Government Works Weekly #65
Jobs, Events, and the Need for Capacity
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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Read through to the end for 25 upcoming events and 120 jobs and opportunities to help government work…
EYES & EARS – reading, podcasts, and other good stuff
CAPACITY (or the lack thereof)
I like being busy, but I do miss weeks when I have more time to put together a considered offering in this space. Instead, today I will just briefly share a few recent links that I think fit nicely together around the theme of state capacity.
The Sequencing of Legitimacy: State capacity as the foundation for trust, Rafael Leite, 2 February 2026.
The state’s core function isn’t mediating conflicts or managing procedures — it’s delivering services that enable human flourishing. Children learning to read. Streets safe to walk at night. Reliable infrastructure connecting communities. Healthcare when people fall ill. These aren’t just technocratic outputs; they’re the material basis for dignified life.
This article gave me a useful framework for organizing ideas that I have been trying to tease out in conversations over the last few months with friends working on public policy in different countries here in the Americas.
What Are the Structural Causes of Colombia’s Problems? Institutions, Incentives, and the Barriers to Building at Scale, Roberto Tinoco, El Substack de Roberto, 3 February 2026.
A central structural cause behind many of Colombia’s constraints is limited state capacity to plan, coordinate, and execute complex projects at scale. While the country has formal institutions, public investment often struggles with fragmented responsibilities, long timelines, and weak technical continuity across administrations. International diagnostics from the World Bank and OECD consistently show that implementation gaps (not the absence of policy frameworks) are a binding constraint. This weak builder capacity affects infrastructure delivery, housing construction, energy expansion, and even education systems that require sustained execution over time.
I have written before about the usefulness of having folks approach the issue of state capacity through the lens of a specific place, not limit ourselves to the world of abstract research or idealized policy. It makes things so much more concrete. So I was happy to see this series on Colombia, my wife’s home country, come out.
Roberto is one of the people I mentioned above that I have been talking to about policy lately, and on a recent trip I tried to encourage him over some beers in Bogotá to put his ideas out here on the ‘Stack. With this piece, he sets out some of the state capacity challenges that Colombia faces right now. And he challenges himself to offer solutions in his subsequent posts, which I look forward to reading.
A More Progressive Abundance, Raj Nayak, Democracy, 27 January 2026.
Progressives should embrace the goals of abundance. We need to build government institutions that can deliver services quickly, efficiently, and accurately, and that can do so at scale. This is all the more important because the power and reach of the government give it a unique role. Too often, if the government falls through, there’s no competitor to turn to. We need institutions that are nimble enough to serve everyone, not just those who are easiest to reach.
This one pairs nicely with Jason Crawford’s recent “Progress for progressives: The ‘party of science’ must also embrace technology and economic growth” at The Roots of Progress.
For even more state capacity stuff from the last month or so, see:
This feature, also from Democracy, on “Rethinking State Capacity”
This supplement in the Stanford Social Innovation Review on “Realizing the Promise of a Truly Responsive Government”
This podcast from from The UnPopulist: “Does America Need a Deeper State to Save It? A Conversation with Tyler Cowen and Francis Fukuyama”
This post from Rainer Kattel’s Substack on “European strategic autonomy must come through reinventing the welfare state”
EVENT HORIZON – webinars, conferences, and other human things
WEEK OF 9-13 FEBRUARY 2026
10 FEB: Understanding Evolving Republican Attitudes Toward Democracy [SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University]
10 FEB: The Affordability Conundrum: A Debate on How to Deliver Immediate Relief While Expanding Supply [CAP]
10 FEB: The Next Chapter of Community Development Finance and Place-Based Investment [Urban Institute]
10 FEB: CPI Climate Action Team Lunch & Learn [Centre for Public Impact]
10 FEB: Time for a regulatory reset – how regulatory simplification can promote productivity [OECD]
10 FEB: Journalist safety in the US: Protecting data and devices [U.S. Journalist Assistance Network]
10 FEB: Book Launch: Escape from Capitalism [UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose]
10 FEB: Domestic revenue mobilization: progress and challenges [United Nations University]
10-12 FEB: Nets4Dem Democracy Lab
11-12 FEB: OECD Forum on Due Diligence in the Garment and Footwear Sector [OECD]
11 FEB: AI+Education Summit 2026: The AI Inflection Point: What, How, and Why We Learn [Stanford Accelerator for Learning + Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence]
11 FEB: Inside the Destruction of the U.S. Agency for International Development [ProPublica]
11 FEB: Global Migration Frameworks in an Era of Mass Displacement [CIVICUS]
11 FEB: Public Trust in Tax 2025: Insights and Opportunities from Asia and Beyond [IFAC + OECD]
11 FEB: Path to Power: Forum on America’s Primaries [NOTUS]
11 FEB: Federal Evaluation Resources Simplified: Tour the Evidence Act Hub and Help Shape What’s Next [Data Foundation]
12 FEB: Immersive technologies: Use cases and policy approaches [OECD]
12 FEB: 50 States, 50 Breakthroughs: Projects Reshaping Government Across the U.S. [Apolitical + National Academy of Public Administration + Humans of Public Service]
12 FEB: Hiding in Plain Sight: Lessons from 600 Business Leaders Who Chose Values Over Short-term Profit [Transform Finance]
12 FEB: Resist and Reimagine: Lessons from Minnesota on Fighting Authoritarianism [Hosted by We Build Progress, Take Action Minnesota, Minnesota AFL-CIO, People’s Action, and Indivisible]
12 FEB: Community-Driven Strategic Planning to Address Gender-based Violence [Brave Path Strategies]
12 FEB: Authoritarian Absorption: The Transnational Remaking of Epidemic Politics in China [Pardee School]
12 FEB: Decolonising Global Digital Transformation [UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose]
13 FEB: Virtual Event: How to Help Your Local Government Stop Buying from Amazon [Institute for Local Self-Reliance]
APPLY YOURSELF – jobs, internships, and other ways to get involved
POLICY + PROGRAM
Co-Director, Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, Urban Institute [D.C.]
