives, the Ford Foundation believes that philanthropy has a unique role to play in ensuring that civil society truly understands the technical landscape and how technology could serve the public interest. This position would focus on expanding the foundation’s capacity to support digital safety and security for civil society organizations globally. The Ford Technology Fellows Program is designed to increase sociotechnical (understanding how technology and social systems shape each other) capacity within the Foundation, explore emerging ideas and practices at the intersection of technology and social change, and build new relationships and networks. The Technology Fellows program is administered by Ford’s Technology and Society Program, which works globally to ensure that the internet and digital technologies are increasingly equitable and are designed and governed to advance social and economic justice, particularly for those experiencing persistent discrimination. This role does not include IT and administration responsibilities, however, the Tech Fellow will partner with members of the Information Technology team to collaborate on common and overlapping initiatives and facilitate alignment between our internal and external strategies. The Technology Fellow plays a strategic advisory role within the Foundation as well as provide practical technical expertise to foundation staff and grantees; identify emerging opportunities and challenges; help develop networks and communities of social justice mission-driven technology experts; and enrich the diverse perspectives of the Foundation’s program experts.

Requirements

• Minimum 7 years’ professional experience working with media, technology, advocacy or policy organizations.
• Baccalaureate degree in related field or relevant and equivalent experience.
• Strong ability to critically assess technologies related to digital security, particularly regarding usefulness, effectiveness, security risks, and potential impact.
• Sophisticated knowledge about existing and emerging technologies, with a particular focus on surveillance technologies and organizational digital safety and security.
• Experienced in understanding needs of individuals, organizations or communities and collaboratively designing technical solutions to meet them.
• Strong strategic communication skills, including the ability to collaborate with and articulate the potential roles and importance of technology to diverse audiences.
• Familiarity with the use of information and communication technologies designed to serve the public interest.
• Experience designing, implementing, or supporting digital safety and security solutions and tools in a complex, global setting.
• Experience working with a range of individuals in civil society, government and/or the private sector.
• Demonstrated experience working effectively as part of a team and with colleagues of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
• Excellent analytical, writing, oral presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to handle confidential issues with appropriate discretion.
• Action-oriented, disciplined, and self-motivated; highly comfortable working both independently and collaboratively with diverse teams.
• Demonstrates humility, a capacity for self-reflection, and a sense of humor.
• Ways of working and engaging that aligns with the Foundation’s mission, core values and commitment to creating a culture of excellence.
• Willingness to work in New York City.
• All candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in change management and organizational transition is preferred.
• Familiarity with the regional context and cultures, including geopolitical landscape, in which Ford works.

Responsibilities

• Expanding foundation capacity to support grantee partners' organizational digital safety and security practices.
• Assessing strategic gaps in the ecosystem for safety and security providers.
• Identifying field-building opportunities in the public interest digital safety and security field.
• Working directly with program officers across the foundation on both US and global teams to integrate digital security capacity into Ford’s technical assistance programs.
• Providing strategic support to high-risk grantees.
• Increasing sociotechnical capacity within the Foundation.
• Exploring emerging ideas and practices at the intersection of technology and social change.
• Building new relationships and networks.
• Partnering with members of the Information Technology team to collaborate on common and overlapping initiatives and facilitate alignment between internal and external strategies.
• Playing a strategic advisory role within the Foundation.
• Providing practical technical expertise to foundation staff and grantees.
• Identifying emerging opportunities and challenges.
• Helping develop networks and communities of social justice mission-driven technology experts.
• Enriching the diverse perspectives of the Foundation’s program experts.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits effective on your first day
• Generous time off, including personal, vacation, sick, extended holiday time off, and wellness days
• Generous parental leave policy, including birth, surrogacy, adoptive, foster parents, and resources for backup child and elder care
• Comprehensive retirement benefits options (with employee and employer contributions of up to 13%)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Associate degree