Associate Director, Scowcroft Strategy Initiative

Job Location: Atlantic Council Headquarters – Washington, DC
Employment Type: Full-time
Seniority Level: Experienced
Job Category: Staff

About the Scowcroft Strategy Initiative:

The Scowcroft Strategy Initiative, housed within the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, serves to directly advance the Scowcroft Center’s core mission by developing sustainable, nonpartisan strategies to address the most important security challenges facing the United States and its allies and partners. Its competencies in long-range foresight and strategy development are vital assets to government and business leaders as they navigate a complex and unpredictable world. Through its work, the initiative strives to revitalize, adapt, and defend a rules-based international system in order to foster peace, prosperity, and freedom for decades to come.

About the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security:

The Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security works to develop sustainable, nonpartisan strategies to address the most important security challenges and opportunities facing the United States and the world.  The Center honors General Brent Scowcroft’s legacy of service and embodies his ethos of nonpartisan commitment to the cause of security, support for U.S. leadership in cooperation with allies and partners, and dedication to the mentorship of the next generation of leaders.

Overview of the role:

The Associate Director of the Scowcroft Strategy Initiative will play a critical role in helping the director operationally and programmatically manage the initiative across its practice areas, with a special focus on its strategy and foresight portfolios. The Associate Director will help manage junior colleagues working on projects in these subject areas.

The Associate Director will oversee significant projects within SSI; maintain, develop, and cultivate a wide network of crucial partner and donor relationships; and contribute to the research and editorial work of our numerous publications on issues related to global strategy and foresight in particular. The position entails supporting the director with financial management, business development, and other key administrative and operational tasks.

The ideal Associate Director is innovative, resourceful, proactive, and has a proven track record of working with US and allied policymakers and/or senior experts on strategy and foresight. The Associate Director will have solid judgment and the ability to multitask and communicate effectively in a dynamic work environment. The ability to manage up and work with team members across all levels is critical. In addition, sound judgment and the skills to oversee multiple projects and keep tasks, team members, and deliverables on track while balancing competing timelines is a must.

The successful candidate will support the Director and other team members in the oversight and operations of SSI internally and will represent SSI in external meetings as needed. This position is based in our Washington, DC headquarters on a hybrid schedule, though candidates should plan to be in the office at least three days per week. Pay is commensurate with experience, education, and organizational equity, with offers starting at $65,000. Applications submitted by April 19, 2024, will be prioritized for consideration.

Job responsibilities

• Coordinate and play a leading role in organizing and executing major SSI projects, especially within our global strategy and foresight portfolios, with limited oversight.
• Set the operational tempo and timelines for projects, track multiple deliverables, and delegate tasks to and oversee junior colleagues to execute logistical and administrative operations in support of events and publications, ensuring products delivered to upper management meet high expectations.
• Shape the content, format, and structure of publications and convenings, and support the Director’s assignment and coordination of the team’s projects.
• Contribute to shaping SSI’s goals and desired policy and programmatic outcomes, including assisting business development, grant and partnership proposal writing, donor reporting, and budgeting.
• Edit written work and coordinate closely with fellows and staff to produce articles, issue briefs, blog posts, and other written and audiovisual work.
• Liaise with other Council programs and centers, our development team, engagement team, and executive office to ensure successful execution of, and publicity for, events and publications.
• Maintain, develop, and cultivate a wide network of crucial partner and donor relationships, including US and allied officials, experts and academics, etc.
• Contribute to the intellectual work of the Center through research and writing on issues related to global strategy and foresight, especially in areas of your specific expertise. Generate ideas for programming on these topics.
• Represent SSI at some external meetings and events.
• Supervise and provide mentorship to SSI’s interns and junior staff, including training junior staff on processes, protocol, and software.

Qualifications

• Graduate degree in a related field is strongly preferred, although an undergraduate degree with additional work experience may qualify.
• Past work experience with transferable operational, project, and people management skills (or management training).
• Experience in project management, event management, and stakeholder management.
• Exceptional organizational, writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Strong track record in engaging, and knowledge of, key stakeholders in US national security strategy, foresight, and national security resilience, including representatives of US and allied governments, academia, and think tanks.
• Previous relevant, substantive work experience and demonstrated expertise in subject matter.
• Experience in overseeing a small number of interns and staff, and skill in mentoring and developing a diverse, high-performing team that embodies the ethos of the Council culture and delivers on our mission. 
• Experience in business development, developing budgets, and tracking expenses desirable.