Hudson Institute seeks a director of public affairs responsible for developing and executing strategic communication initiatives, overseeing media relations, and managing Hudson’s Public Affairs team. The director of public affairs will work closely with Hudson's senior leadership team, policy experts, and external stakeholders to promote Hudson Institute’s mission and policy research. This is a full-time position based out of Hudson’s Washington, DC office, reporting to the president and CEO and to the executive vice president.

About Hudson Institute

Hudson Institute is a research-focused public policy think tank headquartered in Washington, DC, dedicated to promoting American leadership for a secure, free, and prosperous future. For more than half a century, Hudson Institute has been challenging conventional thinking by developing new ideas and practical solutions to shape critical foreign and domestic policy decisions.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements a comprehensive public affairs strategy for Hudson, focusing on enhancing the impact of Hudson’s research, with a particular focus on developing and implementing a long-term proactive media outreach strategy.
• Interfaces with Hudson’s research staff to identify opportunities to influence policy debates, understand key target audiences, and develop strategies for delivering Hudson policy recommendations.
• Builds and maintains strong, strategic relationships with journalists, editors, and producers across print, digital, and broadcast media, and devises strategies for ensuring broad and impactful coverage of Hudson’s experts, research, and policy recommendations.
• Monitors media trends, public discourse, and emerging policy debates to identify opportunities for thought leadership and timely media engagement.
• Tracks media coverage of the Institute, providing regular reports to Hudson’s leadership team for review, and considering ongoing opportunities for deeper and broader engagement.
• Oversees the development of messaging and communication materials, including newsletters, press releases, op-eds, and digital content.
• Oversees the Public Affairs team’s responsibility for events, conferences, and panel discussions featuring Hudson experts and dissemination of our work and recommendations.
• Manages and mentors Hudson’s Public Affairs team.

• Commitment to Hudson Institute’s mission and supporting its policy work. 
• Demonstrated leadership capacities.
• 10+ years’ relevant work experience in leading communications teams.
• Ability to develop high-level public affairs strategy and translate it into executable operational plans. 
• Broad experience gathering and evaluating information and making actionable recommendations to senior leadership. 
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work closely and effectively with colleagues throughout the organization.
• Meticulous attention to detail.
• Deeply interested in the major policy debates unfolding in Washington, DC.
• Commitment to acting with integrity and the utmost professionalism.