Institute for Humane Studies

Compensation

Full Description

Disclaimer: Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time. Remote positions at the Institute for Humane Studies (IHS) require travel to our Arlington, VA office for two in-person team gatherings each year. Job Summary: The Director of Digital Content leads IHS’s digital presence across platforms and sub-brands, growing digital engagement, and ensuring all efforts align with institutional priorities and voice. Reporting to the Senior Director of Marketing, this individual owns the strategy, execution, and content-driven performance optimizations of the Institute’s social media and digital marketing efforts – serving as a key voice in how the public, scholars, and supporters experience the IHS brand and its sub-brands. Supervisory Responsibilities: Will include 1-3 direct reports at a later date (target timeframe: 12-18 months). Duties & Responsibilities: Lead and execute IHS’s social media and digital marketing strategy across all major platforms to increase awareness, engagement, and alignment with mission and voice. This includes SEO, content marketing, and social campaigns. Own brand voice and consistency across all digital content, upholding tone, identity, and messaging standards. Manage daily operations of social channels: plan, draft, design, schedule, post, and engage, tailoring content per platform using tools like Canva, Buffer, and Meta Business Suite. Oversee IHS and its sub-brands’ social media presence, monitor IHS Google Grant in consultation with vendors, to boost visibility, drive conversions, and recruit participants. Drive content strategy and creation for IHS executive positioning on social media. Ensure website alignment with campaign goals via front-end edits and SEO-informed updates (primarily through WordPress). Create, curate, and maintain a high-quality evergreen digital content library to support consistent and effective output. Produce high quality shortform content, both written and video, across both IHS and various sub-brands to be disseminated to online audiences. Coordinate with internal teams to align social media efforts with communications, programmatic, and development priorities, and support real-time and post-event coverage of key IHS events through live content, video clips, recaps, and graphics. Up to 10% travel required. Collaborate with freelance creatives (designers, editors, vendors) to supplement and scale content production. Support crisis communications by monitoring sentiment, coordinating messaging, and executing timely responses. Experiment with formats and strategies (e.g., video, polls, carousels) to keep content engaging and audience-focused and monitor trends and platform updates to inform content strategy and optimize audience engagement. Prepare to recruit and manage a small team as department needs grow; oversee workflows and ensure marketing deliverables align with organizational priorities. Stay current on best practices in digital marketing and social media to refine strategy and execution. Required Skills & Qualifications: Understanding and commitment to classical liberal values and the IHS mission. 4+ years leading social and digital marketing with proven audience growth and engagement. Background in nonprofit, academic, or mission-driven environments preferred. Project-management excellence; strong cross-departmental collaboration; and proven success in leading teams, individuals, and high-impact projects. Demonstrated experience mentoring and developing staff. Strong writing/editing skills; can tailor voice and tone per platform and brand. Full-cycle campaign experience – organic and paid (Meta Ads Manager, LinkedIn Ads, Google Ads/Grant); HotJar and Google Ads/Analytics 4, highly preferred. Proficiency with scheduling tools, Canva, WordPress, and basic SEO/front-end CMS work; HTML/CSS basics preferred. Salary: Up to $100,000 annually, commensurate with experience. To apply, qualified candidates must submit the following materials: Resume Cover letter detailing your interest in this position and why the IHS mission resonates with you. Portfolio/Writing samples EEO Statement: We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. About IHS: The Institute for Humane Studies (IHS) is a think network advancing the principles and practices of freedom in the academy, public policy, and civil society. Founded in 1961, IHS believes that the liberal tradition has yielded unprecedented freedom and human flourishing. And in this moment, when the forces of illiberalism on both the left and right are gaining ground at an alarming pace, our vision is to spark a new spirit of liberal freedom. Our Work: Cultivating a pool of intellectual talent for partners in policy, civil society, philanthropy, and the academy through $1.5 million in fellowship and career development programs. Catalyzing scholarship and academic networks to strengthen the fields of foundational and applied research that matter most to a free society. Equipping freedom-focused research centers, think tanks, foundations, and civil society organizations with the research and experts they need to maximize their impact in policy and in communities across the country. IHS Benefits: We have a flexible, professional, open office environment that encourages innovation and entrepreneurship and provides substantial opportunity for professional growth. Salary is competitive and will be commensurate with experience. IHS provides exceptional benefits to all employees, including health and dental insurance coverage (which includes paying 100% of the health and dental insurance premium for individuals), health savings accounts, long-term disability and life insurance, a 403(b) retirement savings program, a parking permit and 12 free tuition credit hours annually atGeorge Mason University.