Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee

The DLCC’s sole mission is to win Democratic majorities and build Democratic power in state legislatures. To grow governing power, we battle to win and hold majorities, build their capacity to be self-sustaining, and expand the map cycle over cycle to shape the future of this country. As the official party committee dedicated to state legislatures, we also represent and elevate our ballot level on the national stage to bring more attention and resources to this ballot level.

Over the last decade, a reimagined and reinvigorated Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee has reversed electoral trends and shifted the competitive state legislative map in this new decade. While fighting from behind due to Republicans’ massive war chest, rigged maps, and focus among Democrats and progressives on the federal level, the DLCC has won back a dozen majorities in the states  – including a historic midterm election cycle in 2022 when Democrats flipped four chambers red to blue, and the President’s party did not lose a single chamber for the first time in modern history. 

The DLCC is an all-of-the-above committee that operates year-round, providing funds for the full scope of campaign work and running significant independent advertising to win races. The data, targeting, organizing, digital, communications and fundraising support, and strategic expertise we provide to states is invaluable. Winning state legislatures doesn’t happen in a single election — they are multi-cycle plays, and the DLCC’s work with our caucuses to lay the groundwork for future Democratic wins. And when the DLCC secures new majorities, Democrats move quickly on an agenda that protects fundamental freedoms and builds an economy for all. 

The DLCC has momentum in our strategy for the decade, and we cannot let up. Extreme MAGA Republicans are showing no signs of slowing down their anti-democratic crusade and there’s a long fight ahead of us that will require more investment, attention, and resources for state legislative races. Every victory at our level of the ballot is a win for the future of the Democratic Party, and this year, we’re capitalizing on our progress so far to defend our ground and keep expanding the map for Democratic power. 

Alongside our mission, we also value our team. We are explicit about our culture and values and how they impact our work and collaboration with others. The DLCC staff, along with our Board of Directors, are committed to holding ourselves to a standard of respect, inclusion, growth, and performance that meets the political and organizational requirements of the future we want to build.

IE Deputy Director  

The IE Deputy Director is a member of the DLCC’s Independent Expenditure Department and leads DLCC engagement in assigned states to capture or maintain legislative majorities and to build Democratic power in states. 

The Deputy Director of Independent Expenditure will play a pivotal role in the organization's mission to elect Democrats to state legislatures. Their primary goals include leading and managing all aspects of the independent expenditure program in targeted states, from developing and executing strategic campaign plans to overseeing a budget and a team of consultants. This position is responsible for building and maintaining crucial relationships with in-state partners, collecting and analyzing political intelligence to inform decision-making, and ensuring all independent spending is impactful and innovative while avoiding duplication of other efforts. The Deputy Director's work directly contributes to capturing and defending legislative majorities, ultimately building Democratic power in states across the country.

This position reports to the IE Director and is a cycle position from January 5, 2026, through December 31, 2026. The DLCC is a hybrid organization located in Washington, DC. This position is eligible for permanent remote work or flexible work arrangements.  

The IE Deputy Director is expected to model the values of the DLCC:  

• CREDIBILITY: We are respected and trusted in words and actions. 
• INCLUSIVE: The DLCC values the unique experience and perspective of all who work here. We strive to make all contributors feel welcomed, valued, and respected. We focus on outcomes, recognizing different people approach opportunities and challenges differently.  
• INITIATIVE: We exhibit high levels of creativity in our work and need all team members to proactively contribute ideas to move our work forward.  
• RESULTS DRIVEN: Our team undertakes projects professionally and executes them fully and to completion.  
• RISK: We identify opportunities to employ new ideas and tactics and execute these ideas when we believe the potential reward outweighs the risk. We evaluate, learn, and improve our strategy, both when the risks pay off and when they do not.  
• TEAMWORK: We work collaboratively, additively, and in sync with our colleagues. Our individual work considers the needs, capacity, and expertise of those we work alongside. 

Responsibilities  

Independent Expenditure Strategy and Program Management  

• Develop and execute strategic campaign plans for DLCC IE programs, including a data-driven approach to targeting and resource allocation.
• Lead the creation of paid communications campaigns, encompassing direct mail, digital, and media plans, ensuring they align with overall strategic goals.
• Oversee and manage a team of political consultants, ensuring effective execution of DLCC's programs and interests in-state.
• Continuously analyze and interpret polling, messaging research, and political intelligence to refine and adapt program strategy.
• Provide regular, detailed reports on state-by-state political landscapes and program performance to the IE Director, recommending adjustments to strategy as needed.
• Seek out and use available data and political intelligence to help drive an effective IE strategy.

