Copywriter & Project Manager

About the Leadership Institute

The Leadership Institute is where conservative leaders are made.  

The Leadership Institute (LI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to training conservatives in the arenas that impact American policy and life. The Leadership Institute offers 55 types of training schools that teach a variety of high-impact topics including campaigns, fundraising, grassroots organizing, journalism, youth politics, and communications.

Since its founding in 1979 by president Morton C. Blackwell, the Leadership Institute has trained more than 290,000 conservatives. You may know some of their names, like Lawrence Jones, Kat Timpf, Congressmen Jim Jordan and Byron Donalds, Riley Gaines, and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares -- just to name a few.

The Leadership Institute’s most ambitious effort yet is currently underway, and we need your expertise to keep up the momentum. LI’s ‘Leaders for America’ strategic plan began in 2022 with the goal of creating 70,000 strong Leaders for America in the leadup to Election Day 2024.  We’re nearly to the finish line with more than 50,009 conservatives trained. You can help us cross, or maybe even surpass, the finish line -- and save America.

The Leadership Institute is the home of several exciting projects, like LI’s new Riley Gaines Center, and LI’s well-known journalism team, CampusReform.org.

This is the most exciting time -- for our country, and for the Leadership Institute -- to join this crucial mission and make sure conservative principles endure.

About the Role

The Leadership Institute’s Donor Communications team seeks a skilled Copywriter & Project Manager to oversee and coordinate projects from beginning to end. Donor Communications is part of LI’s expanding Development department, and works with multiple teams on a variety of projects. This position reports directly to the Director of Donor Communications, who is responsible for LI’s direct mail marketing.

Direct marketing donors are the lifeblood to fund the Leadership Institute’s programs. The Donor Communications team is responsible for every aspect of direct mail marketing, from acquisition and solicitation to conversion, and cultivation. Ongoing projects include a booming prospecting program, monthly housefile letters, frequent cultivation packages -- and much more. 

As the Copywriter & Project Manager, you would be in the thick of the action and responsible for producing captivating fundraising copy, and overseeing the completion of projects, including donor newsletters, cultivation booklets, and solicitation and fundraising emails. You’d work directly with a team of talented people, like our graphic designer, to create exciting content to engage LI donors.

The Leadership Institute is in a period of massive expansion, with more donors -- and more opportunities -- than ever in its history. We have no shortage of ideas, prospective projects, and desire for excellence, but lack the capacity to execute on all our exciting plans. You would help us seize opportunities and bring our direct mail program to the next level.

We are looking for a candidate who can both write compelling fundraising copy, and spearhead assigned projects from inception to completion. The ideal candidate will have 2-3 years of experience in copywriting and editing, communications, journalism, or a related field. Previous experience in donor communications is preferred and a strong alignment with LI’s mission is imperative. This is a full time role at the Leadership Institute’s headquarters across from the Clarendon metro in Arlington, Virginia. 

Responsibilities

• Oversight of direct mail marketing projects from inception to completion.

• Writing compelling fundraising copy in adherence to the Leadership Institute’s writing guidelines, messaging, and standards of excellence.

• Collaborating with the Donor Communications’ team of talented professionals, including our senior copywriter and in-house graphic designer, to produce a variety of content for LI’s donors.

• Independently conducting research for projects. Gathering relevant information from other departments within LI, or with LI’s online database and tools.

• Working with other teams to complete projects that require fundraising copy. This looks like producing invitations for our Events team who hosts events for donors across the country, or producing a booklet about planned giving for our Legacy Giving team.

• Managing priorities, timelines, and expectations by asking for help when needed and pushing communication upward. We foster a culture of “managing up” and believe there’s no such thing as overcommunication.

• Timely updates on the status of ongoing projects.

Experience

• 2-3 years of experience in copywriting and editing, communications, journalism, or a related field. 
• Previous copywriting experience for direct mail marketing or fundraising is preferred.
• Computer fluency and experience with the Microsoft Office suite.
• Alignment with LI’s mission and principles. 
• Excellent time management and organization skills. 
• Collaborative and able to work well with others on the team as well as work independently. 
• Entrepreneurial and open to learning new things. 
• Experience with Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Acrobat Pro is helpful, but not required. 

Why work at the Leadership Institute?

By joining the LI team, not only will you serve your country and promote your principles, but you’ll also enjoy:

• Paid time off and a generous holiday schedule.
• 403(b) retirement plans and SEP-IRA.
• Health insurance:
  • 100% employer-paid HMO health insurance for employees and their family members.
  • Employer HSA or FSA contribution (and the ability to contribute your own funds to an HSA or FSA).
  • 100% employer-paid vision plan for employees and their family members.
  • 100% employer paid dental plan for employees and their family members (with optional, low-cost orthodontics coverage upgrade).
• Top-tier leadership training.
• Monthly breakfasts with conservative icons, like Congressmen Jim Jordan and Senator Ted Cruz, or authors and media contributors Mollie Hemmingway and Ben Shapiro.
• Quarterly staff outings you’ll truly enjoy, like spending the day touring one of Virginia’s beautiful historic sites.

Compensation

Salary is dependent on experience. A generous compensation package consisting of healthcare (with employer-paid premiums), retirement, and transportation benefits is available. Additionally, performance bonuses may be issued as the organizational goals are achieved.

Please indicate your desired salary range in your cover letter. We want to hire the person who is best fit for this role, and offer generous compensation commensurate with your skills. 

To Apply

Qualified candidates should submit the following application materials (in order) in one PDF document:

• Cover letter detailing your philosophical interest in the organization, why the position interests you, how your experience has prepared you for this position, and your salary requirements.
• Résumé.

Applications should be submitted to Talent Market via this link: talentmarket.org/apply-for-your-dream-job/.

Questions can be directed to Lydia Ocampo, Outreach Manager at Talent Market, who is managing the search process: [email protected].

There is no application deadline for this position. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. This job will remain posted on our site until it is filled.

While we thank all applicants in advance for their interest in this position, we are only able to contact those to whom we can offer an interview. Only direct applications will be considered. No phone calls, please.

Talent Market is a nonprofit entity dedicated to promoting liberty by helping free-market nonprofits identify talent for critical roles. We provide consulting and recruiting services at no cost to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations that clearly and directly focus on advancing the principles of economic freedom, free enterprise, free trade, free speech, property rights, rule of law, and limited regulation.