Job opening: Senior Policy Manager – Technology & Democracy

• 30-40 hours per week
• start date: as soon as possible
• application deadline: Monday, 14.07.2025 10 am (we invite to interviews on an ongoing basis)
• place of work: Berlin
• position: parental leave replacement (fixed-term contract 12 months)

AlgorithmWatch is a human rights organization based in Berlin and Zurich that focuses on the societal impact of algorithmic decision-making systems (ADM) and artificial intelligence (AI). We are committed to ensuring that such systems strengthen human rights, democracy, the rule of law and sustainability. We contribute to this with political campaigns, advocacy work, journalistic research, research and technology development.

On our website, via our social media channels (LinkedIn, Instagram, Mastodon, Bluesky, Facebook) or our newsletter, you can get an idea of our work and find out more about our team.

Are you enthusiastic about our goals, do you identify with our values and would you like to become part of our team? Even if you don't fulfil all the requirements, please apply anyway!

Your future position

Digital technologies, from search engines to platform recommender systems, play increasingly powerful roles in modern democracy - whether through the influence of algorithms on how we share and receive information online, or the power held by Big Tech companies to influence political and governmental decisions. AlgorithmWatch advocates for a world in which technology and its providers support rather than weaken democracy. We are looking for a policy manager to drive forward this urgent work.

Reporting to the Head of Policy, you will design and implement activities that raise awareness of the impacts of technology on democracy, and advocate for impactful solutions and positive alternatives. You will closely monitor policy developments related to technology and democracy, most of which take shape at EU level, but with special focus on how they affect the German context, e.g. implementation, public debate and people’s rights. You will engage with researchers, political decision-makers, and other stakeholders, in order to follow, communicate, and influence relevant developments in regulations and technologies. You will translate interdisciplinary insights from research and policy into compelling advocacy messages and methods, ensuring our activities are based on the best available evidence. Your ideas and activities will be ambitious but also pragmatic, ensuring we take impactful actions to support our vision of a democracy which is supported by positive and accountable uses of technology.

Your tasks

• as parental leave replacement for our Senior Policy Manager you develop evidence-based policy positions and advocate for them vis-á-vis decision makers;
• you identify, build and get results from collaborations with other organizations;
• collaborate with AlgorithmWatch’s Tech Research Team to build on high-quality research within AlgorithmWatch and with academic and CSO partners;
• collaborate with the Communications & Campaigns Team to translate complex findings into engaging content for AlgorithmWatch’s audiences;
• monitor and evaluate policy and advocacy results in order to increase impact;
• represent AlgorithmWatch in meetings with partner organizations, politicians, high-ranking civil servants, companies and journalists.

What we expect from you

• 3+ years of experience in advocacy work or in government, parliament, public policy, campaigning or communication;
• a proven track record of designing and implementing impactful advocacy strategies;
• knowledge of political, governmental, and policy contexts relevant to regulating technology within the EU and Germany;
• familiarity with, and ability to closely follow and communicate, key debates and development around impacts of technology on democracy, in particular (i) in relation to social media, search engines, and AI and (ii) at the EU and German federal level;
• ability to transfer knowledge of EU policy developments into communication and policy activities in Germany;
• experience of assessing, synthesizing, and communicating high-quality policy and/or social scientific evidence
• a practical, problem-solving attitude, and strong abilities to work in an independent self-driven fashion and as a collaborative team player as needed;
• clear and compelling writing style in English and German, which can be applied to different audiences and topics.
• desirable: Familiarity with and existing partnerships related to relevant European policy activity for example the Digital Services Act, regulation of Political Advertising, or the Code of Practice on Disinformation and/or with similar policy activities in Germany, for example NetzDG, national media regulation, digital law enforcement;

What we offer:

• to be part of a team that fights to make society more fair, democratic, inclusive, and sustainable;
• high level of autonomy, responsibility, and creative possibilities;
• a supportive and appreciative environment, with a team culture that includes team retreats, events and skill-sharing workshops;
• flexible working hours, home office arrangements, 30 days of vacation; overtime is compensated with time off; optional occupational pension provision, mobility allowance and a personal training budget;
• a position with perspective: We support you in your professional development according to your skills and interests with individual and team-based training opportunities;
• a monthly salary of 4.650 - 5.000 EUR gross at 40 h/week (depending on qualifications);
• a part-time or full-time contract 30-40 hours/week for 1 years;

To support and secure an appreciative and empowering team spirit, we defined values and principles for our team in our mission statement.

Did we get your attention? Please apply now!

AlgorithmWatch is committed to equal treatment and equal opportunity. We strive to have a diverse team and diverse directive boards. We believe that a diversity of perspectives on the team is essential for the task of adequately researching and controlling algorithmic systems. We encourage applications from people who experience(d) discrimination, as well as people with migration or refugee biographies, Black and people of color, or LGBTIQ*. In the spirit of self-designation and self-positioning, we invite you (on a voluntary basis) to provide relevant information in your application. Let us know if there are any improvements we can make to this recruitment process to make it more inclusive.

---

Please send us the following documents via our application form by 14.07.2025 10 am (without photo, without information on age and marital status):

• a short cover letter and your CV
• a sample of your work accompanied by a brief explanation of your role
• your potential start date

We’ll send you a confirmation that we received it and, if we think your profile is a good match, we will get back to you within two weeks. We will invite applicants for interviews on a rolling basis. If you have any questions, our head of policy Kilian Vieth-Ditlmann will be happy to answer them (jobs@algorithmwatch.org). Interviews take place in person or via video call. We can cover your travel expenses within a reasonable range (in case the German employment agency doesn’t).

We safeguard your personal data. To learn more about how we protect the data entrusted to us in the application process, please see our privacy policy.