Position Specification

The Stimson Center is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, independent, and action-oriented research and policy organization
committed to enhancing international security and prosperity through pragmatic solutions to the world's most difficult
challenges. Founded in 1989 by Michael Krepon and Barry Blechman, Stimson has built a distinctive reputation for
bringing rigorous research, policy expertise, and creative problem-solving to issues where traditional approaches often
fall short. Stimson's programs work individually and in tandem in the relentless pursuit of a more peaceful, secure, and
prosperous world.

The international system is undergoing profound change. Intensifying geopolitical competition, the erosion of
longstanding norms and institutions, emerging technologies, and increasingly interconnected security challenges are
creating new risks while complicating the pathways to cooperation. In this environment, Stimson's ability to work
across divides, anticipate emerging challenges, and translate independent analysis into practical policy solutions is
increasingly critical.

With a global body of work spanning more than 20 programs, Stimson brings together experts across disciplines and
regions to tackle complex problems with an emphasis on practical solutions and measurable impact. Its work spans
nuclear security and nonproliferation, Indo-Pacific dynamics, regional security, emerging technologies, climate and
security, and international governance. Across these areas, Stimson looks beyond conventional approaches to identify
emerging risks, challenge assumptions, and develop ideas that can be translated into policy and practical application
for measurable impact.

For decades, Stimson has served as a critical bridge between policymakers, governments, military leaders,
international institutions, civil society, academia, and the private sector. From military-to-military dialogues and
international convenings to rigorous research and policy engagement, Stimson creates trusted spaces for candid
conversation and constructive problem-solving - often when official relationships are under strain and the need for
independent, credible interlocutors is greatest.

Stimson's impact is grounded in its ability to combine intellectual independence with practical engagement. Its experts
are regularly called upon by governments, international organizations, the media, and other leading institutions for
analysis and insight on emerging global security challenges. The organization is committed to anticipating global risk
as well as responding to emerging crises, with a demonstrated capacity for building the connections and partnerships
capable of advancing durable solutions.

Stimson's independence is central to its value. Free from the influence or constraints of outside forces, Stimson can
interrogate long-held assumptions, bring unexpected voices together, and engage across political and national
divides. Its combination of intellectual rigor, agile activity, and trusted relationships allows the organization to operate
where few others can.

As Stimson looks to its next chapter, the organization is well positioned to build on this history while adapting to a
rapidly changing global environment. Its challenge - and opportunity - is to sustain the independence, credibility,
and collaborative spirit that have defined Stimson while expanding its reach, impact, and financial sustainability. With
a strong foundation of expertise, trusted relationships, and a reputation for fierce nonpartisanship, Stimson is
positioned to play an important role in helping decisionmakers at all levels navigate an increasingly complex and
consequential world.

The next President and CEO will have the opportunity to build on Stimson's distinctive legacy while helping define its
next chapter - strengthening its programs and people, expanding its reach and partnerships, and ensuring the
organization has the resources and institutional capacity to meet the challenges ahead. The leader will inherit an
organization with a clear sense of purpose and a distinctive role to play at a consequential moment for global security.

 

Stimson's Board of Directors is comprised of 20-25 individuals providing trusted counsel to the organization from
around the world. Stimson's Board provides a strategic mix of experience and perspectives, including representatives
across government, private sector, philanthropy, technology, law, defense, and diplomacy.
The Stimson Center has 75+ full-time staff, based in Washington, DC, and an annual budget of $16-18 million USD
per year.

To learn more about the Stimson Center and its work, please visit https://www.stimson.org/.

 

The Role

Based in Washington, D.C. and working in close partnership with the Board of Directors and the Executive Team, the
President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) will lead the Stimson Center and hold responsibility for its institutional
direction, programmatic impact, financial health, and organizational effectiveness. The next CEO will inherit a well
respected institution that has grown significantly in scope and size recently, with a reputation for rigorous analysis, a
pragmatic and nonpartisan approach to problem-solving, and the ability to translate ideas into real-world outcomes.
They will have the opportunity to carry Stimson's considerable strengths forward while setting a compelling course for
its future, extending its reach and impact, exceeding client expectations, and positioning the organization to navigate
and thrive through an evolving global landscape with sustained agility and resilience.

