Ecosystem Governance Coordinator

Your opportunity:

Make a real difference in the blockchain industry! Build the change you want to see.

Cardano's on-chain governance is live, and the decisions being made now are shaping the ecosystem for years to come. The Cardano Foundation is one of its most visible participants, as a DRep, as a facilitator, and as contributor to a functioning decentralised governance model. 

We are looking for an agile Ecosystem Governance Coordinator to work within our Governance Team and build the Foundation's governance engagement into a standing capability. The ideal candidate combines structured execution with true fluency in Cardano governance, bringing a clear grasp of what DReps, SPOs, and the Constitutional Committee each influence. As a politically adept relationship-builder, you know how to represent the foundation authentically. You are energized by the Cardano community and firmly believe that governance credibility is earned through daily consistency, not announcements.

You will have the following responsibilities:

Community outreach and DRep engagement

• Run the Foundation's DRep communications: newsletter, community calls, and forum presence, on a cadence the community can rely on.

• Revive and grow the Foundation's presence in DRep and delegator discussions across X, Discord, and the Cardano forum.

• Represent the Foundation's published governance positions clearly and accessibly to technical and non-technical audiences alike.

Stakeholder relationships and coalitions

• Build and maintain working relationships across the governance landscape: DReps, Stake Pool Operators, Constitutional Committee members, and ada holders.

• Coordinate internally with colleagues who own the SPO relationship so the Foundation speaks with one voice.

• Help build durable coalitions around Foundation-aligned positions, grounded in education, alignment, and genuine participation.

Governance strategy support

• Support the evolution of the Foundation's governance strategy and its DRep thesis.

• Help draft and shepherd governance-related CIP and CPS submissions and constitutional amendment work.

• Contribute to the Foundation's governance positions: the published priorities and principles that govern how we vote.

Operational backbone

• Own meeting notes, action tracking, and the decision log so governance work does not depend on anyone's memory.

• Provide support to the Foundation's Governance Advisory Team.

• Track governance actions end to end, from submission through to enactment, and keep internal stakeholders informed.

Your story:

• Governance literacy: you can explain CIP-1694 mechanics and the real dynamics between DReps, SPOs, and the Constitutional Committee.

• Execution and follow-through: you run things on cadence and close loops without being chased.

• Communication and community-building: you write well and you build trust in public.

• Political judgment and discretion: you sense the optics dimension before it becomes a problem.

• Learning velocity: this ecosystem moves, and so do you.

• AI fluency: leveraging AI capabilities and digital tools to augment your workflows and unlock new operational efficiencies.

• 3-6 years of experience in governance coordination, community management, programme management, or stakeholder relations, ideally within a blockchain, open-source, or member-driven organization.

• Working fluency in the Cardano governance landscape (CIP-1694, DReps, SPOs, the Constitutional Committee, treasury), enough to act on direction with limited hand-holding.

• Proven ability to launch, manage, and sustain high-engagement initiatives, including newsletters, community call series, and collaborative working groups.

• Excellent written and spoken English, with the ability to make complex governance topics readable.

• A proven system for tracking commitments across multiple stakeholders (be prepared to walk us through your approach when applying for the role!).

• Comfort operating with a high degree of autonomy in a fully remote, internationally distributed team.

• Willingness to travel occasionally (roughly 4–6 international trips per year) for summits, community events, and team gatherings.

What we look for in you:

Your impact:

• Operational Excellence: DRep outreach runs like clockwork, while newsletters and community calls deliver on a dependable, high-quality cadence, solidifying the Foundation as an active, credible voice in governance discussions.

• Strategic Maturity: You will refine and sharpen the Cardano Foundation’s DRep profile, establishing clear, well-articulated voting positions and elevating our presence.

• Deep Ecosystem Integration: You will convert initial introductions into thriving, active working relationships with Governance Action proposers, the Constitutional Committee, Stake Pool Operators (SPOs) and ada holders.

• Radical Transparency & Accountability: Governance decisions will be meticulously documented. By keeping decision logs current and action items tracked, you will ensure any colleague can easily understand why the Foundation voted the way it did.

Nice to have:

• Regional or cultural fluency beyond Europe, particularly with the Japanese Cardano community. While Japanese fluency is not required, it is highly desirable.

• An analytical eye for voting dynamics and delegation data.

• Prior experience in another L1/L2 on-chain governance ecosystem (Polkadot, Optimism, Arbitrum, Cosmos, or similar).

• Experience supporting a board, council, or advisory body as a secretariat.

• Additional languages.

Salary range: The expected annual fixed pay range for this role in Germany and Ireland is EUR 70,000 to EUR 100,000. The final offer will depend on relevant skills, qualifications, experience, and responsibilities.

How to apply:

About us

The Cardano Foundation is an independent, Swiss-based not-for-profit organization. The Foundation is tasked with advancing the public digital infrastructure Cardano and works to anchor it as a utility for financial and social systems, thus empowering the digital architects of the future.

The Foundation facilitates the worldwide advancement of Cardano in enterprise applications. It develops infrastructure tooling—including where there may not be an immediate commercial use case—plus strengthens operational resilience, and drives diversity of on-infrastructure use cases as well as the development of sound and representative governance.

Another significant part of the Cardano Foundation’s mission is to engage with and support the Cardano community. The Foundation assists the development of tools the community can use to leverage Cardano to solve problems in new ways.

• Embrace Flexibility & Freedom: Enjoy the benefits of remote work with the flexibility to tailor your hours that best supports your productivity, while staying aligned with the team. 
• Collaborative Culture: We foster a collaborative remote environment where ideas flow freely and everyone feels empowered to contribute.
• Thrive in a Learning Culture: We believe in continuous growth and development. Every employee receives an annual learning budget to invest in their professional journey.
• Shape Your Career: We provide opportunities for growth and encourage you to continuously evolve your skills and expertise within a supportive environment.
• Make a Real Impact: Your work will directly contribute to the development and adoption of Cardano, shaping the future of blockchain technology and its real-world applications.
• Team Building & Fun: Connect with your colleagues and strengthen team bonds through a dedicated annual team building event, as well as a departmental team-building day. Enjoy an extra day off for your birthday and additional days off to celebrate milestone work anniversaries.
• Work with Passionate People: Surround yourself with a team of dedicated individuals who are driven by a shared passion for blockchain technology and its potential to change the world.

Equal opportunities employer:

The Cardano Foundation strives to provide a diverse, inclusive and welcoming working environment. We are committed to being a discrimination free organization - including discrimination free space with regards to age, religion, race, nationality/ethnic origin, disability, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity.

Cardano Foundation does not accept any applications from recruitment agencies for this position. We refuse any responsibility for unsolicited applications as well as any associated fees. Unsolicited applications will be treated as direct applications regardless of the channel through which we receive them.