Application Guide
How to Apply for Policy Director or Policy Manager
at State AI Collaborative
🏢 About State AI Collaborative
The State AI Collaborative is a nonpartisan nonprofit that helps state governments navigate the policy opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence. As a lean, early-stage organization, it offers the chance to shape how AI governance unfolds across the country—working directly with policymakers, experts, and peers to build practical solutions. If you want to influence state-level AI policy from the ground up, this is a rare opportunity to join a mission-driven team at a critical inflection point.
About This Role
This Policy Director or Policy Manager role is the connective tissue between state policymakers and the fast-moving world of AI governance. You'll field requests from state officials, organize briefings and working sessions, and incubate pilot projects from concept to draft implementation. You'll also track state and national AI policy developments and translate them into actionable insights for partners—all while helping build the internal systems of a growing nonprofit.
💡 A Day in the Life
You might start your day with a call with a state senator's office to clarify questions about an AI transparency bill, then draft a briefing memo for a working session with state CIOs. In the afternoon, you'd research emerging AI policies in three states and update a tracking document, before joining a team meeting to brainstorm pilot project ideas for a state interested in AI in workforce development. Throughout, you'd balance immediate requests with longer-term incubation work, all while helping build the Collaborative's internal knowledge base.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who State AI Collaborative Is Looking For
- Has 4+ years of state-level policy experience, including legislative or regulatory analysis—ideally in a governor's office, state agency, legislature, or state-focused think tank.
- Possesses working knowledge of AI or technology policy, with the ability to quickly grasp technical concepts and translate them for non-technical audiences.
- Is a proactive self-starter who thrives in an early-stage, remote environment and can manage multiple projects with minimal supervision.
- Demonstrates strong relationship-building skills and comfort engaging with high-level state officials, experts, and funders.
📝 Tips for Applying to State AI Collaborative
Highlight specific examples of state-level policy work—legislative analysis, regulatory review, or bill drafting—and quantify outcomes where possible.
Show you understand the State AI Collaborative's nonpartisan, state-focused mission by referencing their existing resources, pilot projects, or partnerships in your application.
If you have AI policy experience, make it concrete: mention any AI-related legislation, executive orders, or working groups you've engaged with.
Address the early-stage nature of the organization by demonstrating comfort with ambiguity and a willingness to contribute to fundraising, convenings, and internal systems.
Use your cover letter to propose one or two ideas for AI policy pilot projects that states might need, showing you've thought deeply about the role's incubation responsibilities.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Your direct experience with state-level policy processes—how you've navigated legislatures, agencies, or regulatory bodies to advance policy.", 'Your ability to translate complex AI concepts for policymakers and facilitate connections between experts and state officials.', 'A concrete example of a pilot project or initiative you incubated from idea to implementation, especially in a policy or tech context.', "Your motivation for joining a nonpartisan, early-stage nonprofit and how you'd contribute to building its internal capacity and external impact."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Review the State AI Collaborative's website, especially any published reports, pilot projects, or state partnerships, to understand their approach and current priorities.
- → Research recent AI-related legislation and executive orders in key states (e.g., California, Texas, New York, Colorado) to speak knowledgeably about the landscape.
- → Identify the organization's leadership and advisors on LinkedIn or their site to understand their backgrounds and potential interview panel.
- → Look into similar organizations like the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) or the National Governors Association (NGA) to see how they approach AI policy and where the Collaborative fits.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Being too generic about AI policy—avoid vague statements like 'AI is the future' without demonstrating specific knowledge of state-level AI governance debates.
- Focusing only on federal AI policy and ignoring the state-level context, which is the core of this role.
- Not addressing the early-stage, hands-on nature of the organization—candidates who seem to expect a highly structured environment may be seen as a poor fit.
📅 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:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to State AI Collaborative!