Lots of Purpose....many Hats to wear
Pros
Staff at J Street are creative, ethical, dynamic and like to collaborate. You will get plenty of opportunities to engage with high level donors, political operatives and people/members on the Hill. The mission is massive but if you want to learn the dynamics of American politics and foreign policy; this is an elite training ground. If you're a go-getter you can do a lot here and sleep well at night knowing you're fighting to change politics for the better. People do care about you and the cause here more than most places. They are unafraid of change and take risks. Unlimited PTO.
Cons
Fundraising is really what you're doing most days and your value is almost entirely judged upon delivering on that. The pay isn't the worst but it isn't the best either for the amount of hustle required. Accomplishments aren't celebrated for more than a few minutes before it is on to the next task in a robotic way which can take some of the fun out of it. The org is D.C. centric which leads to a bubble in self-importance/ thinking. Staff waste a lot of energy being overly detail oriented for data systems/communications that aren't helpful or well thought out which consistency takes away energy for more productive tasks. The org is small at under 100 people so most people know everyone's business which has its downsides. Senior staff can have a way of always looking over your shoulder like a parent which is annoying and stressful. Burnout is common.