The Competitive Enterprise Institute is a non-profit public policy organization dedicated to advancing the principles of limited government, free enterprise, and individual liberty. Our mission is to promote both freedom and fairness by making good policy good politics. We make the uncompromising case for economic freedom because we believe it is essential for entrepreneurship, innovation, and prosperity to flourish.

Unique among free market groups, CEI pursues a full-service approach to advancing public policy. We publish original scholarly studies that make the case for an issue, market our policy proposals, craft and deploy media advocacy campaigns around that foundation of solid research in order to reach policy makers, influential opinion leaders, and grassroots activists. We also build coalitions, joining with allies to advance specific issues at the state, national, and international levels. When appropriate, we pursue our pro-freedom advocacy in court.

Founded in 1984, CEI has grown into an effective advocate for freedom on a wide range of critical policy issues, including energy, environment, business and finance, technology, telecommunications, and food and drug regulation.

A core concept at CEI is that human genius is best realized in a liberal atmosphere. CEI has therefore always encouraged and thrived on entrepreneurialism among its policy staff. The ideal candidate would be one who recognizes the value of policy entrepreneurs and has a record of encouraging and nurturing entrepreneurialism among people he/she has managed.

The candidate for President will possess demonstrated expertise in the following areas:

• Strategic Vision: The candidate for President must possess both a strategic, long-term vision for shepherding voluntary institutions on the path toward a civil society based on voluntary exchange and the tactical skills necessary to incrementally advance liberty in the short run. That strategic vision should include a deep understanding of economic liberty, free markets, individual freedom, and civil society, as well as a tested ability to eloquently articulate why these principles are necessary prerequisites for improving the human condition.
• Integrated Approach to Policy Change: The candidate must appreciate CEI’s vertically integrated Issue Management approach to turning policy. He or she will need a working knowledge of each of CEI’s core tactics for achieving policy successes, including scholarly research, regulatory and legislative advocacy, traditional and new media outreach, litigation, and coalition building.
• Coalition Building: The candidate must be able to build constructive working relationships with other policy groups and policymakers – including those with whom we disagree on some issues – to advance free market solutions in specific issue areas.
• Non-profit Management: The candidate must have prior management experience, preferably at a nonprofit public policy organization, with responsibility for overseeing major financial decisions, personnel, legal matters, operations, external relations, and fundraising.
• Media and Public Speaking: The candidate must be a polished public speaker and have extensive experience appearing on television programs, speaking as a keynoter and panelist at public policy events, and being interviewed by major journalists and opinion leaders.
• Fundraising: The candidate must possess proven fundraising abilities and, ideally, be well acquainted with CEI’s major donors. The candidate must be able to become conversant in all of CEI’s issue areas and able to discuss CEI’s work in ways that appeal to an array of audiences, including corporate, individual, and foundation supporters.

Application Process

The search committee will begin reviewing applications in March of 2012 and will continue until a hire is made.

Qualified and sincerely interested in candidates should submit the following application materials in one email:

1. Résumé
2. Cover letter explaining the following:

• deep philosophical interest in the mission of CEI
• overview of:
• management experience, including development and implementation of organizational vision, financial oversight, personnel management, operations, and legal matters
• fundraising experience, including knowledge of free-market donors and specific amounts raised if possible
• experience building coalitions, preferably within the free-market movement
• experience serving as the public face of an organization or program, including public speaking and media appearances
• experience pushing change in the public policy arena, including experience with research, advocacy, media outreach, litigation, and consensus building

3. A separate page showing the individual’s salary and compensation growth and history
4. A list of at least four references who can attest to the material presented by the candidate

To make an informed decision, the search committee must fully understand each candidate from the first submittal, so only complete applications will be considered. Please email all requested information to Claire Kittle, executive director of Talent Market, who is assisting with the search: claire@talentmarket.org.

While we thank all applicants in advance for their interest in this position, we are only able to contact those to whom we can offer an interview. No phone calls please.