Labor Policy Staff Assistant, U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Deputy Director, Housing and Transportation and Policy Analyst II, Work & Family, Niskanen Center [D.C.]
Director of Infrastructure, Housing and Higher Education Manager, Arnold Ventures [D.C.]
Senior Manager, Housing Advocacy, Smart Growth America [D.C.]
Associate, Programs, Partnership for Public Service [D.C.]
Policy/Senior Policy Analyst, The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget [D.C.]
Senior Policy Analyst, Immigration and Immigrant Families, The Center for Law and Social Policy
Policy Counsel, Legal Defense Fund
Head of Finance, Recoding America Fund [Remote / D.C. preferred]
Policy Director, Institute for AI Policy and Strategy [D.C.]
Director, Collaborative Governance Academy, re:power [Remote]
Director of Research and Analysis, Freedom Together Foundation
Research Associate, Measure of America, The Social Science Research Council
Vice President of Campaigns and Political Strategy, National Institute for Reproductive Health
Federal Policy Associate and More, Reproductive Freedom for All
Associate Manager, Leadership Programs, Future Caucus
STATE + LOCAL
Associate Director, National Lieutenant Governors Association
Multiple Positions, National Center for State Courts
Associate Director for Federal Affairs (Healthcare & Nutrition), New York State Executive Chamber [D.C.]
Research Manager, California Gubernatorial Transition Project and Manager, California Gubernatorial Transition Project, Partnership for Public Service [D.C.]
Energy Policy Analyst, Interior West, Gridworks [deadline 28 Feb.]
Worker Ownership Cities Program Manager, Democracy at Work Institute
Researcher (Labor Economics) and Researcher/Senior Researcher (Health & Safety Net), California Policy Lab
Associate Director of Policy, California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems
Director of Climate Policy and Director, Outreach and Policy (Veterans’ Services), City of Boston
Public Policy and Engagement Specialist, Department of Public Utilities [Commonwealth of Massachusetts]
Interim Organizing Manager, PID MA Action, Partners in Democracy [MA]
Planning Analyst, Department of Social Services, State of Connecticut [deadline 10 Feb.]
Executive Director, ACLU of Georgia
Executive Director, North Carolina, Nature Conservancy
Policy Director, Open New York [NYC]
Policy Director, Vital City [NYC]
COMMS + OPS
Chief, Marketing and Strategic Communications, League of Women Voters [deadline 11 Feb.]
Manager, Mobilization and Engagement, League of Women Voters [Remote]
Director, External Communications and Media Relations and Marketing Associate, Communications & Public Engagement, Partnership for Public Service [D.C.]
Strategic Communications Specialist, Lead Exposure Elimination Project
Vice President, Communications, Issue One [Hybrid / D.C.]
Press Secretary, End Citizens United [D.C. / Remote]
Senior Communications Manager, Tax Policy Center, Urban Institute [D.C.]
Press Assistant, Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee
Director of Strategic Communications, Pulitzer Center [Remote]
Tax Policy Editor, Politico [Arlington, VA]
Story Editor, Chalkbeat and Votebeat, Civic News Company [Remote]
Politics Reporter, CalMatters [CA]
Director of People & Culture, Run for Something [Remote]
Director, Engagement and Coalitions, The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget [D.C.]
