External Affairs Manager
Full-time
Reports to: Vice President for External Affairs

The Center for Progressive Leadership (CPL) is a national political training institute dedicated to developing the next generation of progressive political leaders. CPL develops diverse leaders who can effectively advance progressive political and policy change. Since 2003, CPL has trained over 5,000 future candidates, political professionals, advocacy leaders, and organizational staff who are changing the face of politics in this country.

With a deep commitment to developing diverse, grassroots leaders, CPL has five permanent state offices (Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania) and is opening 1-2 new offices each year. CPL also runs intensive leadership programs for diverse progressive leaders from across the country through our national office in Washington, DC.

CPL’s 50 staff and faculty across the country work every day to identify, recruit, train, coach, and mentor promising and diverse progressive leaders. Over the next three years, CPL has ambitious plans to add 2-3 new state offices, build a national training center and dorm in Washington DC, launch an intensive national fellowship program for the most promising progressive leaders in the country, expand our staff team, and train thousands of diverse progressive leaders. For more information, visit our website at www.ProgressiveLeaders.org.

Job Description
The Center for Progressive Leadership seeks an External Affairs Manager to work closely with the Vice President for External Affairs to develop national partnerships, contractual relationships and CPL’s state expansion efforts.

The External Affairs Manager’s primary responsibilities and priorities will be:

• Identifying and securing strategic partnerships with national organizations, including fee for service contracts;
• Developing and coordinating outreach efforts to select states to assess CPL program expansion feasibility.

Other responsibilities include:

• Collaborate with the National Program and State Program teams to support outreach and recruitment for core CPL programs;
• Represent CPL at meetings, conferences and trainings conducted by current and potential partners;
• Manage External Affairs team database and other contact management tools to track outreach and partnership efforts;

• Assist with External Affairs team communication efforts, including managing bi-weekly External Affairs email communications and supporting the development of organizational marketing materials;

• Collect and disseminate relevant program and outreach specific resources and materials to CPL staff, both nationally and in state offices;
• Conduct research on demographics and political landscape of states for expansion efforts.

Position Requirements:

• Candidate must have at least five (5) years of post-college professional experience, preferably within the progressive political community, including national or state-wide civic engagement, organizing or campaign experience;

• Significant understanding of the progressive grassroots and political community and solid relationships with key leaders;
• Exceptionally strong writing, oral and relationship-building communication skills;
• Experience and comfort with working with racially, culturally and politically diverse groups and individuals;
•  Shared commitment to long-term progressive leadership development.
• Willingness to travel

Additional Qualifications:

• Superb organization skills and attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal skills. Must be outgoing, enthusiastic, positive, love to interact and network with people and organizations. Maintains constructive and effective relationships.
• Ability to work independently, superior work ethic, self-motivation, and follow-through
• Experience and skills in curriculum development  and training design a plus
• Project management skills
• Knowledge of standard office software, including Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.
• Performs other duties as assigned

The Center for Progressive Leadership is an Equal Opportunity Employer. People of color, LGBT and women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Location:
This will be a full-time position based in Washington DC. Some travel is required.

Salary & Benefits:
The Center for Progressive Leadership offers competitive salaries, including benefits for all full-time employees. Salary commensurate with experience.

How to Apply:
Email a resume and cover letter in a single document, labeled with your name and “External Affairs Manager search” in the subject line to externalaffairs@progressiveleaders.org.

Applications will be accepted until November 27th, 2009 or until the position is filled.  

Due to the volume of applications, we will unfortunately not be able to acknowledge receipt of all applications. No phone calls please.