About Us
The John Locke Foundation is an independent, nonprofit think tank working for truth, freedom, and the future of North Carolina. Locke envisions a North Carolina in which liberty and limited, constitutional government are the cornerstones of society so that individuals, families, and institutions can freely shape their own destinies. Locke’s mission is to be North Carolina’s most influential force driving public policy so North Carolinians flourish in a free and prosperous society.

About the Role
Locke seeks a proactive Development Officer to engage Locke’s Investor community virtually and in person. The Foundation is funded by a diverse network of individuals, foundations, and corporations who share our commitment to upholding the principles of liberty and constitutional governance. The successful candidate will appreciate Locke’s mission and activities, commit to representing Locke’s priorities and goals to our community, and build opportunities for individuals to become more engaged in our work.

The Development Officer reports to the Vice President of Development. This role can be executed from the Foundation’s home office in Raleigh, NC or, for the exceptional candidate, virtually in North Carolina.

Key Responsibilities

  • Be a key connection between Locke and its Investor community to identify partnership opportunities
  • Steward existing and potential donors through thoughtful communication and engagement
  • Conduct research and initiate outreach aligned with Locke’s goals
  • Draft Investor materials in collaboration with program staff
  • Maintain Salesforce data accuracy, track outreach metrics, and support development operations
  • Contribute to team meetings, strategy sessions, and donor engagement initiatives
  • Assist colleagues as needed

Ideal Candidate Profile

  • 2+ years of experience in development, fundraising, outreach, or another related field
  • Alignment to free-market ideas and enthusiastic commitment to the mission of Locke
  • Ability to travel 30%, mostly within NC
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with an ability to communicate the mission and build meaningful relationships with prospective and current major donors
  • Organized, self-directed, and able to thrive in a hybrid/virtual environment
  • Highly motivated with demonstrated follow-through and ability to meet or exceed goals while managing multiple projects

What We Offer

  • A chance to contribute meaningfully to public policy and liberty in North Carolina.
  • Immersive exposure to development processes in a tight-knit, purpose-driven team.
  • Generous Paid Time Off Policy
  • 401(k) offering with an employer match
  • Travel savings account program with an employer match
  • Medical, dental, and vision coverage, FSA
  • Life and disability insurance

To Apply

Qualified candidates should submit the following application materials (in order) in one PDF document:

  • Cover letter including:
    • An introductory paragraph(s) describing three distinct reasons you are drawn to John Locke Foundation’s mission and how you came to those beliefs
    • Salary requirements
    • Resume

Applications should be submitted to Talent Market via this link: talentmarket.org/apply-for-your-dream-job/.

Questions can be directed to Katy Gambella, Director of Outreach at Talent Market, who is managing the search process: [email protected].

There is no application deadline for this position. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. This job will remain posted on our site until it is filled.

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. Only direct applications will be considered. No phone calls, please.

Talent Market is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting liberty by helping free-market nonprofits identify talent for critical roles. We provide consulting and recruiting services at no cost to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations that clearly and directly focus on advancing the principles of economic freedom, free enterprise, free trade, free speech, property rights, rule of law, and limited regulation.