Jobs & Marketplace

Are you ready to put your experience in election administration, management, and practical skills to work leading an election division in a state that prides itself on its innovative election policy? Would you like to be part of a new, principled, equity-driven administration that is committed to empowering the public through election education, access, policy, and outreach? The State of Oregon is looking for you.

WHAT YOU WILL DO:
This is an extremely visible, high profile position that serves at the pleasure of the elected Secretary of State. This position reports to the Deputy Secretary of State and serves as a member of the Agency’s executive management team.

As the Elections Director for the State of Oregon you will:
Ensure all election-related processes run smoothly and fairly, including initiative petitions, campaign finance, complaint response.

Support election officials, legislators, members of the public, the media, and others with your election expertise.

Ensure agency compliance with all relevant state and federal mandates.

Support and encourage counties, candidates, campaigns, and voters to comply with election laws and procedures.

Protect all election systems from outside interference; oversee development of programs to proactively combat misinformation campaigns and mitigate with accurate resources via multiple channels.

Procure new Oregon Central Voter Registration System.

Write policies, recommendations, strategic plans, and draft legislation.

Manage a yearly budget of approximately $10 million and lead a team of approximately 40 people.

Connect with employees to establish relationships to promote a strong division culture.

Identify, needed skill sets to ensure employees are engaged and receive the necessary support, coaching, development, and training for continuous success.

Maintain and improve the culture of voting in Oregon.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE:
An American Review of Politics study declared “Oregonians have maintained their overwhelming support for vote-by-mail elections — in particular, women, Independents, Republicans, and older voters.” In a survey, eighty-one percent of Oregonians favored a vote-by-mail system over traditional voting at poll booths.

In 1998, Oregon was the first state in the nation to adopt universal vote-by-mail. In 2016, Oregon became the first state in the nation to implement automatic voter registration. The next Oregon Election Director will help us continue to lead the nation in voter access.

TO QUALIFY:
Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every one of the qualifications listed. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background. We would encourage you to apply, even if you don’t meet every one of our qualifications listed.

Salary: $8,842 – $15,240 Per month – Full Time
Your application must demonstrate experience in the following:
Eight years of management experience in elections administration which included responsibility for each of the following:

a) development of program rules and policies,

b) development of long- and short-range goals and plans,

c) program evaluation, and

d) budget preparation.

In the “Work History” section on your application, you must clearly describe your experience in each of the a), b), c), d) areas listed. Failure to provide this information may result in eliminating your application from further consideration.

As the most competitive candidate, your application will demonstrate the following requested skills and experience:

Demonstrated understanding of election law, policy, and technology in a practical context.

Demonstrated success working with multiple stakeholders, including County election officials, voters, and community groups.

Demonstrated familiarity/experience with current cybersecurity threats and trends.

Demonstrated ability to empower the public through civics education and other cultural initiatives to connect people to elections.

Promote and maintain an inclusive, diverse, welcoming, and discrimination/harassment-free workplace.

Contribute to a positive, respectful, and productive work environment with an equity lens focus.

Establish and maintain professional and collaborative working relationships with all contacts and staff.

Possess highly developed verbal and written communication skills.

Act ethically always in accordance with the very highest standards of integrity.

Promote a team-oriented environment with participative decision-making and collaborative interactions among staff and management.

If you are unsure whether you meet the qualifications of this position, please feel free to contact us to discuss your application.

This recruitment announcement will be used to establish a list of qualified candidates to fill the current vacancy and may be used to fill a future vacancy for the following position:

Elections Deputy Director (PEM F)
Salary: $ 6941 – $11276 Per month – Full Time
Minimum Qualifications:
Four years of management experience in elections administration which included responsibility for each of the following:

a) development of program rules and policies,

b) development of long- and short-range goals and plans,

c) program evaluation, and

d) budget preparation.

OR

Three years of management experience in elections administration which included responsibility for each of the following:

a) development of program rules and policies,

b) development of long- and short-range goals and plans,

c) program evaluation, and

d) budget preparation;
AND
45-48 quarter hours; (30-32 semester hours) of graduate level coursework in management.

In the “Work History” section on your application, you must clearly describe your experience in each of the a), b), c), d) areas listed. Failure to provide this information may result in eliminating your application from further consideration.

ABOUT THE AGENCY:
The Oregon Secretary of State is one of three constitutional offices created at statehood. As an independent constitutional officer, the Secretary of State answers directly and solely to the people of Oregon.

The Secretary’s Vision —
The Secretary of State’s agency will lead with authenticity and accessibility. We are committed to creating a better Oregon by reducing barriers to participation in civic life, democracy, and business ownership, auditing scarce state resources to ensure they make a difference in the lives of Oregonians who need them most, and preserving our state history with honesty—both celebrating the best of our past, while facing the stains of our history with humility and accountability.

Our Mission —
The Secretary of State is committed to:
Upholding the Constitution and the laws of the state of Oregon.

Leading with equity, inclusion, and an emphasis on historically underserved communities.

Increasing access by reducing barriers to voting and participation in civic life. Promoting the successes of Oregon’s secure voting system, vote by mail and automatic voter registration.

Auditing the performance and finances of public revenues and programs to ensure Oregon is using its precious resources to serve those most vulnerable and repairing systemic inequities.

Building Oregon’s economy on the principles of business and economic equity, valuing established companies, providing small business assistance, and fostering an environment where all businesses can grow, prosper, and create family-wage jobs.

Preserving historical and public documents with the involvement of Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes and other stakeholder input.

Communicating our work in a way that is accessible and reduces barriers to engagement by all Oregonians.

We Value —
We value the people of Oregon: our staff and their families, our communities, and our public officials.

We value the character of Oregon: equity, innovation, sustainability, and inclusion.

The Secretary of State employs approximately 200 full-time, part-time, and temporary employees. The Secretary oversees the functions of seven program divisions: Archives, Audits, Corporations, Elections, Business Services, Information Systems, and Human Resources.

The Oregon Secretary of State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer committed to a diverse work place.

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