Director, Talent Pipelines & Education

Cato Institute; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Employer contribution to a Health SAV

Generous vacation and sick leave

Paid parental leave

Employer-provided life and disability

401(k) with employer match

Transit/Parking benefits

Pet discount plan

Job summary

The Cato Institute seeks an entrepreneurial Director to build talent pipelines and grow the Institute’s next era of growth. Based in Washington, DC on a hybrid schedule, this role leads strategy and execution to identify and develop exceptional talent across education and program channels.

Salary ranges from $100,000 to $140,000 per year, commensurate with experience. Reporting to the Senior Director of Educational and Talent Programs, the Director will own the vision and metrics for talent

Qualifications

• 7-10 years of experience in program development and management.
• 3+ years of experience managing teams.
• Experience designing and running talent development programs; familiarity with adult-learning principles is a plus.
• Demonstrated success identifying and developing exceptional talent across career stages; CRM/database familiarity is a plus.
• Genuine commitment to Cato’s principles and the judgment to apply them in practice.
• Resourcefulness in reaching talent outside conventional channels; familiarity with diverse professional communities.

Responsibilities

• Own and strengthen core talent pipelines—define roles, guide selection, lead design and evaluation.
• Design and build new pipelines beyond conventional channels for policy talent, content creators, technologists, entrepreneurs.
• Pursue mid-career and specialist talent through visiting positions, fellowships, and targeted outreach.
• Cultivate alumni and participants as long-term talent relationships and opportunities.
• Activate staff, scholars, alumni, and networks as active talent scouts.
• Collaborate across teams to design and execute talent and educational programs.
• Lead and grow a cross-functional team managing talent and education programs.
• Expand Cato’s presence in communities and at conferences, campuses, and events to attract talent.
• Design inbound mechanisms like fellowships, prizes, and visiting positions.

Skills

Public speaking

Interpersonal skills

Team leadership

Data analysis

CRM systems

Talent development

Strategic planning

Stakeholder management

Tools

CRM software

Job description

The Cato Institute seeks an entrepreneurial Director to build talent pipelines and grow the Institute’s next era of growth. Based in Washington, DC on a hybrid schedule, this role leads strategy and execution to identify and develop exceptional talent across education and program channels.

Salary ranges from $100,000 to $140,000 per year, commensurate with experience. Reporting to the Senior Director of Educational and Talent Programs, the Director will own the vision and metrics for talent