Government Works Weekly #42
Jobs, Events, and Férias Merecidas
Welcome to your weekly roundup of opportunities, events, and information about how government works—and how government can work better—to improve the lives of individuals, families, and communities.
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EYES & EARS – reading, podcasts, and other good stuff
Heading off soon for a couple weeks in Brazil (see the bleg below), so here is some stuff for a long airplane ride. Although really I will probably just end up watching Frozen with the kid. You may not see another one of these newsletters out until early August if I follow the “happy wife, happy life” dictum and end up proper resting.
[READING] Introducing the Democracy Narratives Campaign – “Together with a global group of organizations, we are launching a new initiative to compile, develop, and promote compelling narratives that increase public support for and engagement in democracy.” [People Powered]
[LISTENING] Multisolving Our Democracy: Elizabeth Sawin, – “...multisolving is a way to address the multiple issues that are currently facing our democracy at the same time, ranging from pollution and sustainable energy to civil rights and collective governance.” [Future Hindsight, 10 July]
[READING] The Historical Presidency: Nine essays on what the global past reveals about our confounding present – Particularly looking forward to the essay comparing Trump to Mao. [Foreign Policy, Summer 2025]
[LISTENING] A Complicated Man: William F. Buckley, Jr. (w/ Sam Tanenhaus) – “...after two-and-a-half decades of research and writing, Sam Tanenhaus’s authoritative biography of William F. Buckley Jr.—youthful booster of America First, enfant terrible at Yale, CIA agent, founder of National Review, best-selling author, brilliant television host, and more—has blessedly arrived.” [Know Your Enemy, 7 July]
[READING] The Hidden Battle that Decides Whether Democracy Survives – “On the other side is the public: ordinary people who want the system to work. Most don’t want upheaval. They want stability. But they also want fairness, accountability, and the ability to choose their leaders without fear.” [Here Be Dragons: Warning Signs from the Edges of Democracy, 2 July]
[READING] Government Does That? People have very little idea about the many things their governments do, which makes it easy to tell them we should cut a lot of it. – “The truth is, a lot of what our governments spend money on is unknown to most of the participants in those governments. That’s especially true in this modern age of government bureaucracy, and that makes the Trump/MAGA/Steve Bannon form of populism an easy sell.” [Good Politics/Bad Politics, 11 July]
[LISTENING] Forget smaller or bigger. If you want better government, invest. – “[HKS Professor Elizabeth] Linos says believers in small government and robust government can potentially find common ground in improving the function of government—whatever size it is— for the people it serves.” [PolicyCast, 16 July]
[READING] Four Truths We Know About Government Efficiency—and Effectiveness: What we’ve learned from 15 years of making government work well for everyone – “We’ve seen time and time again that it is possible to design government services that work better, cost less, and deliver better outcomes for people.” [Code for America, 1 July]
[WATCHING] Highlights from the 2025 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals Event [Partnership for Public Service, 17 June]
BRAZIL BLEG
Only my second time in Brazil, will be mostly in Rio and Minas Gerais. Any cool government buildings I should see?
