Roosevelt’s External Engagement Work
Over the past decade, the Roosevelt Institute and our sister (c)(4) organization, Roosevelt Forward, have played a unique and catalytic role in laying the groundwork for recent historic policy successes. Our work has led not just to policy wins, but also to an increasingly powerful new way of thinking about the economy (new paradigms) and to a talent pipeline for hundreds of economic policy positions ready to enact these ideas (new people). The backbone of our work is a Rooseveltian political philosophy focused on the importance of a creative, pro-public, responsive, and equitable government—one that plays a direct and active role in managing our nation’s economic affairs.
These ideas are now part of a heated contest for the “new normal” in economic thinking. With the political landscape in increasing flux, Roosevelt will continue to develop smart strategies for ensuring that the best of our ideas prevail. We will also seek to learn further lessons about what economic “common sense” breaks through in an increasingly fractured information ecosystem.
What You’ll Do
We are seeking an experienced strategic leader as our Chief of External Relations (CExRel).
The CExRel will report to the Roosevelt Institute’s CEO, developing and executing strategies to ensure that Roosevelt’s actionable influence work is targeted and successful. Roosevelt’s worldview and people have won many victories. And, at the same time, the political landscape is shifting. We are at a hinge moment in history. New paradigm wins, on everything from antitrust to strengthening union power, are fragile. A CExRel at Roosevelt will lead the development of our external approach at this critical time, and be a public-facing principal making this case to Roosevelt’s many audiences.
The CExRel will oversee government affairs and advocacy as well as partner engagement. They will also ensure that traditional communications and owned media work are aligned with an overall external engagement approach. The Senior Vice President for Communications and her team will report to this new role, as will the Managing Director of Government Relations and the GR team.
The CExRel will have additional strategic and managerial duties with the Roosevelt Institute and serve as a member of the Roosevelt Institute executive team. The CExRel will also serve as a key advisor to Roosevelt Forward, the Institute’s sister organization and a 501(c)(4). The CExRel will manage all of Roosevelt’s external engagement efforts. They will collaborate closely with the VP of Research and Policy, the Chief Development Officer, and the CEO and serve as a public presence for both Roosevelt Institute and Roosevelt Forward in the media and at major conferences and events.
The ideal candidate for this role will have demonstrated expertise in moving big ideas about the political economy into action. They will work with the Institute's fellows and staff to engage federal policymakers in support of our vision of a nation where government plays an active role in creating a more democratic and equitable economy, and everyone enjoys a fair share of our collective prosperity.
The CExRel will work closely with the CEO and other executive leadership to develop strategies to engage policymakers and coalition partners to advance our work and ensure that it is actionable. They will lead a DC-based team focused on advocacy and relationship building, and will be responsible for the translation of Roosevelt papers and reports into compelling and timely advocacy materials. Alongside a strong communications team, the CExRel will be responsible for continuing to strengthen and broaden Roosevelt’s reputation with the full range of actors, including lawmakers and public officials, allies, and the media. Additionally, the CExRel will work with Roosevelt’s development team, which is responsible for our strong relationships with the philanthropic community.
The successful candidate will have expertise in the entire federal policymaking process, both legislative and executive. Strong relationships within the progressive political economy movement, including and especially the labor movement, will be important. They will have excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to serve as principal representing Roosevelt at meetings and other public events. And they will be very familiar with current and emergent progressive economic and public policy issues of our time.
This role is responsible for three distinct but related areas:
- Strategy development. The CExRel will lead the development of an external relations strategy by identifying key policy issues; identifying key audiences, especially public officials; and building and strengthening advocacy networks and partnerships. This requires understanding how to best utilize a variety of communications approaches, including media relations, social media, and events.
- Execution—turning ideas into action. The CExRel will lead an effective and coherent external engagement strategy. This includes building and maintaining relationships with the media, partners, allies, and funders; representing Roosevelt in policy and organizing movement meetings as well as in government meetings, including with members of Congress and executive branch officials; supporting the translation of the Institute’s papers into policy proposals and analyzing public policy developments and trends; identifying opportunities for other Roosevelters to engage; and managing a team of DC-based government relations and partnership development staff.
The CExRel will also oversee a 10-person communications team, which is led by an SVP Communications who will report to the CExRel. The comms team has primary responsibility for building and maintaining relationships with media and for managing social media, publications, events, and overall branding. Together, the government relations staff and comms staff will develop and execute an aligned strategy, which should have clear goals and measurable outcomes.
This execution will require continual strengthening of efficient and effective processes that make the most of Roosevelt’s research, communications, and external engagement resources. Such process improvements will be the responsibility of the CExRel, the SVP Communications, and the VP of Research and Policy.
- Leading Roosevelt Forward. The CExRel will lead the strategy building for Roosevelt Forward, the 501(c)(4) sister organization associated with the Roosevelt Institute. This includes overseeing Roosevelt Forward’s appointments work, which places highly qualified candidates into senior-level federal government policy roles and other episodic or short-term work, which may include narrative research in Roosevelt’s core areas of expertise.
The CExRel will serve as a key member of the organization’s executive team, which is responsible for all of Roosevelt’s management and managerial decision-making.
What You’ll Have:
- Strategic acumen, with a demonstrated record of assessing a landscape and making narrative and policy change happen, in difficult as well as favorable external conditions
- Track record of delivering results in shaping narrative and outcomes in the fast-moving political economy space
- Experience working with policymakers, including key members of Congress and congressional committees, and with executive branch and other agency officials responsible for shaping economic outcomes
- Strong, trusted existing relevant policy and movement relationships
- Understanding of the relationship between elite and general public ideas organizing
- Experience working with a range of policy communications and outreach tools, from elite media to social media to in-person gatherings
- Fluency across fields and relationships—politics and elected officials, organizing and movement-building spaces, and academic and subject matter experts
- Excellent managing ability with experience hiring and building a team
- Creativity at the strategic and tactical levels—no idea too big, no detail too small—and the ability to leverage strong relationships to help a mid-sized organization punch above its weight
- Excellent writing and presentation skills
- Comfort serving as a principal and representing the organization in public meetings
- Flexibility, adaptability, and the ability to lead others in an organization that is necessarily responsive to changes in political and fundraising conditions
- 15-plus years of increasing professional responsibilities and experience in relevant fields
This is a location-specific position that requires day-to-day work in Washington, DC.
To apply, please submit a resume and a cover letter of no more than 2 pages that details your vision for Roosevelt’s future. *Priority review will be given to applications submitted by Sunday, March 2; the deadline to apply is Sunday, March 9.
Not sure if you meet all the qualifications? Please apply!
We know talent comes in many forms. Join our team and help envision a new equitable future for all.
The salary range for this role is $230,000–$280,500 annually. The Roosevelt Institute offers excellent benefits that include 100 percent paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and 80 percent paid for dependents; life insurance; vacation; personal and sick time; paid parental leave; professional development; healthcare, dependent care, and commuter FSA; and a 403(b) retirement plan with up to 4 percent contribution.
At Roosevelt, we recognize that the culture of the workplace and opportunities for career growth and development are important to all. We believe that diversity of background and experience among our people make our work to rewrite the rules of our social and economic realities stronger. The Roosevelt Institute provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital status or domestic partner status, genetic information, genetic predisposition or carrier status, gender identity, HIV status, military status and any other category protected by law in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, layoff and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.
To learn more about the Roosevelt Institute, please visit https://rooseveltinstitute.org/.
Roosevelt Institute, 1301 K St NW, Washington, DC 20005
