Application Guide

How to Apply for Founding Executive Director

at Mighty Consulting

🏢 About Mighty Consulting

CivilWorks is a new nonpartisan organization focused on fixing the structural conditions of democracy—not advocating for specific policies, but ensuring fair and full public deliberation. As a founding entity, it offers a rare chance to build an organization from the ground up, with a mission to restore responsive democracy across four core areas, including money in politics. Working here means shaping a movement, not just a job.

About This Role

As the Founding Executive Director, you will be the first staff member, responsible for translating the board's vision into strategy, operations, and impact. You'll lead fundraising, build partnerships, manage a remote team, and serve as the public face of CivilWorks, with periodic travel to Minnesota and beyond. This is a high-autonomy role for someone who thrives in ambiguity and wants to leave a lasting mark on democracy reform.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve a morning call with the board chair to align on fundraising strategy, followed by drafting a major grant proposal and meeting with a potential partner organization. In the afternoon, you might conduct a virtual team check-in, review financial reports, and prepare for an upcoming trip to Minnesota for a donor event. No two days are alike in this founding role, but all are driven by the mission to strengthen democracy.

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🎯 Who Mighty Consulting Is Looking For

  • Proven executive leadership in a startup or early-stage nonprofit, with experience building infrastructure, hiring teams, and scaling programs from scratch.
  • Deep knowledge of democracy reform, particularly structural issues like money in politics, voting systems, or deliberative democracy, and a nonpartisan approach to advocacy.
  • Strong fundraising track record, including major gifts, grants, and donor cultivation, ideally with a network in the democracy reform space.
  • Exceptional communication and convening skills, able to engage diverse stakeholders—from board members to grassroots partners—and represent CivilWorks publicly.

📝 Tips for Applying to Mighty Consulting

1

Address your cover letter to the Search Consultant, Alissa Light, and mention the priority deadline of October 15th to show you're attentive to details.

2

Combine your cover letter and resume into a single PDF with the exact title format: 'Your Name – CivilWorks Executive Director' to avoid administrative delays.

3

In your cover letter, explicitly connect your experience to CivilWorks' four core areas (money in politics, etc.) and its nonpartisan, structural approach—avoid generic democracy talk.

4

Highlight any experience working with a board of directors, especially in a founding or transitional phase, as this role reports directly to the board.

5

Demonstrate your ability to work remotely and travel periodically, perhaps by mentioning prior remote leadership or willingness to travel to Minnesota.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your vision for how CivilWorks can achieve its mission, including specific strategies for the first 12–18 months.', 'Concrete examples of fundraising successes, including amounts raised and relationships built, to prove you can sustain a new organization.', "Your approach to nonpartisan leadership and how you've navigated politically diverse environments without compromising integrity.", "Why you're drawn to a founding role and how you've built teams, systems, and culture in previous positions."]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Explore CivilWorks' website and any public materials to understand their four core areas and current initiatives.
  • → Research Mighty Consulting and the search consultant Alissa Light to understand their approach and possibly find mutual connections.
  • → Investigate the democracy reform landscape, including key players, funders, and current debates, to speak knowledgeably about the field.
  • → Look into Minnesota's political and philanthropic context, as periodic travel there will be required and local partnerships may be crucial.
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💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you prioritize CivilWorks' four core areas in the first year, and what metrics would you use to measure success?
2 Describe your experience with fundraising and how you would build a donor base from scratch for a new nonpartisan organization.
3 How would you handle a situation where board members disagree on strategic direction?
4 What is your approach to ensuring CivilWorks remains truly nonpartisan while still advocating for structural reforms?
5 How would you build and manage a remote team while maintaining strong collaboration and periodic travel?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn't mention CivilWorks' nonpartisan, structural focus or the founding nature of the role.
  • Failing to follow the application instructions precisely, such as not combining documents into one PDF or misnaming the file.
  • Focusing only on policy advocacy rather than organizational leadership, fundraising, and board management—key aspects of this executive role.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Mighty Consulting!

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