Managing Director, Strategy Implementation (Job ID: 2025-3756)

Overview

Join one of the most influential, most quoted and most trusted think tanks!  

The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. Our mission is to conduct in-depth research that leads to new ideas for solving problems facing society at the local, national and global level.  

  

We bring together leading experts in government and academia from all over the world, rooted in open-minded inquiry and representing diverse points of view, who provide the highest quality research, policy recommendations, and analysis. Research topics cover a full range of public policy issues in economics, foreign policy, development, governance and metropolitan policy. 

  

With fair and transparent business practices, clear communication, mutual respect, and a collaborative atmosphere that offers both professional and personal development opportunities, Brookings offers an inclusive and welcoming workplace that values the efforts of all contributors. 

 

The Executive Office (EO) moves the Brookings mission forward by supporting and guiding the research programs, external affairs, and business operations of the Institution.  The EO consists of the President’s office and the President's support team and aims to communicate regularly and transparently with Brookings staff about what’s happening at the institutional level.

 

Position Location: This position is hybrid. Hybrid positions combine regular in-person presence at our Washington, DC office with the option of two days of remote work each week.

Responsibilities

Ready to contribute to Brookings success? 

 

The Managing Director, Strategy Implementation is responsible for designing and leading a high-performing organizational function that accelerates strategic execution and transformation excellence across the Institution. This position will shape a scalable, future-ready framework that strengthens organizational resilience, enhances performance, and fosters adoption of new ways of working to achieve the goals outlined in Brookings’ multiyear strategic plan. The role provides clarity, structure, and support in navigating complex change, translating cultural and behavioral dimensions of transformation—such as mindset, adaptability, and collaboration—into measurable and sustainable practices.

 

This is a three-year term appointment.

 

Strategy Implementation Planning

• Develops and leads the implementation of the organization’s strategic plan across all research programs and business units.

• Engages the Brookings community to translate strategic goals into actionable workstreams, milestones, and measurable outcomes.

• Establishes and operationalizes a governance model to track progress, escalate issues, and support decision-making.

• Ensures alignment between strategic initiatives, budgets, and resource allocation.

Performance Management & Measurement

• Develops and manages dashboards, performance indicators, and reporting processes to measure progress toward strategic objectives.

• Identifies risks, dependencies, and barriers to implementation, and proactively recommends corrective actions.

• Facilitates regular strategic reviews with executive leadership and stakeholders.

Change Leadership & Communication

• Manages an in-house implementation team and assesses the need for, sources, and manages consultants, as needed.

• Drives cross-functional engagement to foster ownership, accountability, and collaboration.

• Supports stakeholder engagement, communication, and change management best practices to ensure organization-wide understanding and adoption of the strategic plan.

• Builds confidence and alignment through transparent communication, storytelling, and shared success metrics.

• Equips leaders with tools, templates, and processes to manage strategic execution within their areas.

Capability Building & Sustainability

• Builds internal capacity for challenge identification and prioritization, change management, evaluation, and continuous improvement.

• Coaches change leaders and teams on outcome-based thinking, and organization alignment.

• Develops documentation, playbooks, and frameworks to ensure continuity and momentum throughout the strategic implementation timeline.

Strategic Advisory & Collaboration

• Serves as a trusted strategic advisor to the Vice President, Chief of Staff and the broader Executive Leadership Team (ELT) on transformation priorities and readiness.

• Cult