Chief of Staff

Reports to: Executive Director, Megan Peterson
Position Status: Exempt, Salaried; FTE (40 hours/week).
Salary: $130,000 - $140,000 FTE/year plus benefits.
Office in St. Paul, MN; currently working remotely from home.
This is a Twin Cities-based position.
To apply: Submit resume and cover letter to the link below to apply. We will consider applications on a rolling basis so please apply as soon as you are able.

Organization

Gender Justice [501(c)3] and Gender Justice Action [501(c)4] are nonprofit legal, policy, and political advocacy organizations working in Minnesota and North Dakota to advance gender equity through the law. We work to create a world where everyone can thrive no matter their gender, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation. Central to this work is dismantling the legal, political, and structural barriers to gender equity. We represent clients directly in state court and before administrative agencies in impact litigation cases. In addition to pursuing justice through the legal system, we advocate for policies that expand gender equity and seek to educate and shape public understanding about gender barriers. We employ organizing, coalition building, and strategic communications and narrative strategies to create the movement momentum and cultural conditions for gender equity to flourish. We’re a small but mighty organization looking for the newest member of our ambitious, highly effective, and growing team.

Position Summary

Gender Justice is seeking a strategic, grounded, and collaborative Chief of Staff to serve as a key partner to the Executive Director and a driver of internal execution, alignment, and organizational health. As a senior leader, the Chief of Staff leads internal operations and cross-functional coordination, directly supervises program and operational leads, and ensures that the organization’s strategies, resources, and culture work in concert to achieve mission impact.

This is a role for a confident and values-aligned leader who thrives in translating vision into implementation. The Chief of Staff will oversee the execution of the strategic plan, support financial and operational sustainability, and build the systems, team cohesion, and internal practices necessary to keep the organization effective and resilient. They will ensure the Executive Director remains informed and connected to core programmatic and operational work, while protecting her capacity to focus on strategic external relationships, thought leadership, and fundraising.

The Chief of Staff will play a central role in leading and managing organizational infrastructure, supporting and holding leadership accountable to cross-organizational goals, strengthening internal culture, and ensuring clarity and collaboration across teams. This is an ideal opportunity for someone who is energized by high-level problem solving and team leadership, and who brings both people-centered management skills and sharp operational thinking.

Responsibilities

Executive Office & Strategic Partnership

• Serve as a key advisor, connector, and thought partner to the Executive Director; ensure her engagement in critical decisions and alignment with programmatic and financial work at key moments.
• Act as a bridge between vision and execution, supporting the Executive Director’s external leadership by overseeing internal follow-through and coordination.
• Monitor internal systems, programs, and priorities to proactively surface issues, identify cross-cutting needs, and maintain visibility for the Executive Director.
• Partner with the Executive Director and senior leaders to foster a healthy and inclusive organizational culture and team climate aligned with Gender Justice’s values.

Organizational Strategy & Implementation

• Lead the execution of the strategic plan, including annual goal setting, cross-team work plan alignment, progress tracking, and adaptive shifts as needed.
• Ensure strategic clarity and alignment across departments and initiatives, supporting coherence and collaboration.
• Support long-term organizational planning, including staffing structure and resource alignment to meet strategic priorities.
• Coordinate organizational learning, team development, and internal communications in service of culture, equity, and continuous improvement.
• Lead other projects or special initiatives for the Executive Director and organization as needed.

Team Leadership & Management

• Supervise department leads across programs and operations (excluding the Legal Director), providing coaching, accountability, and strategic guidance.
• Facilitate Director team meetings and cross-functional leadership planning; clarify ownership, timelines, and next steps to ensure follow-through.
• Oversee recruitment, hiring, and onboarding processes for director-level roles in alignment with organizational goals.
• Ensure internal communications and collaboration tools support a strong and connected organizational culture.

Operations & Finance

• In partnership with the CFO and program leads, oversee the annual budgeting process and monitor spending to ensure alignment with organizational strategy, compliance, and funder requirements.
• Lead budget implementation across teams, ensuring clear communication of budget responsibilities and resource stewardship.
• Provide oversight of internal operations, systems, and project management infrastructure to ensure effective organizational functioning.

Fundraising & Development Partnership

• Provide high-level support and accountability for the Development Team, including strategic guidance, morale support, and progress monitoring.
• Review fundraising proposals and reports for narrative and strategic alignment; engage the Executive Director when needed for funder relationships or content.
• Help guide the implementation of development strategy to ensure it is grounded in organizational goals, capacity, and mission.

Skills, Experiences, and Attributes

We don’t expect any one person to have every qualification listed below. If this role aligns with your values and experience, we encourage you to apply. The ideal candidate will bring many of the following:

• Demonstrated success in a senior leadership role with responsibility for internal operations, strategy execution, or cross-functional program oversight within a mission-driven organization.
• Extensive management and supervisory experience, with a track record of coaching leaders, aligning teams, and supporting staff across departments to achieve shared goals.
• Skilled at translating high-level vision into actionable plans, with strong project management and prioritization skills to lead multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience designing or facilitating organizational development initiatives such as retreats, goal-setting, team culture efforts, or internal communications practices.
• Collaborative and emotionally intelligent communicator who can build trust and communicate clearly with staff, peers, and executive leadership.
• Familiarity with nonprofit budgeting and financial processes, including annual budget planning, monitoring, and alignment with strategic goals.
• Experience with program strategy or design, ideally in issue areas aligned with Gender Justice’s mission.
• High level of personal integrity, sound judgment, and discretion when navigating sensitive or complex matters.
• Commitment to Gender Justice’s mission and values, which include racial, social, and economic justice, and to fostering a work culture rooted in inclusiveness, trust, respect, and mutual accountability.
• Ability to actively contribute to a healthy, inclusive, and thriving work culture by engaging with colleagues in ways that build trust, respect, and mutual accountability. Can recognize that every team member shapes our culture through both everyday interactions and how we address challenges, including raising constructive feedback and working collaboratively toward solutions.
• Demonstrated understanding of intersectionality and systems of oppression and the ability to apply that lens to policy analysis, leadership, and strategy development.
• Ability to travel quarterly regionally and nationally and to work flexible hours, including occasional evenings and weekends.