Here are a few of the things I have bookmarked to read – let me know what I am missing:
Pacto pela Democracia: https://handbooks.pactopelademocracia.org.br/
Brazil’s Open Government Journey: https://www.opengovpartnership.org/brazils-open-government-journey/
A Class Coup: Workers, unions, and dictatorship in Brazil (1964–85): https://www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/a-class-coup/
The Evolution of Political Parties in Brazil: https://theoutlookbykeseb.com/restructuringpartysystems/
Trump's Dictator Protection Program: Using tariffs to fight democracy:
EVENT HORIZON – webinars, conferences, and other human things
WEEK OF 21-25 JULY
21-25 JULY: Learning Days 17: Latin America Regional Hub Workshop & Doctoral Dissertation Camp 2025 [EGAP – Evidence in Governance and Politics]
22 JULY: 14th annual Municipal Finance Conference [Brookings]
22 JULY: Written Advocacy Workshop [Partners in Democracy]
22 JULY: Intergovernmental Coordination in Crisis Management: Lessons from Canada and Europe [LEGIMULT]
22 JULY: The Anti-Authoritarian Playbook [Marguerite Casey Foundation]
22 JULY: An Urgent Warning from Texas: A Conversation on Defending Democracy and Fighting Authoritarianism in the States [CAP]
22 JULY: Public Perceptions: The Impact of Federal Cutbacks [Partnership for Public Service]
24 JULY: Career Expo for Current and Former Feds [Partnership for Public Service]
24 JULY: Stories and Systems Learning Circle - Storytelling, Measurement and Impact [Centre for Public Impact]
24 JULY: Democracy Conversation re Fort Collins Civic Assembly [Local Policy Lab]
22-25 JULY: Annual Bank Conference on Development Economics 2025 Development in the Age of Populism [Center for Global Development + The World Bank]
UPCOMING
27-31 JULY: Democratic Innovations in Latin America: Social Movements, Indigenous Peoples and Traditional Communities [Participedia]
4-6 AUG: 2025 Legislative Summit [NCSL]
5 AUG: Worker Power Is the Heart of Democracy [Marguerite Casey Foundation]
14-15 AUG: Liberalism for the 21st Century: A Global Convening to Defend and Reimagine Liberal Democracy [Institute for the Study of Modern Authoritarianism]
APPLY YOURSELF – jobs, internships, and other ways to get involved
I probably won’t get another one of these newsletters out until August, so feel free to follow the LinkedIn page where I sometimes like/share other jobs.
POLICY + PROGRAM
Legislative & Advocacy Specialist (and more), Protect Democracy [D.C.]
Chief Executive Officer, Recoding America Fund [deadline 4 August]
Vice President, Programs and Strategy (and more), International Foundation for Election Systems [D.C.]
Senior Project Manager, Women's Democracy Lab [Remote]
Multiple Positions, Center for Popular Democracy [Remote]
Director of Infrastructure, Housing (and more), Arnold Ventures [D.C.]
Climate Government Affairs Manager, Niskanen Center [D.C.]
Senior Manager of Energy Policy (and more), Bipartisan Policy Center [D.C.]
Program Manager, The Hub Project [D.C.]
Senior Director, Litigation (and more), Common Cause [Remote]
Rule of Law Coordinator (and more), Public Citizen [D.C.]
Program Officer, Early Childhood Care and Education Systems, W.K. Kellogg Foundation [Hybrid]
Analyst - Girls Opportunity Alliance, Obama Foundation [Chicago]
STATE + LOCAL
Legislative Affairs Specialist, Office of Data and Innovation [State of California]
Research Analyst, Little Hoover Commission [Sacramento, CA / deadline 4 August]
Research Analyst/Policy Counsel, Senate Democratic Caucus, State of Washington [deadline 18 July]
Policy Director, Democracy North Carolina [priority deadline 22 July]
Program Manager, Chattahoochee, Trust for Public Land [Georgia]
Health Policy Advisor, Office of the Lieutenant Governor [State of Colorado]
Early Childhood Policy Fellowship Coordinator, Strategies for Children [Part-time / Boston / Hybrid]
Director of Policy, Illinois Department of Early Childhood [deadline 25 July]
Affordable Housing Policy Advocacy Professional, California Housing Partnership [Sacramento]
Manager of Sustainability and Resilience Policy, Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies [D.C.]
Multiple Positions, American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees [D.C.]
Program Officer, Michigan, W.K. Kellogg Foundation [Michigan]
New Hampshire Voting Rights Campaign Director (and more), America Votes [Concord, NH]
Senior Vice President, Development, State Innovation Exchange [Remote]
COMMS + OPS
Managing Director, Rock the Vote [D.C.]
Events and Leadership Support Associate, American Society for Public Administration [D.C.]
