Lead Writer, Executive Office (Job ID: 2026-3890)

The Brookings Institution•Washington, DC

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Join one of the most influential, most quoted, and most trusted think tanks! The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, D.C. Our mission is to equip decision-makers with nonpartisan research and policy strategies to create a more prosperous and secure country and world. To advance our mission, we are committed to the following four goals: Develop economic growth strategies for a changing world Expand economic and social opportunity for all Revitalize U.S. democratic institutions Advance peace and security worldwide At the core of our mission is the quality, independence, and impact of our research. We are dedicated to finding bold, pragmatic solutions for societal challenges through open-minded inquiry, diverse perspectives, and holding ourselves to the highest standards of scholastic rigor. Beyond the pursuit of excellence and intellectual rigor, Brookings places immense value on creating a supportive and collaborative environment where every individual can do their best work, learn, and grow. Because of this, Brookings has been at the forefront of public policy for more than a century. About the Executive Office – The Executive Office (EO) moves the Brookings mission forward by supporting and guiding the research programs, external affairs, and business operations of the Institution. The EO consists of the President’s office and the President's support team and aims to communicate regularly and transparently with Brookings staff about what’s happening at the institutional level.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, English, Political Science, or a related public-policy field required; Master’s degree desirable.
Minimum five years of relevant work experience required; experience providing staff support for executive leaders required.
Must have experience in research and analysis to support writing in a principal’s voice.
Exceptional writing, storytelling, and editing skills; ability to adapt voice and tone to match the speaker.
Strategic thinker with strong business acumen and the ability to distill complex ideas into clear, impactful messages.
Proven ability to advise senior leaders with confidence and discretion.
Experience working in fast-paced, high-stakes environments.
Strong collaboration skills and cross-functional fluency with communications, public affairs, and executive offices.
Complete fluency in written and oral English required.
Excellent project management skills are critical, including the ability to plan, own, and take initiative of the full life-cycle of various projects.
Must be able to work effectively with all levels of internal and external stakeholders and demonstrate impeccable judgment, people skills and poise.
Successful candidates will be deeply collaborative and enjoy an in-person and collegial atmosphere.
Must possess excellent organizational skills and an initiative-taking approach with an elevated level of diligence.
Must thrive under tight deadlines and accommodate occasional flexible hours.
High degree of professionalism with discretion and the ability to maintain confidentiality.
Exceptional writing skills are also essential, including concept and message development and drafting, fact checking, editing, and proofreading.
Must be able to write clearly and concisely for different audiences and be skilled at synthesizing input from diverse sources while serving as a firm advocate for the president’s priorities.
Must possess advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications including Office 365.

Nice To Haves

History of writing knowledgeably and comfortably about public policy issues to broad general audiences is desirable.

Responsibilities

Serve as president’s speechwriter and manage development of president’s presentations to key audiences.
Prepare the president for events in which she is a participant, for example as a speaker, a panel moderator, or a fireside chat participant.
Gathering and synthesizing information, fact-checking, and tailoring language to reflect the president’s voice and the goals of the event.
Write the president’s typically concise (3–5 minute) opening or closing remarks for internal or external events.
Collaborate with the president to write additional speeches and talking points as needed.
Ensure consistent presidential messaging on key public policy and other topics across communications products.
Own the process of preparing presentations for events with stakeholder audiences, such as board of trustees meetings and all-staff town halls.
Collaborate extensively across the institution to gather information; developing and refining outlines and talking points; fact-checking content; managing ongoing review-and-revise process with the president; managing the development of PowerPoint presentations with central communications; managing review with general counsel; managing editorial feedback from other stakeholders with discernment; managing time with the president and other internal stakeholders to rehearse the report in advance of the presentation; preparing final printed talking points for the board meeting; and supporting the delivery of the report as needed.
Develop scripts and talking points for all-staff town halls, accompanied by PowerPoint presentations.
Support executive office efforts to prepare the president for key meetings, including drafting talking points or background information on Brookings’ work.
Work closely with communications colleagues to draft social media posts from the president’s accounts.
Develop and implement communications plans that guide the president’s efforts to increase leadership visibility internally and externally, strengthen shared identity across the institution, and boost community morale.
Write, edit, and send all-staff email communications from the president.
Draft and send emails from the president’s account to funders and potential funders.
Write and send invitations to high-level external speakers invited to speak at Brookings.
Ensure all communications consistently reflect the president’s voice.
Provide support to the vice president of communications and public affairs on written communications, external and internal, as needed and as workload allows.