Position Summary
The Director of Communications is responsible for developing and implementing NCJW’s communication strategy, including a broad range of communication activities relative to the strategic direction and positioning of the organization, as well as the larger issue areas in which we work. The Director is responsible for the success of NCJW’s communications department, supervises a team of digital and communications professionals (as well as relevant consultants and vendors) and serves as the communications expert on the leadership team.
The Director of Communications leads a team of four, (1) Associate Director, (2) Managers, and (1) Associate, and manages a department budget. For the first year, this role will report to the Chief Executive Officer. Starting the following year, this role will report to the Chief Policy Officer.
Responsibilities and Duties
Strategy:
- Drive the organization forward through informed strategy and deeply collaborative work.
- Create large-scale communications plans and strategies with the lens of the audiences always in mind.
- Translate institutional priorities to audience-focused core messaging and talking points.
- Partner with NCJW departments to understand upcoming priorities and initiatives and provide strategic direction to help the organization effectively communicate to the community.
- Build and execute on strategic and project-level communication plans that support NCJW’s strategic priorities, and vision.
- Use qualitative and quantitative results to measure communication quality, engagement, and satisfaction, and use data to inform future actions.
Press:
- Drive the creation and evolution of NCJW’s media messaging strategy. Find stories and angles that meet current trending issues of national importance.
- Create ambitious press coverage goals and clear plans to achieve them.
- Oversee press relations, creating clear goals and expectations for each member of the NCJW team around responding (or not responding) to press.
- Assign press relationship management and implementation of strategies and tactics to the Communications team members and coach them on achieving those goals.
Operations:
- Develop and manage communications budget and approve spending; obtain and manage team resources.
- Own and manage contractor/vendor relationships
Administrative:
- Set department strategy, adjust as needed
- Develop, motivate, and lead team; set team goals and evaluate performance
- Own and manage department budget; provide input on NCJW, Inc. Budget
- Own partner organization relationships, as appropriate for communications.
- Engage board members and lead board committees
- Ensure alignment of projects within the department and across the organization.
- Other duties as assigned
Preferences:
- 7+ years preferred of experience working directly with senior-level executives to develop and drive engagement and impact through strategic communications to a wide range of internal and external stakeholders
- 5+ years preferred of experience developing talent
- 5+ years preferred of managing a complex budget
- DC based professional strongly preferred
Requirements:
- Demonstrated experience in creating, directing and managing content for various multimedia platforms, including website, social media, print, newsletter and email.
- 3+ years required of experience working directly with senior-level executives to develop and drive engagement and impact through strategic communications to a wide range of internal and external stakeholders
- 3+ years required of experience developing talent
- 2+ years required of managing a complex budget
- Detail-oriented and organized.
- Ability to manage time and priorities with competing responsibilities and multiple stakeholders.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Must be very comfortable with public speaking and being in front of large rooms of people.
- Well-developed public relations skills to respond to situations with political appropriateness and sensitivity
- Ability and willingness to step in when necessary and create NCJW content, including email content, op-eds, press releases, and speeches.
- Up to date COVID vaccinations, as defined by CDC
Compensation and Benefits:
Salary Range: $110,000 - $150,000
Paid Federal and Jewish Holidays.
Comprehensive benefits package includes retirement, paid leave, health insurance, paid vacation time, hybrid work model, dental, vision, sick time, disability insurance, professional development, life insurance, flexible spening account, trans health, transit benefits, short-term disability insurance, long-term disability insurance, and abortion procedure funding.
NCJW is an Equal Opportunity Employer:
At National Council of Jewish Women, we are committed to creating a culture of inclusion and accountability. We honor the wisdom, insights, perspectives, and experiences of diverse viewpoints, and recognize that many critical voices have been underrepresented in Jewish organizational life and nonprofit organizations as a whole for too long. We welcome applications from people of diverse religious, spiritual, and cultural backgrounds.
We are an equal opportunity employer and recruit, hire, train, promote, compensate, and administer all personnel actions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, culture, age, creed, disability, ancestry, medical condition, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship status, or any other protected status.