Managing Editor, Votebeat, Civic News Company [Remote]
Communications Manager, Navigator Research [D.C.]
Assistant Director, Digital Communications, Harvard Kennedy School [MA]
Senior Vice President of Communications, States United Democracy Center [Remote]
Chief People and Culture Officer, Office of Data and Innovation [State of California]
Briefings and Research Coordinator, New York State Attorney General [NYC / deadline 25 July]
Information Specialist, State Democracy Project [Remote]
Specialist, Communications and Online Media, Basel Institute on Governance [deadline 4 August]
TECH + DATA + DESIGN
Executive Director, Data for Progress [deadline 25 July]
Chief Information Officer (CIO) & Managing Director, Technology Programs, National Association of Counties [Remote / Hybrid / D.C.]
Partnerships Manager, Personified Tech [Remote]
Product Manager, Survey Products (and more), Blue Rose Research [Remote]
Director of Product, Marketplace (and more), Propel [Brooklyn / Remote]
Policy Analyst/Director, Encode AI [D.C.]
(Senior) Software Engineer, Civitech [Remote / Austin]
Senior Design Lead, Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity [NYC]
Multiple Positions, Colorado Digital Service [Remote CO]
Director Digital Experiences, City of Chattanooga [TN]
Principal, Programs (Technology Policy), Omidyar Network [D.C.]
INTERNATIONAL
Associate Director, Global, Open Society Foundations [deadline 28 July]
Multiple Positions, GovTech Barbados [Remote / Hybrid]
Program Specialist – International Programs, W.K. Kellogg Foundation [Mexico]
Grants Officer (Associate), Europe, Centre for Public Impact [deadline 8 Aug.]
Policy Fellow, Global Health Program – Lead (Pb) Exposure (and more), Center for Global Development [D.C. or London / deadline 21 July]
Strategic Legal & Policy Advisor, Competence Centre for Human Rights Due Diligence, UNI Global Union [deadline 18 July]
Engagement Lead, Innovation & Practice, Involve [UK / deadline 21 July]
Senior Program Officer Positions, Global Education, Gates Foundation [3 positions / Seattle, Kenya, India]
Director of Communications, African Center for Economic Transformation [Remote / Ghana]
Specialist, Financial Crime Risk, Basel Institute on Governance [deadline 18 August]
Research Officer – Sabbatical Cover, Amnesty International Kenya [Nairobi]
INTERNSHIPS + FELLOWSHIPS + OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Blue Book Traineeship, European Commission [deadline 29 Aug.]
Civil Service Defense and Innovation Fellow, Democracy Forward [deadline 25 July]
Emerging Reporters 2025-2026, ProPublica [NYC / deadline 18 Aug.]
Multiple Internships, Brennan Center for Justice [NY]
Call for Applications: Join the CIVICUS Youth Action Team 2025-2026, CIVICUS [deadline 25 July]
Terms of Reference (ToR): Facilitation of Protest Lab Innovation Week Event, CIVICUS [deadline 25 July]
Terms of Reference: Research Consultancy for ‘Ideal Enabling Environment for Philanthropy - Policy Guide and Playbook of Practices’, WINGS [deadline 23 July]
Terms of Reference: EU SEE Expert, Democracy Reporting International [deadline 24 July]
Social Media And Newsletter Manager Consultant, Open Government Partnership [deadline 31 July]
Early Childhood Policy Fellow, Strategies for Children [Boston / Hybrid]
Call for Papers: "Democracy Reimagined: Advancing Democratic Resilience and Renewal", Centre for Deliberative Democracy [abstracts by 8 August]
Call for Proposals, FormFest 2025 [deadline 18 July]
The “Prove It” Prize, Movement Labs [early deadline 15 August]
Request for Proposal: Paid research opportunity: Exploring citizens’ assemblies across Africa, DemocracyNext [deadline 25 July]
And lots more opportunities in the last newsletter: Government Works Weekly #41.