This is an opportunity to lead an extraordinary community of experts working at the intersection of some of the most
consequential issues of our time, including global security, governance, trade, technology, climate change, nuclear
security, and more. The CEO will bring together Stimson's breadth of expertise and culture of policy entrepreneurship
around a compelling vision for the institution, creating the conditions for its people and programs to thrive while
ensuring that Stimson remains a trusted, independent, and influential voice in the global policy community.

Importantly, the next CEO will assume leadership at an especially significant and sensitive moment for Stimson
following the passing of its longtime President and CEO, Brian Finlay, earlier this year. They will be called upon to
honor and build upon the institution's legacy while safeguarding the credibility, intellectual independence, and
reputation for nonpartisan problem-solving that Stimson has developed over decades. The next leader will bring the
collaborative spirit, judgment and empathy needed to steward the organization through this transition while also
creating energy and momentum around its future.

Specifically, the next CEO of Stimson will:

• Work with the Board to set and articulate a compelling direction for Stimson's future, building on the
  organization's history, values, and distinctive strengths while identifying opportunities to deepen its impact in a
  changing world;
• Provide intellectual and programmatic leadership across Stimson's diverse portfolio, supporting the
  independence and excellence of its experts while encouraging connections across programs and ensuring that
  research and ideas contribute to building practical solutions that promote international security, prosperity, and
  justice;
• Lead Stimson's fundraising and resource development efforts, personally cultivating, soliciting, and
  securing support from philanthropic, institutional, government, and other funding partners while broadening and
  diversifying the resources available to sustain Stimson's work and independence over the long term;
• Lead and steward the organization, ensuring that Stimson's operational systems, talent, financial resources,
  and organizational capabilities and relationships are structured appropriately to deliver on its mission and
  support its people;
• Represent and elevate Stimson externally, communicating its mission, ideas, and impact, strengthening its
  visibility and reputation, and deepening relationships across government, philanthropy, academia, civil society,
  the private sector, and the broader international policy community;
• Foster connectivity across the institution, strengthening relationships among programs and operational
  functions while preserving the intellectual independence, practical approach, and subject-matter expertise that
  distinguish Stimson;
• Preserve and build upon Stimson's highly collaborative and collegial culture, ensuring that its experts
  and staff continue to have the trust, support, and autonomy to do their best work while sustaining an
  environment characterized by intellectual curiosity, mutual respect, creativity, and shared commitment to the
  mission;
• Expand Stimson's reputation as a trusted and innovative global policy institution, ensuring that it
  remains a place where rigorous analysis, uncommon perspectives, and practical problem-solving come
  together to address complex global challenges.

 

Candidate Profile
The next President and CEO of the Stimson Center will be a strategic, intellectually curious, and deeply collaborative
leader with the judgment and empathy to guide the organization through an important period of transition. They will
ideally come from a policy or international security background and bring the leadership range necessary to engage
substantively with Stimson's work, inspire and empower a community of accomplished experts, build the relationships
and resources necessary to advance its mission, and lead a complex organization with clarity and care. Above all,
they will be a leader known for kindness, optimism, and high emotional intelligence who shares Stimson's commitment
to rigorous analysis, pragmatic and nonpartisan problem-solving, and initiatives that lead to meaningful action.

In terms of the experience and leadership capabilities required for the position, we would highlight the following:

Strategic Leadership and Vision

• Sets and articulates a compelling direction for the organization building on Stimson's distinctive strengths and
  innovative culture of excellence.
• Expands Stimson's influence, inspires its work, and increases its contribution to the field.
• Converts institutional direction into clear choices and priorities that reflect consequential questions of
  international security and peace, approaching issues on their merits and with a commitment to intellectual
  independence and nonpartisan analysis.
• Balances respect for Stimson's history and institutional strengths with the ability to ensure that the
  organization, its capabilities, and ways of working continue to meet its evolving needs.
• Builds alignment and momentum around a shared direction while challenging thinking, encouraging new ideas
  and perspectives from within and across the institution.
• Cultivates global relationships and partnerships that extend Stimson's reach and enable greater impact.

