Program Director, Forward Montana & Forward Montana Foundation
Because you believe in a Montana that believes in you.
Forward Montana (FMT) is seeking a full-time Program Director to strategize, manage, and lead a growing statewide program to success across our leadership development, voter registration, voter mobilization, and issue campaigns.
The ideal candidate is someone who can balance organizational vision, political urgency, and organizational capacity. You’ll excel in this role if you have all-star time management skills and the ability to support a breadth of collaborative projects.
Who We Are
Forward Montana (FMT) and Forward Montana Foundation (FMF) are dedicated to engaging and mobilizing young Montanans to help shape their democracy to improve their lives and the lives of fellow Montanans. We put young people on the front lines of civic engagement statewide, basing our efforts out of Bozeman, Missoula, Billings, and the greater Flathead area.
What You’ll Do
The Program Director reports to the Executive Director, sits on the organization’s coordinating team (our version of a senior leadership team), and is responsible for the following:
- Work with the Executive Director and Program Team to create and execute an annual program plan and budget that aligns with the organization’s mission, vision, and goals
- Directly manage, support, and grow Forward Montana’s program team with an eye towards the team’s professional development and overall own professional development and program success.
- Develop and execute collaborative processes for goal-setting.
- Evaluate the success and effectiveness of programs and make adjustments as necessary.
- With the support of the Senior Organizing Manager, lead and support our regional Field Managers in every stage of implementation of programs that accomplish our strategic vision and mission
- Work with the rest of the Program Team to inform advocacy and legislative strategies
- With the support of the Executive Director, steward our political strategy and staff the Forward Montana Political Committee coordinating organizational capacity with board vision and priorities
- Work with the Senior Organizing Manager and Executive Director to develop c3 and c4 field strategies and target audiences, and implement them through creative field and Get Out the Vote tactics. VAN will be your best friend!
- Build strong relationships with state and national partners and represent Forward Montana in relevant coalitions
- Work with the Executive Director to strategize and participate in strengthening organizational visibility through coalitions, speaking engagements, and other external opportunities
- Support the Development Director and Executive Director in securing funding for specific programs including individual donors and institutional funders
- Empower the statewide Forward Montana program crew to be the most badass they can be!
Must-Haves | Here’s what we’re looking for in a candidate:
- Experience in and enthusiasm for political strategy and its connection to civic & electoral power building:
- You set a high bar and meet it, because you think three (or 30) steps ahead to anticipate hurdles and can come up with pragmatic solutions on the fly
- You are comfortable with developing and implementing political field plans from start to finish. You have experience creating phone banks and cutting turf in VAN and pulling up lists.
- You can evaluate new opportunities while thinking about Forward Montana’s strategic mission.
- You have some familiarity with c3 and c4 organizations
- Experience in building strong collaborative relationships:
- You’re excited to build relationships with a national coalition partner one minute and talk to a local stakeholder the next.
- You understand that partnerships are everything and are constantly seeking out new opportunities for Forward Montana to engage with new audiences and communities.
- Demonstrated ability to manage and empower a diverse team of peers at varying levels of experience to achieve necessary metrics, and quantitative and qualitative outcomes:
- You have a track record of supporting teams to accomplish ambitious goals and getting results even when there are obstacles.
- You’re excited about processes and systems within a team – you can run an effective meeting, give 100% to your individual check-ins with the people you manage, and can run an event planning process on a tight timeline.
- You have experience hiring and/or managing a diverse team of folks and have experience developing systems to ensure they feel heard.
- You understand how to hold folks accountable to setting and reaching ambitious goals with creativity and flexibility.
- Actively Anti-Racist:
- You are committed to actively contributing to a more equitable and inclusive FMT by facilitating conversations around diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice with the program team and our broader organization.
- You’re committed to amplifying young voices to advocate for a more progressive, just Montana.
- You recognize how your own identities show up in the work and welcome, reflect on, and act on feedback while continuously learning about race, ability, and other lines of difference.
We understand that the right candidate may have experience in different areas. If you don’t meet all the requirements above but have an interest in learning, we encourage you to apply.
If you were the Program Director right now, you would be:
- Facilitating planning conversations for our upcoming regional candidate forums – ensuring your team has the tools they need to execute a badass candidate education event
- Supporting a program team staffer during your 1:1 weekly check-in
- Representing FMT in a national coalition and talking about the impact of our voter registration work on the Montana landscape
- Developing the agenda and purpose for an upcoming planning conversation for our statewide get out the vote (GOTV) campaigns – you’re compiling data from past years, coming up with recommendations, and figuring out how you’ll track goals this year
- Creating relevant documents for an upcoming election to ensure your team has the materials they need to talk to voters – you’re calling election officials, local partners and organizations, diving deep into the Secretary of State website, and becoming an election expert
What Else You Should Know
Forward Montana is an equal opportunity employer and we value having staff who come from communities that are most impacted by our issues and work. We especially encourage people of color, LGBTQ2S+ people, women, and people with disabilities to apply.
- Logistics
- This position is full-time (40 hours/week) and is based in Montana. There are opportunities for a relocation stipend. Preferred location is Bozeman, but we are flexible
- You must be comfortable working unconventional hours occasionally — including nights and weekends
- You must have the ability to travel 1-3x/month (a valid driver’s license is required)
- You’re comfortable conducting field work in all weather conditions
- This position includes both in-person and virtual components based on public health guidance around COVID-19
- You must be comfortable being managed and building relationships with our statewide team remotely
The salary for this position ranges from $55,000 – $63,000. Forward Montana also offers the following benefits:
- Health insurance
- Retirement plan with a 3% match
- Technology reimbursement
- Professional development funds
- Generous paid time off, including paid family and medical leave
How to Apply
Please send a resume and one-page cover letter stating your interest in the position, why you think you’d be the right fit for Program Director at Forward Montana, and what skillsets you’d be excited to grow & develop in this position.
Please send application materials to hiring@forwardmontana.org.
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled; however, preference will be given to applications who submit materials by May 20th so that we can start interviews by May 23rd. Preferred start date for this position is July 25 (or earlier)