Relationship and Partner Management  

• Build and maintain impactful relationships with key independent expenditure actors and partners in assigned states to ensure coordinated efforts and avoid duplicated spending.
• Coordinate the development of joint IE plans with partners to maximize collective impact.
• Act as the DLCC IE authority on assigned states, providing expert political analysis and intelligence to inform and guide partner efforts.

Outcomes  

• Efficient Programs: Campaign plans are executed effectively and on time, with all programs operating within the defined budget.
• Unified Efforts: A seamless working relationship with in-state partners ensures all independent spending is coordinated and not duplicative, maximizing the collective impact.
• Informed Decisions: The IE Director has access to timely and accurate political information and intelligence to make well-informed decisions.
• Productive Team: The team of political consultants is well-managed, leading to the efficient and successful execution of the DLCC's programmatic work.

Minimum Qualifications  

• Six+ years or three+ cycles of political or campaign experience is required.
• Experience managing political consultants is required.  
• Demonstrated experience developing and collaborating on paid communications campaigns, including direct mail and digital plans.  
• Experience interpreting polling and messaging research.  
• Experience leading or working within a coalition of diverse partners or stakeholders.
• Outstanding relationship-building and analytical skills.  
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.  
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize tasks appropriately.  
• Familiarity and comfort working in a dynamic, campaign-like environment and pace.  

Preferred Qualifications  

• State legislative campaign experience is preferred. 
• Experience managing a budget.  
• Experience managing or working on an Independent Expenditure campaign.  
• Familiarity with the capabilities of c3 and c4 entities and experience driving primary purpose program planning.  

Physical Requirements  

The DLCC is committed to supporting employees of varying abilities and to providing reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to thrive at the DLCC. 

The requirements of this role, related to its physical demands, described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  All DLCC employees must be able to operate a computer and use a cell phone. For roles at the DLCC that include frequent business travel expectations, we can discuss reasonable alternatives to travel in some instances. Most roles also require communicating with key external stakeholders of the organization in person, via the telephone, or via email. Applicants with questions about accommodations may request to speak with our ADA liaison, Kennissa Brown.  

Essential functions of the role include: 

• Working from a computer for long periods of time.  
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to communicate using the telephone, email, and in-person with stakeholders. 
• This position may have travel expectations up to 30% of the time, though this may vary over the cycle. 
• This role may require work outside of normal business hours. 

How to Apply  

Salary for the IE Deputy Director position is $121,900 - $145,000, commensurate with experience. The DLCC offers a generous benefits package, including: 

• Unlimited paid time off, including time off for all Federal holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year, and sick days;  
• Fully paid health/vision/dental insurance for the employee + spouse/partner + dependents;  
• Up to 6% retirement employer contribution;  
• Monthly use-it-or-lose-it $100 transit benefit for employees located in the DC region;  
• Employer contribution of $500 to employee’s Flexible Spending Account, and opportunity to withhold pre-tax income for Dependent Care Account;  
• Monthly $100 student loan payment benefit;  
• Monthly $100 mobile phone reimbursement;  
• and more.  

To apply for this position, please complete an electronic application via www.dlcc.org/careers by October 10, 2025. The DLCC may review applications after this deadline in limited circumstances, however this is not a guarantee that your application will be considered if it is not submitted by October 10, 2025. Only complete applications through the application portal will be accepted. You must also include a resume, cover letter, and three professional references to be considered for this position. 

When an applicant with a disability needs an accommodation to have an equal opportunity to compete for this position, they may request it in writing by emailing jobs(at)dlcc.org. No calls please. Applicants will be screened on a rolling basis.  

The DLCC is committed to an inclusive and equitable environment and diversity among its staff and recognizes that its continued success requires the highest commitment to engaging, retaining, and supporting a diverse staff that provides the best quality services to supporters and constituents. The DLCC is an equal opportunity employer and it is our policy to recruit, hire, train, promote and administer any and all personnel actions without regard to sex, race, age, color, creed, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, physical or mental disability, personal appearance, marital status, family responsibilities, genetic information, or any other legally protected basis. The DLCC will not tolerate any unlawful discrimination and any such conduct is strictly prohibited.