Accounting Associate, Protect Democracy [Remote]
Finance Manager, VoteRiders
Vice President, Philanthropy, Issue One [Hybrid / D.C.]
Development & Engagement Associate, Forward Majority [Remote]
Director of Philanthropy, Chalkbeat, Civic News Company [Remote]
Talent Management & Development Specialist, Partners for Rural Impact [Remote]
Head of People, Lead Exposure Elimination Project
Operations Associate / Operations Manager, Global Shield
ACADEMIA
Assistant Professor of Public Policy, Department of Political Science [West Virginia University]
Project Development Associate, Lab for Economic Opportunities [University of Notre Dame]
Communications Director, The Othering and Belonging Institute [UC Berkeley]
Policy Analyst, Penn Wharton Budget Model and Director of Litigation and Policy, Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law and Associate Director, MSSP Program, University of Pennsylvania
Various Roles, Center for Education Policy Research [Harvard University]
Technology and Public Policy Search (open rank), Harvard Kennedy School
TECH + DATA + DESIGN
Product Design Lead, Elections and Growth & Outreach Manager, Digital Delivery, U.S. Digital Response
Chief Information Officer, State of Delaware
UI Chief Data Officer, State of Maryland [deadline 11 Feb.]
Engineering Director, Digital Services, Office of the City Administrator [San Francisco]
Data Associate, The Movement Cooperative [Remote]
Data Officer, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative
INTERNATIONAL
Senior Policy Manager (West Africa) and Senior Policy Manager (Rwanda), Innovations for Poverty Action
Policy Manager and Senior Policy Manager, J-PAL Global
Policy Manager (Brazil), J-PAL LAC
Senior Policy, Communications, and Training Manager, J-PAL Southeast Asia
Publications Manager (Sweden), International IDEA [deadline 1 Mar.]
Head of the Climate Programme, Centre for European Policy Studies [deadline 15 Mar.]
Global People & Culture Senior Manager, Global Fund for Children [Remote]
Finance and Operations Coordinator, EDGE Funders Alliance [Remote]
Director, Cities Alliance [deadline 25 Mar.]
Policy Adviser & Coordinator (Silicon Valley), Danish Consulate [California]
Communications Officer, Center for Economic and Social Rights
Senior Global Director of Country Operations, GiveDirectly [Remote]
Biosecurity Policy Lead (Brussels), Resilience Action Network International
Program Officer (Civic Space), Oxfam Colombia [via matteria]
Economics Principal Specialist, IDB Group [deadline 1 Mar.]
Communications and MEL Manager, European Fund for the Balkans [Hybrid Belgrade]
Adviser on Human Rights and New Technologies, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights [Warsaw]
Regional Director, Europe, Amnesty International [deadline 22 Feb.]
INTERNSHIPS + FELLOWSHIPS
Five Summer Internships, Partnership for Public Service [D.C. / deadline 6 Mar.]
Multiple Internships, National Conference of State Legislatures
Journalism Fellow, Communications & Public Engagement, Partnership for Public Service [D.C.]
Federal Policy Intern Summer 2026, New York State Executive Chamber [D.C.]
Research Intern, Summer 2026, More in Common [D.C. / Remote]
Intern, Financial Markets and Institutions Unit, Centre for European Policy Studies [deadline 20 Feb.]
Human Rights Intern, CIVICUS [deadline 13 Feb.]
Senior Fellow, Tax Policy Center, Urban Institute [D.C.]
John R. Lewis Social Justice Policy Fellowship, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation [deadline 1 May]
Civic Education Advocacy Fellowship, Partners in Democracy
Civic Media Fellowship, USC Annenberg Innovation Lab [deadline 20 Feb.]
Summer 2026 Research Assistant, The Lab @ DC
CONSULTANCIES + OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Strategic Adviser Consultant, Office of Innovation, UNICEF [deadline 10 Feb.]
Contract: Content and Communications Manager, Open Contracting Partnership [deadline 23 Feb.]
Call for consultant for South Africa case study on tax and data governance, International Centre for Tax and Development [deadline 15 Feb.]
Request for Quotations (RFQ): US Government Advocacy, GiveDirectly [D.C. / deadline 9 Feb.]
Strategic Communication Consultancy for SC Europe, Save the Children
Consultancy: Understanding Development Finance Actors role in Resilience Interventions, Mercy Corps
Contrat: Responsable des affaires publiques, France, Good Food Institute Europe
Offre de stage: Chargé.e de communication digitale, Le Forum sur l’information et la démocratie
Request for Feedback: Assembling an Assembly Guide, DemocracyNext
Request for Proposals (RFP): contribute to the next iteration of The Launch Sequence, Institute for Progress
And lots more in the last newsletter: Government Works Weekly #64.