Director, Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative

About the Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative

The Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative, housed within the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, works to advance resilience as a core tenet of US and allied national security policy and practice. The Initiative examines the sources of, and develops strategies for, enhancing individual, societal, and global resilience to help the United States and its allies and partners better prepare for, navigate, and adapt to an increasingly complex global threat environment. The Initiative examines key policy domains integral to national security resilience, such as individual and psychological resilience, homeland security, critical infrastructure resilience, societal readiness for crisis, and more. The Initiative serves to directly advance the Scowcroft Center’s core mission by developing sustainable, nonpartisan strategies to address the most important security challenges facing the United States and its allies and partners.

About the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

The Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security works to develop sustainable, nonpartisan strategies to address the most important security challenges and opportunities facing the United States and the world.  The Center honors General Brent Scowcroft’s legacy of service and embodies his ethos of nonpartisan commitment to the cause of security, support for U.S. leadership in cooperation with allies and partners, and dedication to the mentorship of the next generation of leaders.

Overview of the Role

The Atlantic Council seeks an innovative, collaborative, and proactive global strategic thinker with a track record of shaping the public debate and influencing US and allied national security resilience policy to serve as Director of the Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative, reporting to the Vice President and Senior Director of the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. The successful candidate will be an organized, operationally savvy, experienced thought leader and manager, who will develop and oversee the Initiative’s annual strategy and budget; expand the Initiative’s business development and fundraising opportunities, including through cultivating new partnerships and managing existing donor relationships; produce innovative and path-breaking thought leadership on US and allied resilience issues, and lead and mentor a small team of staff to successfully execute the Initiative’s mission.

A proven track record of project management is required, and having strong networks among national security resilience-oriented policymakers and stakeholders, including across the interdisciplinary sectors noted above, in Washington and beyond would be an advantage.

The position is based in our Washington, DC headquarters requiring 4 days per week in office. The Atlantic Council offers a competitive compensation package commensurate with experience, education, and organizational equity, with an annual salary range of $150,000 to $200,000. Applications submitted by October 13, 2025, will be prioritized for consideration.

Job Responsibilities 

The Director will be specifically responsible for: 

• Intellectual Leadership. Play a leading role in developing the intellectual content and policy frameworks that centrally advance the Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative’s mission. Advance resilience programming through written work, events, and speaking opportunities within and outside the Council. Develop selected issues on which the director maintains a profile and is respected in the policy community for their thought leadership.
• Programmatic Design and Oversight. Spearhead the design, development, and implementation of annual strategy and budget plans for the Initiative aimed at influencing policy and impacting the public debate on US and allied national security resilience in a changing world. Advance this mission through public and private events, establishing task forces, and other innovative engag