Program Coordinator or Manager, FREE Initiative

American Enterprise Institute; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player seeks a dynamic individual to lead a national outreach initiative aimed at empowering youth. This exciting role involves managing projects, driving thought leadership, and fostering partnerships to expand the influence of innovative ideas across the country. The position requires a self-starter with exceptional communication and organizational skills, capable of navigating a fast-paced environment. Join a passionate team dedicated to making a significant impact in educating communities and promoting a sense of agency among young Americans. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a meaningful mission with national reach.

Benefits

18 days of paid leave

Medical and dental coverage

Tuition assistance program

403(b) retirement plan with 12% contribution

Paid family leave

Life and disability insurance

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; 2-3 years of relevant work experience preferred.
• Strong leadership and communication skills are essential.

Responsibilities

• Manage projects and personnel to ensure alignment with AEI’s priorities.
• Expand outreach to new audiences and execute strategic engagements.

Skills

Project Management

Strong Communication Skills

Organizational Skills

Attention to Detail

Leadership

Time Management

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

Overview

The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) seeks a full-time, in-person, motivated, entrepreneurial, and mission-aligned individual to join AEI scholar Ian Rowe in building a national movement aimed at educating people, communities, and institutions across the country on how to promote a sense of agency among our nation’s youth and partner with them in this endeavor.

Now in its third year, AEI’s FREE Initiative is a national outreach and educational effort led by Mr. Rowe that disseminates new insights about the crucial roles of family, religion, education, and entrepreneurship in developing the rising generation of young Americans.

As the staff lead of FREE, the program coordinator or manager will work closely with Mr. Rowe to manage projects with national reach, including a growing network of leaders dedicated to FREE’s mission; an exclusive fellowship for K–12 educators; a flagship podcast, The Invisible Men; and other strategic engagements, such as Old Parkland Conferences, which expand FREE’s influence across the country. The person in this position will drive thought leadership, manage personnel, lead communications, and handle administrative and budget-related responsibilities to ensure smooth operations and alignment with AEI’s priorities.

These responsibilities require a self-starting, results-driven individual who can anticipate challenges, develop solutions, and lead others effectively in a fast-paced environment. Strong communication and organizational skills are essential, along with the ability to manage multiple projects at once and deliver high-quality work under tight deadlines. Candidates for this position should also possess keen attention to detail and excellent writing skills.

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a major outreach initiative at AEI with significant national reach, expanding the influence of Mr. Rowe’s thought leadership across the country. The employee in this position will operate on AEI’s coalitions team and report to the director of coalitions. Regular domestic travel—approximately one to five times per quarter—is expected, as well as attendance at external networking opportunities, which may occasionally take place in the evenings.

Responsibilities

This role includes a high level of responsibility. The employee in this position will perform the following duties:

• Thought Leadership (35%)
  • Expand FREE’s reach to new minority audiences aligned with Mr. Rowe’s message.
  • Shape, manage, and execute strategic engagements and programs, including small and large meetings and events, both virtually and in person in Washington, DC, and countrywide.
  • Cultivate relationships, identify partnership opportunities, and manage communications strategies that advance FREE’s mission.
  • Collaborate with Mr. Rowe on occasional opinion pieces, research, and other written products, identifying opportunities to apply the FREE framework to current issues.
• Personnel and Project Management (25%)
  • Manage and mentor at least one junior staff member, providing guidance, feedback, and professional development opportunities. Oversee project workflows and ensure timely and effective execution of projects.
  • Manage the workflows, expectations, and project delivery of other internal stakeholders (including scholars, research assistants, interns, and other supporting and contracted staff) to assemble a portfolio of products and services under the FREE brand.
• Marketing and Communications (20%)
  • Oversee external communications, including promotions, occasional op-eds and reports, social media content, and FREE newsletters, with support from internal teams.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for all external FREE constituents, in tandem with Mr. Rowe.
• Administrative Duties (15%)
  • Develop, track, and report on metrics, targets, and outcomes related to FREE activities for internal teams and external philanthropic stakeholders.
  • Use AEI’s client relationship management system—Salesforce—and other tracking tools to support team functions.
• Budget-Related Duties (5%)
  • Develop and monitor FREE’s non-personnel budget with support from the coalitions director.
  • Manage contracts and payments for contracted employees.
  • Collaborate with AEI’s fundraising team to align budgets with proposals and donor needs.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree (required)
• Coordinator: 2+ years of full-time, applicable work experience
• Manager: 3+ years of full-time, applicable work experience
• A self-starting attitude with the ability to identify and anticipate problems, develop and evaluate options, and implement solutions
• An interest and proficiency in leading others
• The ability to work in a fast-paced environment
• The ability to bring a “who needs to know” mindset to coordinating and informing a wide array of internal and external stakeholders
• The ability to establish and maintain collaborative relationships at and outside AEI
• Attention to detail and excellent organizational skills
• Strong communication skills, poise in public, adeptness in writing, and the capacity for turning ideas into a variety of internal- and external-facing written products
• Time management skills and a proven ability to meet deadlines
• Familiarity with customer relationship management software and email marketing systems (preferred)

Benefits

AEI offers generous benefits, including 18 days of paid leave (15 days of paid annual leave and 3 personal days or floating holidays); 12 days of paid sick leave; paid family leave; medical and dental coverage, in addition to a health savings account; a medical and dependent care flexible spending account; a tuition assistance program of up to $5,200; life and disability insurance at no cost to employees; and a 403(b) retirement plan with a 12 percent contribution from AEI, among other benefits. For more information, you can see a full summary of our benefits here.

Compensation is based on a number of factors, including the position’s scope and responsibilities; a candidate’s full-time, applicable work experience; key skills and qualifications; and internal and external market considerations. The salary range for this full-time, exempt position is $55,000–$70,000. Salary is just one component of AEI’s total compensation package for employees.