Description:
The Cato Institute is seeking applications for a full-time position located in Washington, D.C., to serve as a Manager of Government Affairs. The Manager will work to maintain Cato as a prime source for objective analysis for federal policymakers, and to ensure that Cato scholars have the access and proper tools needed to help Congress and the executive branch develop and advance good policy. Reporting to Cato’s Director of Government Affairs, the Manager will work closely with the existing federal affairs team and appropriate policy scholars to devise and execute engagement strategies for a portfolio of domestic policy issues.
About Cato
The Cato Institute is a public policy research organization – a think tank – dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace. Its scholars and analysts conduct independent, nonpartisan research on a wide range of policy issues.
Founded in 1977, Cato owes its name to Cato’s Letters, a series of essays published in 18th-century England that presented a vision of a society free from excessive government power. Those essays inspired the architects of the American Revolution. And the simple, timeless principles of that revolution – individual liberty, limited government, and free markets – turn out to be even more powerful in today’s world of global markets and unprecedented access to information than Jefferson or Madison could have imagined. Social and economic freedom is not just the best policy for a free people, it is the indispensable framework for the future.
The Cato Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Responsibilities
-
Build and maintain relationships with policymakers in Congress and the executive branch
-
Identify, create, and assist with opportunities for Cato scholars to provide congressional testimony, statements for the record, and other high-impact opportunities for Cato scholars
-
Track and advise Cato scholars and staff on ongoing and emerging dynamics in Congress and the executive branch to ensure Cato’s maximum impact on the policy debate
-
Devise, recommend, and execute engagement strategies for issue portfolio with the goal of positively influencing the policy debate
-
Oversee distribution of Cato scholarship to an audience in Congress and the executive branch
-
Work with existing federal affairs staff to ensure Cato-wide coordination of the Institute’s efforts
-
Exercise exceptional judgement to ensure the protection and enhancement of Cato’s reputation for excellence, integrity, and dedication to principle
Requirements:
- Three to six years of issue-management experience in Congress or the executive branch, or similar experience with a think tank, association, state or local government, or in the for-profit sector
-
Demonstrated experience with policy analysis and communicating policy positions to external audiences
-
Excellent project management skills with the ability to carry a project from conception to completion
-
A bachelor’s degree in political science, economics, or related field
-
Comprehensive understanding of congressional rules, procedures, and operations
-
A demonstrated appreciation for Cato’s mission and principles
-
Excellent interpersonal skills
-
Strong oral and written communication skills
Preferred Qualifications
-
Experience with domestic policy areas with specific emphasis on legal or judiciary issues
