NGP VAN is the winningest technology platform in the history of democratic and progressive causes, working tirelessly to innovate and advance the technology our clients rely on to bolster our democracy. We help power the trailblazers, campaigners, and advocates fighting up and down the ticket for equality, racial justice, reproductive freedom, democracy, climate reform, and more— including the national Democratic committees and progressive organizations, thousands of Democratic campaigns, hundreds of labor unions, advocacy organizations, progressive and non-partisan PACs, and other organizations.
As VP of Engineering, you will lead the technical vision and execution for NGP VAN’s political technology platforms. Reporting to the CTO, you’ll oversee engineering teams responsible for maintaining, innovating, and modernizing the tools that power Democratic campaigns and progressive organizations. This role blends technical leadership, strategic execution, and organizational management, innovation with a focus on driving AI adoption, system performance, and cross-functional collaboration to keep our platforms cutting-edge. If you’re passionate about building technology that powers Democratic victories, this is your opportunity to lead the future of the most trusted tools in progressive politics.
Key Responsibilities:
Technical Leadership & Innovation
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Lead the modernization of NGP VAN’s political technology platforms, integrating AI and other emerging technologies, where impactful.
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Establish and enforce high standards for security, scalability, and performance to support mission-critical political operations.
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Guide the adoption of automation and AI-driven efficiencies across the development lifecycle.
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Ensure compliance with industry security standards such as PCI, ISO, and similar frameworks.
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Team Leadership & Culture
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Build, mentor, and scale high-performing engineering teams in a collaborative, results-driven environment.
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Foster alignment across Product, Design, and Business teams to drive innovation and execution.
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Promote a culture of learning, experimentation, and continuous improvement.
Strategic Planning & Execution
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Align engineering initiatives with NGP VAN’s product strategy and business goals.
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Partner with Product Management to deliver a seamless roadmap and execution strategy.
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Drive continuous improvement in development processes, ensuring efficiency and innovation.
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Define and track key engineering metrics to measure impact and optimize performance.
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Customer & Stakeholder Engagement
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Serve as a technical advocate for internal teams, customers, and key stakeholders.
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Work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure our technology meets the needs of Democratic campaigns and progressive organizations.
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Provide clear communication on product updates, technical roadmaps, and innovation efforts.
Required Qualifications
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10+ years of software engineering experience, including 5+ years in senior leadership roles.
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Deep understanding of the Democratic political ecosystem, preferably with experience working with the national or state level party, campaign, or progressive organizations.
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Proven track record of leading engineering teams in delivering scalable, secure, and high-impact software products.
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Experience with modernizing legacy platforms and implementing automation and AI-driven efficiencies.
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Strong knowledge of security and compliance standards, such as PCI, ISO, and similar frameworks.
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Excellence in cross-functional leadership and organizational collaboration.
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Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively across technical and non-technical teams.
Preferred Qualifications
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Experience working with political technology platforms and voter engagement tools.
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Background in large-scale SaaS platforms with high availability and performance requirements.
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Familiarity with data-driven decision-making and analytics to optimize engineering processes.
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Hands-on experience with AI/ML applications in software development, where applicable.
Impact You'll Have
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Lead the evolution of NGP VAN’s technology, ensuring our platforms remain the most trusted tools for Democratic campaigns and progressive organizations.
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Modernize and scale our infrastructure to support the growing needs of campaigns, from the local level to the national stage.
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Empower engineers to build innovative, high-performance solutions that drive real-world electoral and organizing success.
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Shape the future of political technology, integrating cutting-edge advancements to keep Democratic campaigns ahead.
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Ensure reliability, security, and scalability, so the progressive movement can focus on winning—not worrying about their tech.
Compensation
The range displayed on this job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.
Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and in addition to benefits this role may be eligible for discretionary bonuses/incentives, and equity.
US Base Salary Range: $180,000 - $200,000. This role will be eligible for an annual bonus.
Please note that the compensation range and benefits specified in this job posting is applicable to candidates based in the United States. For international applicants, actual salary offers and benefit plans may vary based on the local market compensation standards and will be determined in accordance with regional considerations, including but not limited to applicable laws, cost of living, and industry norms
We will be accepting applications for this role until 04/11/2025
Our Culture:
Our team is made up of industry experts and advocates who are 100% committed to supporting the doers of social good. We are currently undergoing an effort to create the vision and values that embody our collective organization and embrace the individuals who make up our community.
Our comprehensive and competitive benefits include:
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Generous Flexible Time Off (FTO) Policy
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Up to 15 paid company holidays including some commemorating social justice events and self-care
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Paid volunteer time
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Resources for savings and investments
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Paid parental leave
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Paid sick leave
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Health, vision, dental, and life insurance with additional access to health and wellness programs.
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Opportunities to learn, develop, network, and connect
Please note the benefits specified on this page are applicable to full-time employees based in the United States. For international employees, actual benefits may vary based on local standards and regulations and will be determined in accordance with regional considerations, including but not limited to applicable laws and industry norms.
We are committed to being an equal opportunity employer and evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information (including characteristics and testing), military and veteran status, diversity of thought and any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
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