Chief Executive Officer

The Institute for Global Affairs (IGA) at Eurasia Group, a nonprofit organization led by board president Ian Bremmer and board chair Zachary Karabell which pursues industry-leading research on geopolitics and global affairs, seeks a chief executive officer in its New York, NY office.

To apply, please submit to info@instituteforglobalaffairs.org, in one document (PDF or .doc file): a resume, a letter of interest focused on mission alignment and qualifications, and the contact information for three professional references. Review of applications will begin on November 8, 2024. 

Summary

IGA seeks a leader to steer the organization through the next phase of its development. A successful candidate will be an entrepreneurial institution builder with an interest in geopolitics, international relations, US foreign policy, and/or public education related to policy topics. Leading an organization still in start-up mode, the chief executive officer will be a detail-oriented administrator as well as a vision-oriented communicator.

A young organization with five full-time staff, five nonresident fellows, a roster of freelance multimedia editors and PR professionals, the pro bono assistance of Eurasia Group’s regional experts and graphic designers, and seasonal summer interns, IGA has consistently shown an outsized impact among its peer organizations. Its annual surveys of domestic and international opinion are regularly featured by mainstream news outlets, its analysts write op-eds for top-tier national publications, and a short feature film it produced for The New York Times Opinion Video, “The Army We Had,” is Emmy nominated in 2024.

IGA believes geopolitical literacy is fundamental to civic participation, and seeks to reach people who have traditionally been left out of geopolitical and foreign policy discussions. It has partnered with like-minded organizations to develop and deliver curricula about globalization and artificial intelligence, create easy-to-digest social media-distributed educational content, and through its flagship Independent America Project, it has explored ways the US might pursue, consistent with the preferences of American voters, more military restraint. 

The chief executive officer will be responsible for enhancing IGA’s programming and expanding its individual and institutional donor base. Working with the board of directors, this individual will identify the public goods in the geopolitics space which are not currently addressed by the marketplace of for-profit companies. This might include things like foreign policy leader bootcamps for elected officials in the US and abroad; support for and coordination of champions of democracy overseas, and unique ways to educate and foster public conversation about the role of technology and AI in international relations in the coming decades.

The chief executive officer will create a development and growth strategy which would substantially expand IGA from its current size and revenue within a couple years. Equally critical will be the management skills to motivate and expand IGA’s staff throughout the transition. The chief executive officer’s compensation will be a combination of a base salary with significant potential upside keyed to the organization’s growth.

Responsibilities 

The chief executive officer will have a wide range of responsibilities, including:

• Lead IGA through a period of growth as the organization’s top representative among external and internal stakeholders, the news media, and among peer organizations.
• Manage IGA staff, nonresident fellows, and interns. Evaluate reporting structures, performance appraisal processes, and team dynamics. Recruit and retain top talent.
• Create plans for strategic growth. 
• Develop and expand relationships with grant officers at institutional donors, decision-makers at family offices, and likeminded individuals with the capacity to support IGA’s work.
• Evaluate vendor relationships to determine their fit with the new leadership of the organization.

Qualifications

The ideal chief executive officer candidate will possess the following qualifications:

• A graduate degree in international relations, journalism, political science, public policy, management, or a related field. A record of meaningfully contributing to fast-paced organizational growth.  
• At least 10 years of professional experience.
• Entrepreneurial and ambitious, and aligned with IGA’s mission.
• Deep knowledge of key issues in contemporary geopolitics, US foreign policy, and an openness to a diversity of viewpoints and research methodologies.
• Ability to manage multiple responsibilities simultaneously.

• A passion for development and demonstrated ability to work with foundations and individuals to raise money.

Compensation includes a salary of $150,000 – $200,000 depending on experience, plus variable compensation pegged to the growth of the organization. Benefits include health insurance and qualification for a 401(k) retirement plan with employer contribution. For more information about IGA’s work, visit instituteforglobalaffairs.org.