President/CEO

Washington Policy Center (WPC) is seeking a President/CEO that can maintain and grow WPC’s role and presence as one of the nation’s largest and most impactful non-partisan, state-based think tanks, focused on improving the lives of the people of Washington State.

The ideal President/CEO will have a passion for Washington State and an unwavering commitment to the principles of liberty and free market solutions. WPC seeks an entrepreneurial leader with the enthusiasm and energy to lead an influential think tank in a challenging political and policy environment. The ideal candidate will also be skilled in managing a staff of over 20, including five department directors, eight center directors and senior staff located around the state, reporting to, and working with an active board of directors and interacting with WPC’s donors.

Responsibilities:

• Maintaining and growing WPC’s role as a thriving, influential, non-partisan and respected, state-based think tank.
• Serving as one of the primary spokespersons for the organization in the public and the media.
• Networking and collaborating to strengthen the organization and its influence.
• Reporting to and working alongside an active board of directors; overseeing all board level committees.
• Working with the board of directors and senior staff to develop and execute the organization’s new, three-year strategic plan in 2022.
• Overseeing all aspects of the organization; in conjunction with the board making all major financial, personnel, legal, operations, and external relationship decisions with WPC’s five department directors.
• Ensuring WPC has the funds needed to achieve its mission, today and tomorrow; focused on the financial development of the organization and expanding its fundraising base. Drives a culture of philanthropic giving in the organization, support by public messaging.
• A leading role ensuring the organization develops strong long-term relationships with large scale individual, foundation, and corporate donors/funders. Personally builds and maintains key relationships to ensure fundraising strategy is achieved.
• Developing an annual budget for its approval by the board.
• Overseeing policy development of the eight WPC Centers with WPC’s VP/Research.
• Provide overall direction to staff and assist with fundraising for WPC’s largest fundraiser, our Annual Dinner events attended by over 1,000 people in both Spokane and Bellevue.
• Dedicated focus on the financial development of the organization and expanding its base. Instills a culture of philanthropic giving in the organization, supported by public messaging.

Minimum Requirements: The ideal candidate will possess the following attributes.

• Understand, support and demonstrate passion for WPC’s mission to promote free-market solutions through research and education in Washington state.
• 5-10 years of experience in a public policy related environment.
• Executive level or significant program management experience and the ability to manage several departments (research, development, operations, communications, Eastern WA office, and young professionals’ program) and prioritize multiple projects.
• Experience overseeing decisions involving financial (including budget development) personnel, legal, operations, development and external relations preferred.
• Entrepreneurial attitude and self-starter mentality.
• Strong relationship building skills; ability and willingness to convince key individuals, corporations, and foundations to make investments in WPC.
• Proven skills in forging relationships and effectively communicating with a wide variety of constituencies — including staff, board of directors, policy network, current and potential donors, media, policymakers, business community and the general public.
• Comfortable working in a state of constant change.
• The ability and desire to work with the board of directors, oversee all board level committees and assist positively with strategy and fiduciary compliance.
• Demonstrable capacity or track record to hire and nurture talent.
• A desire to fully grasp the vision, mission, and values already embedded in WPC, but who also has the confidence and competence to lead the organization into the future.
• Humility. We are looking for a high-capacity leader who appreciates working alongside others to get the job done—someone who realizes the outcomes require collaborative partners to whom respect is due.
• Strong coalition building skills; ability to develop collaborative partnerships with other organizations in the free-market network.
• This person should be willing to live in the greater Puget Sound/Seattle area.
• Ties to Washington State preferred but not required.

Details/Benefits: • Start date: Fall 2021 • Location: WPC’s Seattle Office • Compensation: based on candidate’s level of experience and will include an opportunity to earn an annual performance bonus based on performance measurements and achieving assigned objectives as decided by the Executive Committee. 90% employer-paid health (medical/dental/vision) insurance, 401k employer matched retirement • competitive vacation policy to be determined with additional 11 paid holidays a year.

Washington Policy Center (WPC) is an independent, non-profit think tank that promotes sound public policy based on free-market solutions. Through its research centers, Washington Policy Center focuses on eight core areas of public policy: Education, The Environment, Government Reform (budget & taxes, open government), Health Care, Small Business, Transportation, Agriculture, and Worker Rights. At WPC we believe ideas, supported by sound research, and promoted through publications, conferences and the media, over time, create an environment in which policymakers and citizens make sound public policy decisions. WPC improves the lives of Washington State’s citizens by providing accurate, high-quality research for policymakers, the media, and the general public. Headquartered in Seattle with satellite offices and full-time staff in Olympia and Eastern Washington, WPC publishes studies, sponsors events and conferences and educates citizens on the vital public policy issues facing our region. WPC has an annual budget of over $4.5 million, an active, 32- member board of directors, and a full-time staff of 22. On average, WPC holds approximately 50 events each year. These range from exclusive gatherings of 20-30 people to conferences and lunches for 200-300 and our annual fundraising gala, the Annual Dinner, which encompasses 3 events across the state and gathers over 2,500 attendees.

To Apply Qualified and sincerely interested candidates should submit via email the following application materials in one PDF document including:

• Resume
• Cover letter explaining:
  • Your philosophical interest in our mission.
  • An overview of your management and fundraising (development) experience including success meeting with high-net-worth individuals and overseeing foundation grants.
  • Your experience pushing change in the public policy arena.

• Salary requirements and available start date (timeframe.)
• A list of at least three references who can attest to the material presented by the candidate.

To WPC President Search Committee at CEOsearch@washingtonpolicy.org

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.