Director, Center for Technology and the Human Person
Washington, DC
Full Time
Manager/Supervisor
Title: Director, Center for Technology and the Human Person
Reports to: Vice President, Social and Domestic Policy
Job Summary: The Director leads the Center for Technology and the Human Person
(CTHP) within the Institute for Social and Domestic Policy. The Director is responsible for
developing and advocating technology policies that advance the good of the human person, the
family, and the American republic. The Director serves as Heritage’s primary Technology Policy
expert and manages center staff in pioneering innovative, scholarly research that
illuminates the intersection of high technology and the human condition.
Job Duties:
Other Requirements:
Benefits and Salary:
The Heritage Foundation offers a highly competitive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to, best-in-class health care, vision, and dental insurance, employer-sponsored retirement funding, “take what you need” PTO and sick leave, 14 weeks of paid leave for new moms and 6 weeks of paid leave for new dads, among other programs.
The salary range for this role is $170,000 - $200,000 annually. This range is a good-faith estimate, and the final salary offered to a selected candidate depends on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, and other qualifications; internal and external market pay for comparable jobs; and level of hire based on aforementioned qualifications. In addition to base salary, this role is eligible for an annual management bonus, awarded at the discretion of Heritage and tied to performance and accomplishments.
Reports to: Vice President, Social and Domestic Policy
Job Summary: The Director leads the Center for Technology and the Human Person
(CTHP) within the Institute for Social and Domestic Policy. The Director is responsible for
developing and advocating technology policies that advance the good of the human person, the
family, and the American republic. The Director serves as Heritage’s primary Technology Policy
expert and manages center staff in pioneering innovative, scholarly research that
illuminates the intersection of high technology and the human condition.
Job Duties:
- Policy Leadership: Advance nuanced policy analysis and scholarly research that establishes Heritage as a leading voice in tech analysis and policy.
- Strategic Advocacy: Author influential papers, testify before legislative and administrative bodies, and represent the Foundation at national and international conferences and in high-profile media settings.
- Technological Stewardship: Demonstrated capacity to weigh the potential benefits and harms of emerging technologies—including LLMs, robotics, and genetic engineering—with a focus on their moral and cultural effects, especially on children, low-income individuals and families, and the most vulnerable human beings.
- Institutional Collaboration: Work with leaders and policy analysts across Heritage and Heritage Action to achieve organizational objectives and integrate tech policy with Heritage’s broader policy goals.
- Coalition Building: Work with allied, near-allied, and—when possible—competing organizations and individuals to develop and advance common policy goals.
- Convening: Lead high‑impact convenings and roundtables to connect policymakers, experts, and stakeholders and advance Heritage’s policy priorities.
- Management: Develop department goals that advance Heritage’s mission and complement the objectives of other departments. Establish priorities, prepare and monitor budgets, and ensure effective use of personnel and resources.
- Staff Development: Recruit, mentor, empower, and evaluate staff, fostering professional growth and high performance through effective training and merit-based rewards.
- Education: Graduate degree or equivalent technical/research experience
- Experience: 10+ years in policy development or a tech-related field and a deep knowledge of technology policy and formal analytic tools, paired with economic wisdom and a record of extensive, top-level publications
- Management: Key management skills, including strategic planning and goal setting, budgeting, staffing, performance counseling, mentoring, and career planning are required
- Communication: Exceptional writing and public speaking skills; able to articulate Heritage’s mission across print, broadcast, and digital media.
- Technology: Mastery of Microsoft Suite, facility with relevant social media platforms, and with LLMs such as Gemini, ChatGPT, Grok, and Claude.
Other Requirements:
- Understand and support the Heritage mission and vision for America, and the department’s goals and objectives.
- Promote policies consistent with Heritage’s priorities; speak with one voice. An aptitude for anticipating how high technology can enhance or compromise human dignity, liberty, prosperity, and American strength.
- A recognized thought leader who can navigate and weigh the claims of competing technological worldviews, from techno-pessimism to techno-utopianism.
- Possess a creative vision for achieving decisive wins in public policy.
- Professionalism: highest possible degree (adaptability, maturity, integrity and accountability).
- Initiative: highest possible, requiring only general guidance with high degree of independent action.
- Innovation: good entrepreneurial skills and willingness to take initiative.
Benefits and Salary:
The Heritage Foundation offers a highly competitive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to, best-in-class health care, vision, and dental insurance, employer-sponsored retirement funding, “take what you need” PTO and sick leave, 14 weeks of paid leave for new moms and 6 weeks of paid leave for new dads, among other programs.
The salary range for this role is $170,000 - $200,000 annually. This range is a good-faith estimate, and the final salary offered to a selected candidate depends on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, and other qualifications; internal and external market pay for comparable jobs; and level of hire based on aforementioned qualifications. In addition to base salary, this role is eligible for an annual management bonus, awarded at the discretion of Heritage and tied to performance and accomplishments.
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