Project Director at the Heartland Institute

From the desk of Matthew Glans Legislative Specialist mglans@heartland.org

Please note that this job is NOT finance related but, as it will be reporting to the director of Heartland's finance project, Eli Lehrer, we thought you might be interested in seeing it. Dear Friends, The Heartland Institute, a national think tank with offices in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Tallahassee, Florida and Austin, Texas wants to hire a top-notch project director to run an exciting new Washington, D.C.-based venture devoted to modernizing the nation’s system of pharmaceutical and medical device regulation. The project director will work to build a broad-based coalition devoted to the creation of a “two track” pharmaceutical approval system as a safe, modern alternative to the Food and Drug Administration. He or she should have at least two years of hands-on experience in the national legislative process either as a staffer or hands-on participant in legislative outreach, a network of contacts amongst Congressional staff, and familiarity with the nation’s current system of drug regulation. Contacts with patient, healthcare consumer, pharmaceutical, and other related groups are a significant plus. Ideal candidates should also have a good sense of humor, willingness to work long hours, enormous energy, and the ability to follow sometimes vague instructions. Candidates should investigate our Free to Choose Medicine website at  http://www.heartland.org/FTCM/index.html and form opinions (positive ones, if you want the job) about the agenda Heartland hopes to educate people in Congress about. A typical day on the job will involve meetings with Congressional staff, FDA staff, patient’s rights organizations staff and leaders and people with other advocacy groups in town who might be persuaded to share our goal. The work will also include regular communication with Heartland staff in Washington and Chicago about progress of proposed legislation, and work with Congressional leadership to incorporate our ideas into their health care reform proposal. Heartland is typically classified as a libertarian think tank. That said, this position focuses on a reasonably narrow spectrum of issues which have appeal on both sides of the aisle. There’s no need that applicants agree with everyone that everyone at Heartland has ever said or written. As such, we welcome and encourage Democrats, Republicans, Independents and others to apply. (Our staff already includes all of the above.) Needless to say, we don’t discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, taste in music, or anything else that’s illegal, immoral, or stupid to use as a basis for hiring. The position includes a desk at our really cool DuPont circle office (a former art gallery) but, as it’s a contract position, anyone we hire will be able to set his or her own hours. Pay is commensurate with experience but will represent a raise for the overwhelming majority of people currently working on the Hill. An initial contract will last for six months and someone who demonstrates success can expect a renewal and increased compensation. To apply, please send a resume, a cover letter, and a writing sample to jbuggs@heartland.org. A cover letter should just include any information that isn’t in your resume, information about when you might be available and a few sentences about a television show or film that you particularly enjoy. Best, Matthew Glans Midwest Director Center on Finance, Insurance and Real Estate The Heartland Institute