Senior Communications Officer, Strategic Communications

• Own the application of brand positioning, messaging, and guidelines across teams, channels, and partnership communications.
• Develop and maintain messaging and narrative frameworks that make complex research, funding decisions, and organizational ideas accessible without compromising accuracy, rigor, or transparency about uncertainty.
• Translate complex and technical subject matter into clear, relevant messages tailored to priority audiences.
• Partner with fundraising teams on donor communications strategy and lead donor-facing communications requiring new or customized messaging.
• Lead complex, cross-functional communications initiatives, including major partnership campaigns and high-priority projects involving external partners and funded organizations.
• Serve as a strategic communications advisor to senior leaders and teams, providing clear recommendations on audiences, framing, opportunities, risks, and timing.
• Lead internal assessment of emerging issues that may affect the organization and develop appropriate positioning and messaging in collaboration with relevant teams.
• Partner with media and public affairs colleagues on issues requiring coordinated external communications and risk management.
• Own the strategic direction and institutional messaging for the organization’s website while collaborating with communications colleagues on execution.
• Develop and oversee the internal communications strategy and major internal communications initiatives to help a growing organization remain informed and aligned.
• Set the strategy, systems, processes, and priorities for the strategic communications function.
• Manage and develop one or two team members initially while determining how the team’s capabilities, structure, and resources should evolve over time.
• Hire, coach, and develop communications professionals while maintaining high standards for quality, precision, and effectiveness.
• Personally own the most complex and consequential communications work and remain hands-on in the development and production of high-impact communications.
• Collaborate with other communications leaders to establish shared priorities, coordinate major initiatives, and strengthen organization-wide communications.

Requirements

• 10+ years of significant experience developing institutional narratives and messaging, advising senior leaders, communicating complex or technical material, and leading cross-functional communications initiatives.
• Demonstrated end-to-end ownership of communications functions or major strategic communications work, rather than primarily serving as a contributor or advisor.
• Proven experience building or substantially rebuilding a communications team, function, or capability, including hiring, developing, and managing people.
• Recent hands-on excellence in communications, with examples of work personally produced or substantially shaped within the past few years.
• Exceptional communications judgment, including the ability to assess audience, context, risk, timing, and the underlying substance of a message.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to make complex ideas clear, compelling, factual, and appropriately nuanced.
• Strong ability to develop direct, engaging communications that succeed through substance and clarity rather than exaggeration or embellishment.
• Demonstrated ability to understand complex research, data, and technical subject matter and communicate it accurately.
• Experience advising executives and senior decision-makers directly on communications strategy, positioning, messaging, and risk.
• Experience with organizational positioning, brand strategy, donor communications, web strategy, and internal communications is desirable, though extensive experience in every area is not required.
• Strong intellectual curiosity and the ability to rapidly develop expertise in unfamiliar subject areas.
• Ability to establish a strong point of view while remaining open to challenge, new information, and better ideas.
• Self-directed and proactive approach, with the ability to create structure, establish priorities, and make thoughtful decisions in an evolving environment.
• Strong anticipatory skills, including the ability to identify communications opportunities, risks, bottlenecks, and needs before they become obvious.
• Collaborative leadership style with the ability to build strong relationships, resolve disagreements, manage dependencies, and improve the quality of work across teams.
• Strong alignment with mission-driven values centered on truth-seeking, transparency, accuracy, and thoughtful communication.
• Ability to work with substantial autonomy and make consequential decisions with limited oversight.
• Willingness to remain hands-on and personally accountable for communications outcomes while leading a small and growing team.

Benefits

• Annual compensation of $250,000 for candidates based in New York City or the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Annual compensation of $225,000 for candidates based in other U.S. locations.
• Potential consideration for an exceptional candidate at the Communications Director level, with greater responsibilities and compensation.
• Primarily remote work within the United States, with international employment considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Flexible working arrangements, including flexible hours, remote work, and optional office-based work.
• Optional access to offices in Oakland, California, and Brooklyn, New York City.
• Visa sponsorship may be available for U.S.-based candidates who require a work visa, subject to government requirements and eligibility.
• Potential relocation support of up to 100% of relocation expenses on a case-by-case basis.
• Fully funded health, dental, vision, and life insurance for U.S.-based employees and eligible dependents.
• Four weeks of paid time off per year.
• 16 weeks of fully paid parental leave.
• Ergonomic home workstation support or coworking space memberships.
• 403(b) retirement plan.
• Opportunity to build and lead an emerging strategic communications function with significant organizational impact.
• Regular collaboration with senior leadership and other communications leaders.
• Three week-long team retreats each year, with additional domestic or international travel possible but not expected to be a regular part of the role.
• Flexibility around travel obligations for employees with family or other personal commitments.
• Opportunity to work in a mission-driven environment focused on maximizing positive impact through rigorous research, transparency, and effective allocation of resources.
• Flexible start-date arrangements for candidates who need a moderate delay due to personal or professional circumstances.