Program Associate/Program Manager (Systems and Security)

Title: Program Associate/Program Manager (Systems and Security)

Salary: $100,000-$160,000 (incl. healthcare and retirement contributions)

• Program Associate: $100,000-$125,000+
• Program Manager: $120,000-$160,000+

Location: In-person, Washington, DC; visa sponsorship available

Job Type: Full-time

Application Deadline:  Sunday, August 23, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET

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The Horizon Institute for Public Service is seeking a full-time Program Associate / Program Manager (Systems and Security) to own the digital infrastructure that our work depends on. Horizon is growing rapidly, and we serve as a talent partner to government offices and other key organizations across the policy ecosystem on some of the most consequential technology questions of our time. That work depends on systems that are reliable, well-managed, and secure. In this role, you’ll own administering and hardening our core systems, building access structures that scale with our rapid growth, rolling out security best practices across all staff, and shaping how our organization safely and effectively adopts AI tools.

In this role, you’ll work directly with Horizon’s leadership, shape our security posture during a formative growth period, and build rare expertise at the intersection of IT administration, information security, and AI infrastructure. Competitive applicants will most likely have 1-3+ years of relevant work experience in IT administration, security, or a technical operations role.

Early-career applicants will likely be considered for this role at the Program Associate tier, while candidates with more experience may be considered for the Program Manager tier. If you think the role is a great fit for your skills and interests, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t have previous experience in this exact field. Our hiring process is designed to test for aptitudes and skills, not specific resume markers.

Our mission

Emerging technologies like AI are rapidly reshaping our world. The US government plays an essential role in developing and governing such technologies. But policymakers’ ability to stay ahead of the curve depends on access to the requisite expertise—and right now, that expertise is sorely lacking. Horizon exists to close this gap by supporting the next generation of emerging technology policy leaders.

Since our launch three years ago, we’ve helped hundreds of professionals explore and transition into public service careers. Through our fellowship program, we’ve helped 100+ subject-matter experts fill vital roles at top think tanks, in Congress, and in agencies across government. Our online career resources have reached 150,000+ users and we’ve supported over 1,000 individuals through events and advising and headhunting services. We participated in the first-ever government AI hiring fair and run the AI Policy Leadership Network. We plan to both scale these existing programs and launch several more exciting new projects this year. You can read more about our programs and impact in our 2025 year in review.

About the role

You will be Horizon’s dedicated specialist for systems administration and information security, eventually running this work end-to-end as we scale our team and programs. This is a full-time role on our operations team, although you’ll interact extensively with staff across the organization through trainings, one-on-one advising, and collaborative tool-building. We’re looking for someone who combines technical aptitude with strong communication, a user-focused service mindset, and a willingness to flex as needed to advance Horizon’s mission. If you’re energized by building secure, well-run infrastructure at a mission-driven organization, this role will help you develop rare combined expertise in IT, security, and AI systems and position you well for security and technology leadership roles at nonprofits, startups, or in government.

Responsibilities

Run the systems Horizon depends on

• Administer our core systems and tools. You’ll handle day to day administration of Google Workspace and our broader software stack, maintain a complete overview of the systems we use and who owns them, and serve as first line IT support for staff.
• Own the technology experience of joining and leaving Horizon. You’ll run the tech side of onboarding and offboarding end to end, so that new staff are productive from day one and departures are handled completely and securely.

Build access management that scales

• Design group-based access across our systems. You’ll build and maintain access structures in Google Workspace, Airtable, 1Password, Github, and other core systems that give people exactly the access they need and remain manageable as our headcount grows.
• Enable secure collaboration with guests and partners. Horizon works with a wide network of fellows, advisors, and partner organizations. You’ll design and run efficient processes for granting and managing limited, temporary access to our systems as needed.
• Run recurring access reviews. You’ll conduct quarterly reviews of accounts, admin roles, and third-party integrations to keep our access footprint clean and current.

Drive our information security program

• Harden our defenses. You’ll roll out hardware security keys across all staff and deepen our organization-wide use of password management.
• Build and run our security routines. You’ll establish recurring controls (monitoring, third party app audits, update cadences), maintain our incident response playbook, and keep our staff facing security guidance sharp and current.
• Understand and manage the threat landscape. You’ll maintain a threat model suited to Horizon’s profile and manage the priorities it surfaces, working with an external security partner on assessments, penetration testing, and specialized advice.

