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Role Description

PowerLines is in a period of significant organizational growth and seeks a full-time Chief of Staff to directly support its Founder and Executive Director. The Chief of Staff will act as a force multiplier for leadership and the organization by:

• Operating as an “air traffic controller” by supporting operational execution of strategy.
• Managing up and across the organization.
• Streamlining internal processes and clearing bottlenecks.

This role will not be static or slow-paced; it will involve:

• Working at a rapid pace in a nimble, high-velocity startup environment.
• Driving organizational efficiency and tackling complex problems.
• Translating ideas into execution and keeping the trains running.

The Chief of Staff can be remote but must be able to be present in-person in Washington, DC on a regular basis. Significant travel is expected for this role (up to 25%). This is not a traditional “9 to 5” role and may involve work on evenings and weekends.

Key Responsibilities

• Operations
  • Run weekly team meetings and lead preparation for internal team meetings, including development of agendas and notetaking.
  • Manage internal and external workstreams and personnel, untangle internal bottlenecks, and advance clarity.
  • Lead organizational project management including management of team progress tracker and development of organizational KPIs.
  • Support development of external engagement strategy and implementation plan.
  • Support organizational and individual review processes.
  • Provide operational support to PowerLines projects and teams as needed.
  • Support strategic planning and execution, keeping plans up to date.
  • Lead, develop, and assign ad hoc requests and special projects as needed.
  • Develop and maintain internal databases.
  • Embed technological and AI solutions within the organization.
  • Oversee planning and execution of logistics for strategic events and convenings.
  • Execute processing of reimbursements, receipts, and other expenses.
  • Manage hiring and onboarding of new team members.
• Executive Support
  • Serve as an extension of the Executive Director, attending meetings as needed.
  • Oversee development of briefing book for the Executive Director.
  • Develop internal and external strategic memos, decks, and other materials.
  • Work with the Executive Director to ensure priorities and key tasks are completed.
  • Draft internal memos and organizational messages.
  • Ensure follow up with key contacts made during external engagements.
  • Travel with the Executive Director as needed.
• Fundraising
  • Support the Executive Director in coordination with major philanthropic partners.
  • Support drafting of fundraising decks, grant proposals, and budgets.
  • Support development of impact and tracking reports.
• Team Culture
  • Support building of organizational and team culture.
  • Develop systems to ensure strong cross-departmental communications and collaboration.
  • Support professional development opportunities for PowerLines team members.

Qualifications

• 4-10 years of experience in strategy or management consulting, business, operations, project management, nonprofits, government, or a related field, preferably in a startup setting.
• An ability to “manage up” and engage effectively with team members.
• Strong project management skills.
• An orientation towards strategically removing organizational bottlenecks.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent ability to communicate complex ideas clearly.
• A highly motivated self-starter with a “get stuff done” mentality.
• Strong emotional intelligence skills.
• Capacity to thrive in an early-stage, fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• A passion for advancing PowerLines’ mission.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with artificial intelligence (AI) tools.
• Strategic thinking and creative problem-solving skills.
• Experience managing relationships with senior principals.
• Deep intellectual curiosity and thoughtfulness.

Compensation and Benefits

• The expected salary range for this role is $100,000-$150,000 per year plus benefits.
• The benefits package includes unlimited PTO, paid holidays, health insurance, a 401k employer match, sick leave, and health and wellness benefits.

How To Apply

Please include your CV/resume and a letter that explains in specific detail why you are interested in the Chief of Staff role at PowerLines. All materials submitted will be carefully read and considered.

Priority consideration will be given to applications received by March 31, 2026, but applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.