Executive Director

American Energy Leadership Institute; Washington (District of Columbia); Remote; USD 175,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance-based bonus

Remote-friendly with travel

Competitive compensation

Job summary

American Energy Leadership Institute is seeking an Executive Director to drive growth, build the team, and scale operations at a startup pace. You will work closely with the President and a growing team to shape strategy, fundraising, and public engagement.

This role oversees advocacy, stakeholder relationships, media strategy, and day‑to‑day management; remote with significant travel to engage policymakers, donors, and partners across the conservative energy community.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years of experience in political, policy, advocacy, or related roles.
• Proven fundraising experience and donor relationship building.
• Strong writing and narrative advocacy skills.
• Fluency in conservative circles and credibility with donors or media is a plus.
• Willingness to travel.

Responsibilities

• Lead organizational growth through strategic hiring, mentorship, and team management.
• Oversee operations to ensure efficiency, effectiveness, and excellence.
• Drive fundraising and secure major gifts and partnerships.
• Direct strategy development and execution for advocacy.
• Build relationships with policymakers, industry leaders, donors, and allied organizations.
• Ensure research and thought leadership positions AELI as the leading conservative voice on energy policy.

Skills

Entrepreneurial mindset

Fundraising

Public speaking

Media relations

Strategic communications

Writing

Job description

Executive Director | American Energy Leadership Institute (AELI)

About Us

The American Energy Leadership Institute is a conservative energy policy research and advocacy organization. Our goal is to ensure America leads and dominates the 21st century. We promote solutions that accelerate US energy innovation, expand domestic energy production, reduce reliance on foreign adversaries, enhance our energy security, hold adversaries like China accountable for their emissions, win the arms race for new energy technologies, and contribute to the revitalization of America's manufacturing and energy production base.

We believe that America's interests are best served through a vigorous, competitive, and exuberant economy, a forward-thinking energy agenda that puts US interests first, and a conservative movement that plays offense to secure our nation's economic, environmental, and national security priorities.

Given the longstanding cultural dominance of the environmental left—and their anti-capitalism and de-growth agenda,we aim to restore the American conversation on climate and energy, curb the epidemic of pessimism, especially amongst our youth, and invite the next generation into a more exciting, optimistic vision about our nation and its future.

Position Summary

We are seeking a talented Executive Director to help drive AELI’s growth and take the organization to its next level at an exciting moment for American energy. This is a startup-stage opportunity: you'll be building alongside our President — a conservative strategist and regular Fox News commentator — and a growing team of team members, advisors and fundraising capacity, with real ownership over how AELI scales.

The Executive Director will oversee all aspects of AELI’s advocacy and public engagement work — including stakeholder and partner relationships, media and communications strategy, and day‑to‑day financial and operational management.

We welcome applicants from all professional backgrounds — policy, political, or private sector. More than anything, we are looking for top talent who shares our mission.

AELI is an equal‑opportunity employer.

Location

Washington, DC preferred but not required. Remote, with significant travel.

Compensation

AELI offers a competitive salary, commensurate with experience, and a growing benefits package. The base salary range for this position is $175,000 - $225,000, with performance‑based bonus.

Core Responsibilities

Lead organizational growth through strategic hiring, mentorship, and team management as AELI scales.

Oversee organizational operations, ensuring efficiency, effectiveness, and excellence.

Drive fundraising, leveraging donor networks and compelling storytelling to secure major gifts and partnerships.

Direct strategy development and execution, aligning near‑term advocacy with AELI’s long‑term vision.

Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including policymakers, industry leaders, donors, and allied organizations across the conservative movement.

Ensure excellence in research, writing, and thought leadership that positions AELI as the leading conservative voice on energy policy.

Qualities & Qualifications

• Entrepreneurial mindset and comfort building in a lean, fast‑moving, startup‑stage environment.
• Fluency in and credibility within conservative circles; existing relationships with leading figures, donors, or media in this space are a strong plus.
• Genuine conviction in AELI’s mission — energy dominance, American manufacturing revitalization, and a more optimistic conservative vision on climate and energy — paired with a determination to win the argument, not just make it.
• At least 5-7 years of experience in a political, policy, advocacy, or related business role.
• Experience with fundraising and donor relationships
• Pluses (not required): public speaking, media relations, and strategic communications experience; strong analytical and writing ability with a gift for narrative and advocacy.
• We are looking for someone high‑octane who can step into this role and build.

Why Join Us?

This is a chance to build an organization designed to shape the zeitgast of energy in America — to restore optimism, win the argument with the next generation, and help secure another American century. We're looking for someone who's ready to build, ready to fight for the narrative, and ready to win.