Shape how Horizon works with AI

• Administer our enterprise AI accounts. You’ll manage provisioning, settings, data controls, and usage monitoring for the AI tools our team uses daily.
• Design how our systems and AI interact. You’ll centrally architect and govern how AI tools connect to our systems and data, enabling powerful workflows while ensuring data exposure decisions are made deliberately at the organizational level.

Be Horizon’s trusted expert on systems and security

• Train and advise staff. You’ll orient teammates on secure practices, advise program teams on the systems dimensions of their work, and make security legible to everyone at Horizon, regardless of their technical fluency.
• Advise leadership and set the agenda. You’ll inform Horizon’s leadership on our overall posture, needs, and priorities, and build relationships with peers at similar organizations to keep us current with the state of the art.

Flex as needed to advance Horizon’s mission

• Horizon is a small, nimble, and fast-moving team in a rapidly evolving opportunity space, meaning staff often flex outside their formal roles and duties when our mission calls for it. As a member of Horizon’s technical and operations teams, you may sometimes be tapped to assist with other duties related to our technical systems, datasets, or business processes.

Horizon has a strong culture of internal growth and supporting staff to take on additional responsibilities as needed, and as a small, nimble, and fast-moving team, we are open to adjusting the role based on an excellent candidate’s profile and interests. Depending on your interests and organizational needs, your scope may expand over time into other areas, such as device fleet management, physical security for our office, or business continuity planning. Your manager will support you to pursue professional development opportunities aligned with your interests and goals. We welcome transparent communication about your goals during the application process.

You may be a good fit for this role if you

• Have hands-on experience administering modern workplace systems like Google Workspace (experience with GAM in particular is a great sign but not required), or have demonstrated you can rapidly teach yourself technical tools
• Have a security mindset – you think about edge cases, failure modes, and how things could be abused
• Are a great communicator who can explain technical topics clearly and make security easy to follow for non-technical people
• Are energized by ownership – you’re excited to eventually own this area, be accountable for outcomes, and be the go-to person for security at Horizon
• Are excited about AI tools and how they can unleash productivity, while remaining thoughtful about their risks, and want to help shape how a fast moving organization adopts them securely

Additionally, Horizon has a strong team culture, and we expect you would fit well if you:

• Are entrepreneurial and a team player, adapting to new responsibilities as our fast-growing organization’s needs may change over time
• Are growth-minded and excited to give and receive feedback frequently in order to maximize performance and impact across our team 
• Are motivated by Horizon’s mission and excited to be part of a public service-oriented, user-focused, low-ego, and collaborative team
• Can work in-person in Washington, DC

Salary and benefits

The Program Associate (Systems and Security) will receive a salary of $100,000–$125,000+ based on experience and seniority. We are also open to hiring this role at the Program Manager level ($120,000–$160,000+) for candidates with substantially more relevant experience.  Horizon currently offers a flexible, benefits-equivalent cash stipend (included in salary) rather than a fixed health insurance or retirement plan. The stipend can be used to purchase any of the two dozen health insurance plans on the DC public market (or just keep as an additional salary top-up if you already have health insurance coverage through a parent or spouse) and contribute to a retirement account of your choosing. Starting in late 2026/early 2027, Horizon plans to expand its benefits offerings to include 403(b) retirement accounts and employer-covered health insurance plans. 

Horizon also offers:

• Unlimited vacation, with a recommended minimum of 15 days per year 
• Remote work flexibility for up to 12 weeks/year, contingent on acceptable performance
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• Up to $3,000+ per year in professional development funding
• Flexible working hours
• A productive, collaborative office with free snacks and meals 

We can provide visa sponsorship for qualified candidates.

Application process

Interested candidates should express initial interest by filling out an application by Sunday, August 23, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. Please answer honestly and reflect on your responses, but do not spend too much time on your application: quick bullet points are fine, and answers do not need to be polished, as later stages will evaluate specific skills and knowledge in depth. 

The application process will involve paid work tests, a structured interview, reference checks, and a paid in-person work trial. We will acknowledge receipt of all applications and aim to get back to candidates by mid-September. Our ideal start date is November 2026, though flexibility is offered for exceptional candidates.

We welcome candidates from diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply. Strong candidates may not always fulfill all our required or desired criteria. Studies show that individuals from underrepresented groups may underestimate their qualifications. Therefore, we urge you not to self-disqualify prematurely. If you are excited about this work, we strongly encourage you to apply.