The Institute for Free Speech – the nation’s only organization dedicated solely to defending political speech rights – is seeking a visionary leader to serve as its next president. This is an exceptional opportunity to lead a thriving organization at the forefront of First Amendment advocacy.

The position opens as current President David Keating, after 14 distinguished years of leadership, transitions to a policy-focused role. David will continue as president until his successor is named, ensuring seamless continuity for the organization.

Now, we’re looking for the ideal candidate to lead the Institute for the next decade-plus. The new president will inherit a healthy budget and a talented team committed to protecting our rights to freely speak, assemble, publish, and petition the government.

This deliberate, careful search reflects our commitment to finding the right person to guide the Institute through its next chapter of growth and impact. To learn more about the position, please click here.

Job Description

The Institute for Free Speech (IFS) is the only national organization dedicated solely to protecting First Amendment political rights and campaign speech. IFS’s founder, former Federal Election Commission Chairman Bradley Smith, has been described by the New York Times as, “The intellectual powerhouse behind the effort to roll back campaign finance reforms.” IFS is the organizational powerhouse in the fight for political speech rights.

Our efforts include both litigation and policy/think tank efforts. We educate the public and government leaders on the dangers of so-called campaign finance reform, the real impact of money in politics and the benefits of a more free and competitive political system. We oppose efforts to limit campaign expenditures and contributions, taxpayer funded political campaigns, and other limits on citizens’ ability to support the candidates and causes of their choice. IFS is the “go to” organization for fact-based testimony and background when Congress and state legislatures take up campaign finance or journalists report on such efforts.

IFS’s nationally recognized litigation team has successfully taken on unconstitional laws around the country. Notably, IFS was plaintiffs’ counsel in SpeechNow.org v. FEC, which cleared the way for “super pacs,” and spearheaded the amicus effort in Citizens United. While the primary focus of IFS remains political campaign speech, IFS litigators have also successfully represented parents silenced by local school officials, college professors improperly disciplined for their political beliefs, and ordinary citizens whose voices are silenced by government regulations and arbitrary administrative decisions. IFS’s VP for Litigation is Alan Gura, a nationally known constitutional litigator.

David Keating, President of IFS since 2012, after a long and successful tenure, will be stepping down from the presidency and moving into a policy role upon the naming of a successor. We now invite applications for that position of President.

Responsibilities

The new President will inherit a healthy budget and strong balance sheet, an excellent reputation, and a talented team committed to the organization’s mission. The next President will be responsible for the following areas:

• Operational Growth: Setting a vision for IFS, growing the organization’s budget, developing a plan to re-establish an office presence in the D.C. area, and overseeing technology upgrades.
• Fundraising: Eagerly engaging in fundraising in conjunction with a strong, nationally-known board
• Staff Growth: Overseeing staff growth in digital media, public relations, policy, and legal, hiring top-tier talent, and enthusiastically mentoring/developing team members
• Coalition Building: Increasing organization’s national profile and visibility with other organizations both within and outside of the conservative/libertarian movement, and developing relationships/strategic alliances with organizations and individuals both within an outside that movement.

Requirements

We seek a President with the following attributes:

• Strong, demonstrated commitment to and interest in First Amendment issues in context of campaign finance and election law
• 7+ years of experience, including significant management experience
• An inspiring leader with a good eye for talent; one who motivates and cares about staff and helps the staff to shine
• A proactive visionary with strategic planning capability
• Solid track record in fundraising or potential for fundraising demonstrated through skill set and personal attributes
• Experience in the conservative/libertarian movement strongly preferred; strong ties to the conservative/libertarian movement a must
• Energetic, accessible, outgoing personality
• Strong management skills, highly organized
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• High on humility, low on self-promotion
• Good sense of humor and camaraderie
• Ability to engage in light/moderate travel (estimated travel: 10%)

Salary
The projected annual salary range for this role is $185,000-$325,000, contingent upon the specific skills and experience of the selected candidate.

To Apply

Qualified candidates should submit the following application materials (in order) in one PDF document:

• Resume
• Cover letter detailing your interest in the President role and the mission of Institute for Free Speech, along with your salary requirements

Applications should be submitted to Talent Market via this link:

https://talentmarket.org/candidates/apply-for-your-dream-job/

Questions can be directed to Claire Kittle Dixon, President of Talent Market, who is assisting with the search: claire@talentmarket.org.

There is no application deadline for this position. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. This job will remain posted on our site until it is filled.

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. Only direct applications will be considered. No phone calls, please.