Vice President - Economic Security & Technology

Center for Strategic and International Studies, Inc.•Washington, DC

6h•$245,000 - $300,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is seeking a Vice President to help lead its Economic Security and Technology (EST) Department. This role involves developing, delivering, and fundraising for the department's policy research and impact agenda. The EST department focuses on helping the United States and its allies promote economic dynamism and technology advantages for growth, security, and resilience. The department's strategic research priorities include defining economic security and statecraft tools, assessing U.S.-China technology competition, identifying drivers of U.S. competitiveness, and shaping the future of economic and technology alliances. The Vice President will be a recognized expert in one or more of these core areas, responsible for publishing, convening, fundraising, and representing EST's interests within CSIS and the broader policy ecosystem. The ideal candidate will combine deep knowledge of economic security and technology policy with strong leadership skills for strategic initiatives, donor relations, and team management.

Requirements

A senior recognized thought leader in economic security, U.S.–China technology competition, U.S. competitiveness policy, or economic statecraft — evidenced by a public record of research, publications, and policy experience.
At least 15 years of professional experience spanning government, industry, the investment community, or think tanks and research institutions, with depth in economics, finance, science and technology, or national security.
Demonstrated experience designing and standing up new programs, initiatives, or platforms from concept to execution — not solely advising on strategy.
Exceptional writing, editing, and analytical skills, with a track record of producing and guiding publications from concept to publication, and exceedingly strong represent capabilities.
A substantive, active network among U.S. policy officials (agencies, executive branch, Congress) and international business, finance, and foreign policy communities.
Confident, persuasive, and comfortable as a senior public and institutional representative — able to carry equal weight with the President in external and institution-wide settings.
Entrepreneurial, with a genuine appetite for fundraising, risk, and building new things, alongside the operational discipline to see them through.
Proven people leadership: building positive team culture, mentoring talent, and aligning individual and departmental goals.
A transparent, high-integrity leader capable of representing and, when needed, standing in for the President across research, fundraising, and institutional matters.
Ideally experience in, or at minimum enthusiasm for, securing funding.

Responsibilities

Originate and lead individual, cross-program, and departmental research projects that strengthen EST's flagship strategic initiatives.
Build and lead a distinctive research portfolio related to EST's strategic research priorities by developing, managing, and securing funding for an original research agenda.
Produce written and multimedia publications (commentaries, briefs, reports, podcasts, videos).
Establish CSIS as a leading voice on these issues through briefings, public convenings, and media engagement.
Translate research into policy impact through sustained engagement with U.S. and allied policymakers and the media.
Model and uphold the highest standards of research quality across the department, and work with scholars to innovate research methods, including through the use of AI.
Take direct ownership of one or more strategic initiatives (e.g., the Patriotic Capital Initiative, policy summits, and fundraising initiatives) — from design through execution.
Design, launch, and manage new programs, platforms, and capabilities from end-to-end.
Represent the Department among the VP-cohort in support of CSIS-wide initiatives and cross-departmental collaborations.
Serve as a senior external face of EST — with Congress, the executive branch, allied governments, and private-sector leaders.
Secure funding for the EST Front Office and the department more broadly.
Help diversify and stabilize EST’s donor consortia.
Co-develop new project proposals and funding concepts with the President and program scholars; write proposals and steward donor relationships directly.
Help develop robust donor management processes working with program and development teams.
Support the Chief of Staff /Director of Operations, as needed, in executing key departmental functions across all seven programs.
Serve as a core member of the EST leadership team.
Lead the development and execution of department-wide strategic projects, jointly identified with the President, by mobilizing and aligning Directors, Deputy Directors, scholars, and program teams to deliver high-impact.
Foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and talent development across EST and CSIS more broadly.
Mentor scholars and emerging leaders in advancing their professional growth.
Model transparency, scholarly independence, collaboration, and collegiality.