TechFreedom, the premier market-oriented technology policy think tank, seeks a Director of External Affairs & Communications to develop and execute a comprehensive strategy for maintaining and developing new relationships, building our brand, and maximizing our impact with our strategic partners and in the media. This position is based in Washington, DC and remote work is not an option.
About TechFreedom:
TechFreedom’s goal is to advance a philosophy of dynamism in tech policy debates: optimism about the future, humility about anyone’s ability to predict it, and skepticism about top-down technocratic attempts to have government engineer a better future. We take deep dives into legal and policy issues and produce a variety of materials, including comments before regulatory agencies, amicus briefs in legal cases, and briefing materials for legislators. Our offices are located in Washington, D.C., but our work addresses state, national, and international policy.
Director of External Affairs & Communications Opening:
Our new director’s primary responsibility will be ensuring the relevance of our analysis and maximizing its impact. That means staying well-informed about the ever-shifting political and rhetorical landscape, helping our scholars target their work, and promoting that work.
This role requires political savvy without partisanship. Unlike most policy organizations, we cannot simply rely on tribal clusters of relationships among policymakers, the media, or other stakeholders. Because there is no consistent “Party of the Future,” we find allies — and adversaries — across the ideological spectrum, varying from issue to issue. Our brand must facilitate those relationships.
Responsibilities:
Managing our relationships with our strategic partners, including allies and donors, including:
- Representing us in the many coalitions we belong to, including civil society and industry groups across the ideological spectrum;
- Building and maintaining relationships with legislative offices, administrative agencies and the executive branch;
- Keeping our supporters informed about the work we produce and its impact on public policy debates, and;
- Identifying opportunities for us to promote our vision in pressing policy debates and potential financial supporters for that work.
Managing fundraising, in collaboration with our COO and President, including:
- Collaborating with our scholars to develop proposals to submit to granting or other funding organizations;
- Developing strategies, in collaboration with the executive team, to encourage new or increased contributions;
- Tracking development outcomes, and;
- Pitching existing and potential donors.
Managing our brand, ensuring narrative consistency throughout our work grounded in our institutional values and priorities. While prior knowledge of tech policy is not required, we want someone who can, with time, grow into a spokesperson role — distilling the work of our scholars for various audiences, and presenting it in a way that strengthens our brand, including:
- Managing the production of, and hosting, the Tech Policy Podcast;
- Running our Twitter and other social media, and;
Managing our communications functions, including:
- Editing all content;
- Drafting press releases, op-eds, blog posts, executive summaries, and other material for popular consumption;
- Pitching our content to publishers, booking interviews;
- Support in organizing and coordinating events;
- Managing a revamp of our website;
- Email list management, social media coordination and content creation, and;
- Developing print materials, designing organization’s content.
Qualifications:
For any small organization, cultural fit is vital. We’re looking for:
- Four years of experience in external affairs and communications
- An entrepreneurial spirit, the ability to take ownership of projects, eagerness to learn new skills, and an appreciation for collaboration;
- Experience distilling dense policy papers and legal filings into more accessible and readily communicable content;
- Exceptional interpersonal skills, especially including a sense of humor;
- Political savvy;
- An eagerness for debate and experience working with attorneys.
How To Apply:
Qualified candidates should submit the following application materials in one PDF document:
- Resume: Please, limit these to a single page.
- Cover letter: Again, we aren’t looking for anything long, just something to give us a sense of who you are, why you think TechFreedom is a good fit for you, and what your salary requirements are.
- Writing sample: A simple link to published material is fine, but anything that you think demonstrates your ability to succinctly communicate complicated ideas is really what we are after here.
- Your social media handles: Social media is a vital part of this job, so we’d like to get to know your online persona.
- Other relevant experience: Links to panel appearances, speaking engagements or interviews.
- Salary requirements
Applications should be submitted to Talent Market via this link:
https://talentmarket.org/candidates/apply-for-your-dream-job/
Questions can be directed to Katy Gambella, Network Engagement Manager at Talent Market, who is assisting with the search: [email protected]
Only direct applications will be considered. No phone calls, please.
On a rolling basis, we will be in touch with candidates who we believe are a good fit and will set-up a short interview to vet candidates for interviews.
Talent Market is a nonprofit entity dedicated to promoting liberty by helping free-market nonprofits identify talent for critical roles. We provide free consulting and recruiting services to free-market think tanks, policy organizations, research centers, and capacity-building institutions dedicated to advancing the principles of limited government and free enterprise.
