Principal, Programs and Policy (Political Economy of AI)

Omidyar Network (ON) is a philanthropic organization whose mission is to bend the arc of the digital revolution toward shared power, prosperity, and possibility. Digital technology is a powerful and ubiquitous force that, harnessed wisely, makes wondrous things happen. We believe in working together to guide tech’s trajectory intentionally. Our vision is for our shared humanity to steer our digital future.

So far, we have committed more than $1.94 billion to initiatives that share our vision. We engage, partner with, and fund some of the world’s brightest thinkers and innovators to guide our digital future toward the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

Our Programs and Policy team focuses on the key drivers of our shared digital future: the culture, the governance, and the business of digital tech. Through grantmaking, advocacy, and funder partnership, we aim to shape more intentional societal governance and amplify our shared agency. We work with a broad range of stakeholders, including investors, tech firms, policymakers, consumers, and workers, to guide tech’s trajectory and build coalitions and counterweights to concentrated power in civil society. Our team members come from policy, advocacy, nonprofits, community organizing, technology, consulting, philanthropy, education, and the arts.

AI and digital technology are reshaping how the economy works: who has opportunity and a voice in labor markets, capital markets, our information society, and the rules that govern them. How workers share in the gains from automation, how market structure and ownership evolve, and who has a seat at the table when rules are written are political economy questions as much as technology questions. As a Principal, Programs and Policy (Political Economy of AI/Tech & Future of Work), you will help shape a new and rapidly growing field.

This is an opportunity to help define ON’s strategy and the field’s focus on the political economy of tech. The role builds on our work reimagining capitalism (labor and jobs, market incentives, economic power) and focuses it on how AI and tech are changing work and markets, and what it will take to steer that change toward broadly shared prosperity.

• Shape ON’s thinking on the political economy of AI/tech and the future of work. Develop our point of view on how AI is affecting labor markets, capital markets, market structure, and economic power, and turn it into strategy and a program of work.
• Advance policy and public debate. Identify where ON can help improve outcomes for workers and the broader economy, such as policy opportunities, corporate accountability, and public conversations, and lead efforts to advance them.
• Build and sustain coalitions. Bring together labor, worker organizations, economists, technologists, industry, policymakers, and civil society groups who don’t often share a room, and help them find common strategy.
• Shape public narrative. Work with communications colleagues to share ON’s perspective through op-eds, events, and media, so the political economy framing of AI gains ground in public debate.
• Deploy a grantmaking portfolio. In collaboration with the team, source, structure, and manage grants to civil society organizations, researchers, worker organizations, advocacy groups, and coalitions that advance ON’s strategy.
• Grow ON’s network and profile. Cultivate relationships across labor, academia, government, industry, and civil society; represent ON in policy forums and convenings; and become a recognized voice on these issues.
• Contribute across the organization. Partner with Programs and Policy colleagues on shared strategy and contribute to firm-wide priorities beyond your portfolio.

This is a hybrid role, with employees working in the office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This position will be based out of our San Francisco or Washington, DC (preferred) office. Employees must reside within 100 miles of their assigned ON office location. This role will require low to moderate travel (10-25%). 

Candidates must have current U.S. work authorization to be considered. ON does not sponsor or provide support for visas or work authorization, including H-1B, OPT, STEM OPT, and other temporary work authorization programs.

• Minimum of 7 years of relevant, progressive experience in labor economics or organizing, economic policy, capital markets, antitrust/competition policy, law, philanthropy, advocacy, or technology policy, with real depth in at least two.
• Fluency in the political economy of AI and tech. You think naturally about power, markets, incentives, and labor together, and can engage with economists, lawyers, policymakers, technologists, and organizers alike.
• A track record of advocacy and coalition building, bringing different constituencies together toward shared action, ideally including labor or worker organizations.
• Experience or clear aptitude with grantmaking, alongside comfort leading advocacy and communications directly.
• A bias toward originating: you build relationships and start things rather than waiting for opportunities.
• Openness to multiple perspectives and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

In lieu of a cover letter, we ask all candidates to complete a written exercise. This is an opportunity for you to share your thinking and creativity as it relates to ON's mission and the policy landscape.

AI is changing how work and markets function, and ON has limited resources to influence that. If you could focus ON’s efforts on one issue at the intersection of AI/tech and the economy (e.g., worker voice, how automation’s gains are shared, industrial policy, or market concentration), what would it be, why does it matter now, and what is the first concrete step you would take?

Length: 250 words maximum. No outside research needed.

Please note that applications submitted without a response to this prompt will be considered incomplete.

Omidyar Network is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes people from all experiences, abilities, and perspectives to apply. We fundamentally believe that people are inherently capable but often lack opportunity. We know that a diverse workforce reflecting a broad range of backgrounds and views allows us to see problems in more nuanced ways, creating the thought leadership needed to elevate humanity and evolve the culture, governance, and business of technology. We actively recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a broad candidate pool. We are committed to an inclusive and accessible hiring process. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the application or interview process, please let us know at recruitment@omidyar.com.