Intellectual Breadth and Curiosity

• Brings intellectual credibility and genuine curiosity across the range of global policy and security issues at the
  heart of Stimson's work, with the skill to engage substantively without needing to be the expert in each field.
• Respects the independence and expertise of Stimson's scholars and practitioners, encouraging intellectual
  challenge, experimentation, and the development of ideas that can be tested, applied, and translated into
  practical solutions.
• Connects ideas and perspectives across disciplines, finding opportunities to bring Stimson's varied expertise
  together in new and consequential ways.
• Earns the respect of accomplished researchers and policy experts through curiosity, thoughtful engagement,
  and appreciation for deep subject-matter expertise.

Resource Development and External Leadership

• Has demonstrated success securing significant financial support from a range of sources, with the ability to
  cultivate, solicit, and convert relationships into both unrestricted and program-specific funding.
• Embraces fundraising as an essential part of the CEO role, working alongside the Board, Program Directors,
  and the broader team to expand Stimson's community of supporters and secure its financial future.
• Cultivates relationships and partnerships across philanthropy, government, institutional funders, the private
  sector, and other sources, with particular attention to diversifying Stimson's funding base.
• Is a compelling and credible public voice for Stimson, communicating its mission, work, and relevance with
  clarity and engaging effectively across audiences, settings, and platforms.
• Elevates the voices of subject matter experts within the organization, facilitating introductions where helpful
  and showcasing the talent of the Stimson team.

Organizational and Collaborative Leadership

• Builds and sustains an outstanding team, creating conditions for experts and staff to exercise ownership while
  maintaining clear expectations and accountability.
• Partners effectively with a highly engaged and accomplished Board, drawing on members' expertise,
  perspectives, and networks while building a partnership grounded in trust, transparency, and clear
  governance.
• Leads in a manner that is grounded and transparent, earning confidence across the organization and
  encouraging collaboration and innovation among programs, disciplines, and functions; simultaneously
  demonstrates courage as well as boldness.
• Listens carefully and seeks meaningful input while remaining comfortable exercising executive authority,
  resolving difficult questions, and establishing a clear path forward.
• Values and strengthens Stimson's existing culture of excellence, kindness, and collegiality, where talented
  people are deeply committed to the mission, intellectually curious, entrepreneurial, collaborative, and
  empowered to do their best work.

Judgment, Integrity, and Stewardship

• Leads with exceptional judgment, integrity, maturity, and empathy, inspiring confidence among staff, the
  Board, funders, partners, and the broader Stimson community.
• Brings sensitivity and emotional intelligence to lead an institution through a significant period of transition,
  listening and learning while establishing their own authentic leadership.
• Acts as a careful steward of Stimson's institutional reputation and credibility, navigating complex relationships,
  issues, and external environments with discretion and care.
• Balances continuity and change, honoring what has made Stimson distinctive while creating energy,
  confidence, and momentum around its future.

 

Compensation and Contact
This position is based in Washington, DC. The estimated base salary for this position is approximately $400,000 -
$475,000. The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be determined based on various factors including but not
limited to level of experience, specialty, and accomplishments. The base compensation range listed is a good faith
determination of potential base compensation at the time of this job advertisement.

Russell Reynolds Associates has been exclusively engaged to lead this search. Given the need for confidentiality
throughout this process, prospective candidates are invited to reach out directly to RRA's search consultants at
StimsonCenter@russellreynolds.com with a resume and brief explanation of interest. All nominations and expressions
of interest are welcome and should be sent to the Russell Reynolds team. All inquiries and discussions will be
considered strictly confidential.

 

Annie Pope
Russell Reynolds Associates
2001 K St NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20006

Tory Clark
Russell Reynolds Associates
999 Peachtree St NE, Suite 2700
Atlanta, GA 30309

Jamie Hechinger
Russell Reynolds Associates
2001 K St NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20006

400000-475000 per year