Communications Manager

Rooted in the guiding principles of President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush, the George W. Bush Presidential Center engages communities in the United States and around the world by cultivating leaders and advancing policies to solve today’s most pressing challenges. The Bush Center is home to the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, which is operated by the National Archives and Records Administration, and the George W. Bush Institute, the non-partisan, public-policy arm of the Bush Center. The Bush Center is located on the campus of SMU in Dallas, Texas, and also includes a 15-acre park, a full-service restaurant, Café 43, and a museum store.

Housed within the George W. Bush Presidential Center, the George W. Bush Institute is an action-oriented, nonpartisan policy organization with the mission of cultivating leaders and advancing policies to solve today’s most pressing challenges. It raises current and thought-provoking issues and builds programs to address the challenges facing our nation and our world. The work of the Bush Institute is inspired by the principles that guided the Bushes in public life: education is the foundation of a successful life; freedom is a universal human desire; free enterprise is the engine of economic prosperity; and every human life is precious.

Essential Responsibilities

The Manager of Communications will be responsible for the management and implementation of communications strategies and activities for an assigned portfolio in relation to the Bush Institute. The specific responsibilities include, but may not be limited to:

Policy Communication

Develop, implement, and evaluate audience-centric communications plans for the Bush Institute’s policy work.

Pitch Bush Institute-related stories to local, national and international media.

Serve as an integrated member of the policy team, attend policy meetings, and actively engage in policy activities to discover compelling issues and stories to be crafted for external audiences.

Leverage communications expertise to communicate heady policy work to policy and general audiences.

Maintain content expertise around designated policy areas, and translate that policy work into external facing communications across multiple platforms to convey the work of the Bush Institute to audiences in a compelling way.

Write opinion editorials, press releases, blog posts, and other content materials on designated policy areas.

Media Relations

Help direct outside agencies and resources in the successful completion of assigned projects.

Build and maintain a network of influencers (media, policy makers, researchers) and maintain engagement with these influencers regarding the Bush Institute’s Policy work.

Demonstrate and deliver proficient media relations skills, including traditional and digital media outreach, to maximize awareness opportunities for the Bush Institute.

Complete other duties and special projects as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

The qualified candidate will possess (a):

Bachelor’s degree.

Minimum of five years related professional experience.

Superior written and verbal communication skills.

Commitment to the mission and vision of the Bush Center.

Additionally, the qualified candidate will:

Be a smart, energetic, self-starter and team player.

Possess experience in communicating policy work to a diverse audience.

Demonstrate the ability to be a strategic thinker and creative marketer.

Retain the ability to work on cross-functional teams in both leadership and member roles.

Operate as a calculated risk taker.

Evidence an exceptionally strong attention to detail.

Be able to maintain regular, dependable attendance at the office.

Engage with a make-it happen spirit, collaborative style and possess the ability to thrive in a team-based environment.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit stationary at a desk and use computer equipment.