Deputy Director, Freedom and Prosperity Center

Job Location: Atlantic Council Headquarters – Washington, DC Employment Type: Full-Time Seniority Level: Deputy Director Job Category: Staff

Overview

Political, economic, and legal freedoms are the foundation of prosperity. The Freedom and Prosperity Center (FPC) generates evidence to drive policy reform and advance human wellbeing, particularly in emerging markets and developing economies. Specifically, through its Freedom and Prosperity Indices, FPC produces cutting-edge research to empower changemakers, including government officials, civil society, NGOs, news media, and among others, to advance policies that can yield better socio-economic outcomes across the developing world. The Center is also working to shape the debate on the future of development assistance and is building what will become a major cross-country benchmark measuring the legal and regulatory environment for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to promote entrepreneurship and SME growth in low- and middle-income countries.

The Deputy Director, FPC, will be a key part of both the Center's constituent teams. This position requires close and continuous collaboration with colleagues in the Center, as well as with other regional and functional centers across the Atlantic Council.

Based in Washington DC, the Deputy Director will help develop and implement the Center's strategy, support operational needs and assist with efforts to resource the Center's work, and contribute substantially to FPC's policy thought leadership. The ideal candidate will have an understanding of the Atlantic Council's internal policies, procedures, and processes, have the skills to manage the growing list of FPC fellows and advisors, and, above all, a commitment to, and be a thought leader for, the Center's mission of promoting political, economic and legal rights as the primary pathway to grow global prosperity.

This position is based in our Washington, DC, headquarters, requiring a minimum of 4 days per week in office. The Atlantic Council offers a competitive compensation package commensurate with experience and education, with offers from $100,000 to $120,000. Applications submitted by October 30, 2026, will be prioritized for consideration.

Job Responsibilities

• Develop programming and new initiatives designed to influence international development, democracy, and/or entrepreneurship; and work with the senior staff to shape and implement program strategy, by coordinating the Center's research projects and public/private events and managing multiple projects simultaneously and taking responsibility for timely delivery, quality, and impact.
• Support programming for the entrepreneurship policy coalition, including organizing consultations, annual convenings, regional policy workshops, and fellowships.
• Support the Center's outputs in the fields of democracy, economic freedom, rule of law, and entrepreneurship, including internal and external short-form publications, topic-specific reports, and social media, among other media.
• Represent the Center and the Council in external policy debates, and help build a community of influence, through publications, speaking engagements, roundtables, public events, and external partnerships.
• Help build the program's funding base by helping to identify, pursue, and track additional support from potential donors, including corporations, government agencies, international organizations, foundations, and others.
• Manage a program for external fellows and advisory council members to increase engagement.
• Support relationship management with external partners, including donors, subgrantees, and contractors, and support proposal drafting and donor reporting.
• Support the senior director and director in managing the team's operations, budgets, and finances.
• Serve as a reliable steward of the Center funds, working with FPC leadership to maintain strong oversight of finances and administrative obligations, including overseeing expenses and revenues for relevant workstreams, management of budgets and anticipated fundraising.
• Provide guidance to other program staff for program activities at different stages of program execution, including conceptualization, fundraising/development of proposals, and project management.
• Assist in staff recruitment when required. Mentor and ensure professional growth of junior team members.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of professional experience in international development, economic policy, entrepreneurship ecosystems, or regulatory reform.
• Strong understanding of small and medium enterprise dynamics and the role of entrepreneurship in economic growth.
• Demonstrated experience leading large-scale research, data, or policy projects, preferably in a think tank, academia, multilateral, or government setting.
• Proven track record of building partnerships with governments, international organizations, academic institutions, and the private sector.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to represent the Council to senior-level audiences globally.
• Experience in fundraising, donor relations, and program sustainability preferred.
• Advanced degree in economics, law, public policy, international development, or a related field. PhD in economics a plus.

Benefits

To produce quality work and to successfully achieve our mission, we recognize the need for our staff to maintain a healthy lifestyle and a work/life balance. Our comprehensive benefits package helps to keep costs low for our staff and their families. Benefits include, but are not limited to comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance, paid time off, 403(b) plan, FSA options, pet insurance, Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility, and wellness benefits.

About the Program

The Freedom and Prosperity Center aims to increase the well-being of people everywhere and especially that of the poor and marginalized in developing countries through unbiased, data-based research on the relationship between prosperity and economic, political, and legal freedoms, in support of sound policy choices.