Jobs

This search is being managed by the search firm Russell Reynolds, please send resumes to Brookings@russellreynolds.com

Join one of the most influential, most quoted and most trusted think tanks!

The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to conduct in-depth research that leads to new ideas for solving problems facing society at the local, national, and global level. Brookings brings together leading experts in government and academia from all over the world who provide the highest quality research, policy recommendations, and analysis on a full range of public policy issues.

Research is conducted collaboratively across five major Research Programs. These programs include 16 Centers and dozens of special projects and initiatives, designed to be nimble and responsive to changing local, national, and global issues. More information on Brookings’s Research Programs, Centers, and Projects can be found at: https://www.brookings.edu/programs/

Brookings also produces and manages a number of external communications channels, including a website, social media and multimedia platforms, a book publishing imprint, and more than 200 public events produced in 2022 (either in-person or virtual). Brookings’s events often feature experts alongside policymakers, business executives, and community leaders, and provide an opportunity to highlight original scholarly research while exchanging ideas on how to solve complex policy issues.

The Brookings Institution is overseen by a Board of Trustees, composed of distinguished business executives, academics, former government officials, and community leaders. The Board has fiduciary responsibility for the Institution’s leadership, integrity, financial health, and scholarly independence.

With an annual operating budget of more than $90M and more than 400 employees, Brookings boasts more than a century of producing high-quality, in-depth research and continues to be a critical resource in identifying and solving political and governance challenges at the local, national, and global levels. The Institution now seeks a new leader to build upon this extraordinary legacy, define and articulate an inspiring and cohesive vision for the future, and foster a culture of scholarly rigor and intellectual curiosity across the organization and the broader ecosystem in which it aims to have influence and impact.

Position Location: This position is hybrid. Hybrid positions combine regular in-person presence at our Washington, DC office with the option of at least two days of remote work each week.

Vaccine Policy: Brookings requires all staff  to submit proof of complete vaccination against COVID-19 to be in Brookings buildings.

Individuals that (i) have a qualifying medical condition that contraindicates a COVID-19 vaccination, or (ii) who object to being vaccinated based on a sincerely held religious belief, may request a reasonable accommodation.  Brookings policies on masks and other pandemic mitigation measures will continue to be informed by DC and CDC guidelines.

Ready to contribute to Brookings success?

Based in Washington, D.C. and reporting to and working with the Board of Trustees, co-chaired by Glenn Hutchins and Suzanne Nora Johnson, the President has responsibility and accountability for the strategic, programmatic, financial, and management operations of the organization.

Specifically, the President will:

• Weave the Institution’s legacy into a future vision and holistic narrative for the organization that is grounded in evidence and focused on policy outcomes;
• Provide credible organizational management and visionary leadership, fostering a culture of academic rigor and intellectual curiosity across the Institution’s research and programmatic areas, providing executive leadership for the continued modernization of business functions, and strengthening collaboration among and between research programs and operational departments;
• Grow and diversify the Institution’s reach and impact through its scholarly research, programming, engagement with audiences, and external communications and storytelling;
• Strengthen the Institution’s financial support and communicate its mission and future direction to diverse stakeholders;
• Maintain and build upon Brookings’s legacy as the premier public policy think tank and a leading voice on a range of complex domestic and global issues; and
• Ensure that the organization is managed in a manner that is transparent, aligned with the organization’s values and vision, and led by dedicated, diverse, and creative staff.

Ready to make an impact? In this role, you will support Brookings values of collegiality, respect, inclusion, diversity and community, and bring the following qualifications:

Candidate Profile

The President of Brookings will be a visionary leader who possesses the intellectual breadth, practical experience, and demonstrated leadership to ensure Brookings’s unwavering ability to produce the highest quality research and policy recommendations.

In terms of the performance and personal competencies required for the position, we would highlight the following:

Visionary Leadership: The President of Brookings will bring a demonstrated capacity to define and communicate an inspiring vision for Brookings and the ability to develop tactics of distribution and impact, to curate new ideas, and to challenge colleagues. They will be viewed as a leader with a high degree of integrity and forethought in their approach to making decisions and will possess the ability to lead in a transparent and consistent manner while always taking into account what is best for the organization.

Credibility and Commitment to Research: A strong candidate for the Brookings presidency will model and empower the kind of open-minded inquiry that the institution exists to support. They will bring a demonstrated commitment to evidence-based research over rhetoric, and an inspiring and visible body of work or practical experience. The President will need to be credibly curious across the full range of Brookings’s global and domestic areas of work, and have a strong, well-informed grasp of the complex issues shaping the country’s future and their global implications, and vice versa.

Management Experience: The right candidate will have relevant experience in managing people and institutions and the capacity to manage a variety of constituents, including the staff and the Board of Trustees. An inspiring and inclusive manager, they will be driven towards solutions, accountable to colleagues, and open to innovation and transformation. They will bring a demonstrated ability to recruit, cultivate, and retain talent and to develop and maintain a healthy institutional culture, as well as a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Strategic Acumen and Judgement: The President of Brookings must bring unquestionable integrity and implicit generosity of spirit. They will possess the ability to make clear, timely decisions and to set limits even in the face of resistance, while producing an adaptive and self-regenerating institution that continues to be the best in class in this fast-changing environment. They should be a capable listener, and a confident and selfless leader.

Demonstrated Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: They will bring a demonstrated track record of personal and professional commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, displaying global and cultural competence while operating in an environment with a wide range of constituents and communities. They will possess a track record of translating an organization’s values into specific strategies and actions, including advancing and sustaining an organizational culture of diversity, inclusion, and equity.

Communications: A strong candidate for the Brookings presidency will be able to convey a sense of excitement and purpose to the institution. They will be a strong communicator, before larger audiences and in private settings, both internally and externally.

Convening Power: They will possess an ability to inspire trust through compelling influence, galvanizing connections, and interpersonal charisma. They will bring a demonstrated ability to work effectively with strong personalities, but not lose their own character while accommodating.

Fundraising: They have a track record or will bring a demonstrated capacity to raise the financial resources to invest in intellectual capital and innovative programming, while maintaining and growing an independent scholarly environment.

Above Partisanship: The right candidate for Brookings will bring a demonstrated and unwavering commitment to rigorous, fact-based research and policy analysis. They will think through issues on the merits, independent of partisanship. The public reputation of any candidate should not strain Brookings in remaining a trustworthy, non-partisan organization.

Contact

For more information, to submit recommendations, or if you are interested in applying to this position, please direct inquiries to: Brookings@russellreynolds.com

Additional Information:

What can we offer you? Brookings provides a generous benefit package that is comprehensive and includes both traditional benefits and unique offerings.

Brookings requires that all applicants submit a cover letter and resume. Please attach your cover letter and resume as one document when you apply. Please note: if you have applied to more than one Brookings job opening you should add a position-specific cover letter as a separate attachment.

Successful completion of a background investigation is required for employment at Brookings.

Brookings welcomes and celebrates diversity in all its forms.  We welcome applications that reflect a variety of backgrounds based on ideology, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, first generation college goers, and other factors protected by law. Brookings is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer that is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace.