Title: President 

Reports to: The Board of Directors, The Institute for Family Studies

This is a full-time position.

General Purpose: The mission of the Institute for Family Studies (IFS) is to strengthen marriage and family life and advance the welfare of children through research and public education. Known for its objective and incisive studies that attract attention and respect from across the ideological spectrum, the Institute’s programs and platforms focus on marriage, child well-being, family formation, parenting, and the role of technology in family life. By carefully and accurately documenting the changing contours of contemporary family life, as well as the central role that marriage and family play in the lives of children, adults, and the commonweal, the IFS seeks to elevate the family to the top of the nation’s policy and cultural agenda where it can receive the recognition and response it deserves.

Job specification: The IFS seeks an experienced leader with a vision for advancing its mission and building up its administrative and fundraising capacities as an institution. This is an opportunity to lead one of the country’s most respected think tanks at a pivotal point in its history. In its first ten years of operation, its research has garnered the highest credibility, its access to the media has gained large audiences, and its voice in the development of state and federal policy, especially in efforts to make technology safe for kids, has become vital. Now, over the next ten years, it will build on this legacy to further advance the mission of elevating marriage and family to the top of the national agenda. 

The ideal candidate will be equipped to, above all, manage a growing nonprofit, guide our research into new areas, and be able to compellingly speak to the importance of our mission before a wide variety of audiences. The candidate will therefore have experience in leading or managing a nonprofit, school, business, or academic program. The ideal candidate, furthermore, will be adept at dealing with donors and foundations and managing the Institute’s finances. Finally, the candidate will work closely with both scholars and administrative staff, as well as the board of directors, to accomplish these goals.  

Given the academic and scholarly nature of the organization, a PhD, graduate degree, or law degree is preferred, though we would welcome applications from all excellent candidates. 

Key Roles and Responsibilities

• Build the administrative staff to increase operational capacity in support of the mission.
• Develop and implement a long-term fundraising plan, including cultivating major donors and other sources of funds with a goal of a long-term sustainable organization.
• Develop and refine financial reporting policies and procedures.
• Refine the Institute for Family Studies’ medium and long-term strategic vision. 
• Expand dissemination of IFS’s research to new audiences. 
• Work with staff to organize and coordinate logistics for program events including meetings, briefings, private roundtables, and conferences. 
• Work with scholars to identify and guide new research opportunities.

Additional Requirements

• Willing to live in Charlottesville, Virginia
• Ph.D. or terminal degree preferred

Pay: Compensation for this position will be competitive and negotiated in good faith.