Director of AI Advocacy

POSITION TITLE: Director of AI Advocacy

REPORTS TO: Vice President, Innovation & Strategy

SUPERVISION EXERCISED: Potentially contractors

LOCATION: Anywhere ADL has an office, with preference for San Francisco; Washington, DC; or New York, NY

Grade/Class: Grade I, Exempt, PSA Eligible

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION:

ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is "to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all." Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all.

PRIMARY FUNCTION:

The Director of AI Advocacy will help design and drive ADL's strategic efforts to ensure that large language models (LLMs) and other artificial intelligence systems are developed, trained, and deployed in ways that reduce bias, prevent misuse by antisemites and extremists, and reflect responsible, high-quality training data and practices. The Director will work across the organization to inform and shape ADL's AI-related strategy, spanning research, policy and legislative advocacy, litigation, and private-sector engagement with technology companies. This role will serve as a key subject-matter expert on AI/LLM issues, translating technical knowledge into actionable advocacy strategies that advance the organization's mission.

Primary:

• Help develop and lead ADL's comprehensive strategy to address antisemitism, hate and malicious use in large language models and other AI systems, including identifying and advocating for improvements to model training data, fine-tuning processes, reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF), and content moderation and safety layers.
• Work across the organization – including Center on Extremism, Center for Tech and Society, National Affairs, and Litigation - to help inform ADL’s monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on how leading LLMs and AI tools handle prompts related to antisemitism, Jewish identity, the Holocaust, Israel, and other topics central to ADL's mission.
• Partner with others across the organizations to help design ways to assess and design ways to assess and address the risk that LLMs and generative AI tools may be exploited by antisemites, extremists, and other bad actors for malicious purposes and develop strategies to mitigate these threats.
• Advocate for responsible AI training practices, including the curation and vetting of training datasets, the inclusion of authoritative and representative sources, and the implementation of robust safety and alignment protocols that reduce the likelihood of biased or harmful outputs.
• Work cross-functionally across ADL divisions to ensure AI-related insights and priorities are integrated into the organization's broader strategy.
• Inform and support ADL's government policy and legislative advocacy on AI, including contributing to policy positions, testimony, regulatory comments, and engagement with lawmakers and government agencies on AI governance, bias, and safety.
• Support ADL's litigation strategy as it relates to AI, providing technical expertise and analysis on cases involving AI-generated hate, bias in algorithmic systems, or the misuse of AI tools.
• Track developments in AI policy, research, regulation, and industry practices, and provide regular briefings and recommendations to ADL leadership.

Secondary:

• Collaborate with ADL's research teams to design and conduct original research on AI bias, antisemitism in AI systems, and the use of AI by extremist actors.
• Identify and cultivate partnerships with academic institutions, civil society organizations, and technical experts working on AI fairness, safety, and accountability.

This job description provides a general overview of the role and its key responsibilities. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties, and ADL reserves the right to assign additional tasks as needed.

Skills:

• Strong familiarity with large language models and generative AI tools, including an understanding of how LLMs are trained, fine-tuned, and deployed.
• Exceptional strategic thinking and the ability to develop and execute cross-functional advocacy campaigns.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts related to AI/LLMs into clear, accessible language.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong relationship-building skills.

Attributes: 

• Committed to contributing to a culture where everyone thrives
• Collaborative team-player.
• Creative and innovative; takes initiative. 
• Results-oriented – a problem solver (versus a problem identifier)
• Excels in dynamic environments that require adaptability
• Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Sound judgment, intellectual rigor, and the ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Passion for ADL's mission.

Work Experience:

• An ideal candidate has significant years’ professional experience in one or more of the following areas: technology policy, AI/machine learning, civil rights advocacy, government affairs, litigation or legal strategy, or a related field, with demonstrated experience working with or on issues related to AI, large language models, or platform governance.
• Experience in advocacy, policy development, or stakeholder engagement is preferred.
• Experience working in or with nonprofit organizations, government agencies, or technology companies is a plus.

Education:

• A Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience is required.

Work Environment:

• ADL is a hybrid environment; this role may require 3 days in the office.
• Regular travel may be required for meetings with technology companies, government officials, conferences, and organizational convenings.

Compensation: 

• This position has a salary range of $160,000 to $170,000. This salary range is reflective of a position based in (New York, NY). Please note that actual salaries are commensurate with experience and reflect the budget for a given position, and since ADL has a location-based compensation structure, there may be a different range for candidates in other locations. For an overview of our total rewards package, please visit https://www.adl.org/about/careers.

ADL aims to create a working environment where every employee can thrive professionally.  Our mission-driven work is best accomplished in an environment that supports belonging. ADL values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages people of all races, religions, nationalities, genders, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and veterans to apply. ADL is an equal opportunity employer. Recruitment, hiring, promotions and other terms, conditions and privileges of employment shall be maintained in a manner which does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, marital status, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or military status, or in violation of any applicable Federal, state or local laws.    

ADL will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. For individuals with disabilities who would like to request an accommodation to support the interview process, please contact the People & Culture department at talentacquisition@adl.org.    

ADL will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and all other applicable State, Local, and Federal laws. 

The information in this job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of employees in this classification. It is not designed to contain, or be interpreted as, a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications and objectives required of employees assigned to this job, nor is it to be interpreted as a contract for employment.