Current Openings
Executive Director, Middle East Policy Council
The Middle East Policy Council is a Washington, DC-based non-partisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization founded in 1981 whose mission is to contribute to American understanding of the
political, economic and other issues that affect U.S. interests in and policies towards the Middle
East. The Council’s activities include: its quarterly journal, Middle East Policy; its quarterly
Capitol Hill Conferences on Middle East-related issues; its TeachMideast outreach program for
students, educators and civic leaders; its digital products (website, Facebook, Twitter) related to
the region; and its active media engagement. More information on the Council and its activities
can be found at its website, www.mepc.org.
Position Description:
The Executive Director (ED) oversees and implements all activities, operations and human
resources of the Council. The position is for an eight-hour per day, five-day per week workweek
(with a one hour per day lunch break as part of the eight-hour workday). The ED manages a staff
consisting of a journal editor, an executive assistant and a half-time educational programs
coordinator, as well as a part-time digital programs / public relations contractor and a part-time
digital content contractor. The ED handles the Council’s engagement with its contract
accountant, contract auditor and contract legal counsel. The ED organizes and oversees the
Council’s fundraising efforts and activities. The ED reports to and is supervised by the Council’s
president.
The anticipated starting date for the new ED is December 1, 2020. [Note: Council staff members
are currently working remotely, and will return to working in the Council’s Washington, DC
office at 1730 M Street NW when health conditions permit; the ED will work in the Council’s
DC office once operations resume there.
Compensation is competitive. Benefits include: a 10% IRA contribution; employer-paid health,
vision, dental, life and disability insurance; thirteen days of annual leave; fifteen paid holidays;
and sick leave as needed and approved.
Qualifications:
Required:
Experience and/or expertise in the management, operation and administration of an organization
or organizations involved in educational and/or policy-related activities and programs, preferably
in the non-governmental and/or non-profit sector;
Experience and/or expertise in fundraising; experience or familiarity with donor and/or grant
funding from foundations, philanthropic individuals and organizations, charitable institutions and
other aspects of donor and/or grant funding application and solicitation.
Highly-desired:
Experience in and/or expertise on the Middle East and in issues related to the region.
Interested applicants are asked to submit a resume along with an application letter describing
their qualifications and interest in the position. Please send both documents as attachments to the
following email address:
info at mepc.org
Applications will be accepted through Monday, October 26, 2020.
All applicants will receive acknowledgement of the receipt of their application. Due to the
expected volume of applications, only finalists will receive further communication concerning
their applications.
Internship Opportunities
The Middle East Policy Council encourages university students to apply for internships. During their time at the Middle East Policy Council, interns should expect to gain insight into the professional work of a nonprofit organization. Interns can look forward to:
• Working alongside the different employees at the office
• Working on the organization's PR - social media updates and web presence
• Assisting in proofreading, copyediting, and overall production of the journal for one issue cycle
• Helping plan and organize a quarterly Capitol Hill conference
• Administering the front desk (phone and email services) and completing office management tasks
• Contributing to educational outreach efforts
Interns can also expect to stay up to date on events happening in the region and to be closer to news sources, be it through the Middle East Policy journal or the topical conferences around DC. Interns should have strong writing skills, be detail-oriented and able to multi-task and manage their time efficiently. Upon completion of the internship, the intern is expected to be more familiar with the work of a nonprofit organization and have a more thorough and in-depth understanding of Middle East issues.
To apply for an internship, send a cover letter, resume, and a 2 page writing sample to Megan Geissler: MGeissler@mepc.org.
Application deadlines
Summer: March 30
Fall: July 30
Winter/Spring: November 30