Fellowship Director, Policy Entrepreneurs Network
The mission of Renaissance Philanthropy is to fuel a 21st century renaissance by increasing the ambition of philanthropists, scientists, and innovators.
Our aim is to activate a virtuous loop of increasing ambition and impact between philanthropists and innovators: by identifying frontier experts both in science and in new ways of solving problems; by tapping into the growing number of emerging philanthropists; and by building multi-sector initiatives that can harness the power of philanthropy, markets, and governments. We advance our mission by advising philanthropists, surfacing breakthrough ideas, and incubating ambitious initiatives. Read more about our work, track record, and team here.
About the Policy Entrepreneurs Network (PEN)
The Policy Entrepreneurs Network (PEN) is a non-partisan community of learning and practice for policy entrepreneurs. Its core activities include:
Recruiting annual cohorts of Fellows. We identify exceptional policy entrepreneurs through active search and referrals, building a broad community of policy entrepreneurs across government, civil society, and industry.
Organizing biannual PEN Retreats. Twice a year, PEN Fellows gather for a daylong retreat in which participants shape and execute the agenda.
Providing workshops and practical resources to help members be more effective. PEN produces playbooks and learning opportunities on topics like appropriations, executive branch policymaking, and coalition-building, and hosts workshops led by experienced practitioners.
Role and Responsibilities
Renaissance Philanthropy is seeking a Fellowship Director for the Policy Entrepreneurs Network (PEN) — someone with deep instincts for policy talent and a commitment to community integrity. In this full-time role, you will serve as the primary steward of the PEN Fellowship — maintaining its high bar through a rigorous admissions process, building genuine relationships with Fellows, and planning and executing events that help Fellows be more effective. You will bring meaningful experience in or alongside government or public policy, and you will operate with significant autonomy.
Core Responsibilities
Admissions & Community Engagement: Own the PEN admissions process— sourcing exceptional candidates, conducting background research and referrals, and onboarding new Fellows—working closely with a small braintrust of advisors. You will be the primary steward of PEN's standards, ensuring the community remains high-integrity and impact-focused. You will also serve as a primary point of contact for Fellows and help cultivate a welcoming, collaborative community.
Events & Programming: Lead the design and execution of PEN programming, including the biannual Retreat and a range of virtual and in-person gatherings. Coordinate event logistics such as scheduling, invitations, speaker coordination, materials, and follow-up.
Operations & Communications: Maintain and improve operational systems that support PEN’s work (including Airtable and Google Workspace); draft and send regular community communications; maintain PEN’s internal website and shared resources; and provide project-management support for special projects and new initiatives.
If you are successful in this role, in two years you will have helped build a thriving, highly engaged PEN community that consistently delivers value to Fellows. Fellows will see you as a trusted partner and connector and you will have led smooth and professional admissions processes for multiple new cohorts, helped plan and execute several flagship Retreats and dozens of smaller events, and put reliable systems in place that allow PEN to scale gracefully.
The base compensation range for this role is $100,000–$120,000, along with a comprehensive benefits package, 401K contribution, and performance-based bonus. Candidates with exceptional experience may be considered for compensation above this range.
This role is open to candidates based in the Washington, D.C. area.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate has enough experience in or alongside government and public policy to understand what makes a policy entrepreneur effective. You have a genuine feel for talent and be able to spot the difference between someone who is accomplished on paper and someone who has or is poised to truly move the needle on the issues they work on.
Candidates should demonstrate:
Experience working in government or public policy environments strongly preferred;
A keen eye for talent and a track record of spotting exceptional policy talent early
Strong organizational and project-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Experience planning transformative events or supporting programs, communities, or membership networks.
Comfort using operational tools such as Airtable and Google Workspace.
A collaborative, service-oriented mindset and enthusiasm for supporting others.
Values
You will thrive within our team if you:
Have strong mission and vision alignment: You believe in the power of science, innovation, and technology to create a brighter future for all.
Exhibit high agency: You can move mountains and break perceived constraints.
Inspire others and are highly collaborative: You can motivate others to join your mission and goals. You understand the value of going further by working with others.
Value exceptional talent and the power of networks: You can spot or nurture exceptional talent and believe in the value of building networks and the power law of talent.
Are comfortable working in fast-moving and ambitious teams: You are not afraid of ambiguity and enjoy working at pace.
Diversity
We encourage anyone who is interested in this role to apply, regardless of whether you feel you meet 100% of the qualifications. The top candidates will bring their own unique perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds from a variety of industries along with many but not necessarily all the skills listed above.
Recruiting, hiring, mentoring, and retaining a diverse workforce is critical to our success. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.
Renaissance Philanthropy is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.