AI Governance Lead

If you are interested in AI Governance and want to help others find careers where they do the most good they can, this might be the opportunity you have been waiting for!

Impact Academy is a young nonprofit that is committed to building a community of people working to create a better long-term future. We are hiring a Program Director to lead our Project Exploration Program within AI Governance. This position requires a combination of leadership, strategic thinking, entrepreneurial spirit, and an understanding of AI governance.

Please apply by completing this form by 10 September. We evaluate applications on a rolling basis and might fill the role before the deadline, so we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.

Thank you to everyone who asked questions and joined our Q&A! You can find the recording here and if we didn't have time to answer your question, hiring@impactacademy.org is still open for you.

Start date: As soon as possible. We plan on making an offer in October.

Hours: 40 hours/week

Location: Remote, with 3+ hours of overlap with UK working hours (i.e. 9am - 6pm UTC+0 to UTC+1)

Salary: Competitive, and depending on the qualifications and location of a successful applicant

How to apply: Please fill in this application form

Contact: hiring@impactacademy.org

We believe that the current AI governance talent pipeline lacks an intermediate step where people interested in the field get to “test their wings”, before making a high-commitment decision. We especially believe this is a problem for (aspiring) policy professionals, who have a lot of aptitudes and skills needed to meaningfully contribute to society’s response to AI, but currently have few clear, low-commitment ways to explore and upskill within the field.

Impact Academy has outlined a promising program, but we need your strategic abilities and subject matter expertise to improve and finalize the program. At a very high level, we plan to run a mentorship matching program aimed at junior policy professionals and especially promising aspiring policymakers. This will serve as a natural step after having gained interest and a fundamental understanding of AI Governance. The people who qualify are given a grant and work together with a mentor on a project meant to help them further their understanding, deepen their commitment, and “test their wings”.

We have secured funding, and we encourage creativity and ambition in building this program. The person we hire will have a large amount of autonomy to shape this impactful project and support from the wider team, including a part time Project Assistant.

This project is an experiment. We're dedicated to pursuing initiatives that are valuable and produce tangible results. If we conclude that the project is not meeting these standards, we may discontinue it, which could affect your role. However, we are committed to providing stability and security — so, if the program is discontinued, we would likely try something different in this domain where you could contribute.

We’re looking for a Program Director to lead our Project Exploration Program within AI Governance.

The following points provide a general overview of the role. However, we will be able to adapt the role according to a successful applicant’s experiences, strengths, and career goals. We want to ensure the best fit for all parties involved!

Primary objectives

First and foremost, you will assume overall responsibility for the success or failure of this program. This will include:

• Developing the strategy of the program by iterating on the current plan and tailoring it to the most urgent needs.
• Setting clear goals, including processes for measurement and evaluation.
• Creating a concrete plan for the project.
• Leading and executing the program:
  • Recruitment of fellows.
  • Communication with mentors and other stakeholders.
  • Managing risks.
  • Ensure work is executed according to plan and at high quality.
• Coordinating with the wider AI Governance (talent) ecosystem to exchange ideas, make sure that we’re doing the most good we can, and support others who share our aims.

Secondary objectives

As a new organization and entrepreneurial small team, we expect everyone at Impact Academy to support the wider mission. This would include you.

• Giving input on Impact Academy’s wider strategy and plans outside AI Governance.
• Improving and supporting general organizational systems, such as M&E, external communication, vetting, and recruitment.
• Representing Impact Academy and related ideas externally, e.g. by giving lectures and attending conferences.

Role details:

• We prefer candidates who can work full-time but are open to part-time applications.
• Location: We are a remote team, with occasional visits to the UK and US. It is a bonus if you are willing to relocate.
• Start dates: As soon as possible. We plan on making an offer in October.
• By default, this is permanent employment with a six-month probation period, but we are open to discussing this with a successful applicant.

We’re looking for a great person to join our team. And as indicated, we will be able to adapt the role according to a great applicant’s experiences, strengths, and career goals.

The following provides a rough picture of what we seek in a candidate.

We expect a successful candidate to have:

• A thorough understanding of AI Governance
• Experience in policy (broadly construed)
• Strong social skills
• Good judgement and an ability to weigh different options and scenarios
• An open mind and humility
• The ability to manage projects independently and in a structured way
• The desire to own this project and make thoughtful, strategic decisions

It is also beneficial if you have experience with:

• People management
• Community building
• Organizing events
• Mentoring or coaching

We're excited to bring on board a dynamic individual to our team. We believe in the power of collaboration and innovation, and we're looking for someone who shares this perspective.

• Compensation: This will depend on the candidate's qualifications, but we do not wish for this to be a blocker and will offer competitive pay.
• Benefits (pro rata per FTE):
  • Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage.
  • A $3,000-5,000 annual professional development allowance to support training and other resources to improve your skill set. (We might offer more if there are additional compelling opportunities for you to learn.)
  • A generous pension contribution in your country of living.
  • Flexible work arrangements, including remote work and self-set schedules. We’ll cover a remote workspace outside your home if you need one.
  • Equipment to help your productivity. We’ll pay for high-quality and ergonomic equipment, like a laptop, monitor, chair, and desk.
  • Parental leave and support, with up to 16 weeks of fully-paid leave and up to 52 weeks leave in total. We also provide financial support to help you balance childcare needs.
  • At least 20 days of paid vacation time, plus public holidays. We encourage you to use the full allowance.

Impact Academy is a non-profit organization that enables people to become world-class leaders, thinkers, and doers who are shaping their careers and character to solve our most pressing problems and create the best possible future.

Impact Academy was founded in February 2023 by Vilhelm Skoglund, Sebastian Schmidt, and Lowe Lundin after running Future Academy - a six-month ambitious educational program. Future Academy was supported by Open Philanthropy, among others, and we have secured $3+ million for setting up the organization and carrying out projects in 2023.

Here’s a summary of the application process for a successful candidate. We might make adjustments.

1. Complete the application form by 10 September.
2. Complete 1-2 work tests designed to simulate the work you would do if hired and evaluate certain skills important for success in the role.
3. Attend a remote interview.
4. Submit references.
5. As needed, attend a 1-day paid trial to allow you and us to see what it would be like if you worked at Impact Academy. You’ll be able to meet the team, including the person who would be your manager.
6. Receive an employment offer!

We are aware that factors like gender, race, and socioeconomic background can affect people’s willingness to apply for roles for which they meet some but not all the suggested attributes. We’d especially like to encourage people from underrepresented backgrounds to apply.

There’s no such thing as a “perfect” candidate. If you’re on the fence about applying because you’re unsure whether you’re qualified, we encourage you to apply.