Director of Public Relations – Communications

Role Overview

• Co-develop a communications strategy, including editorial direction, with the Chief Narrative Officer and Executive Director that amplifies the organization’s brand, content, work, and staff to establish the organization as an expert, promote its thought leadership, advance impact, and support fundraising.
• Collaborate with other directors and staff to ensure that all campaigns and projects have strategic public relations and communications support, considering campaign and project goals, audience, and resources and helping to develop effective messaging.
• Manage the organization’s branding guide and ensure brand consistency in our public image and across all our work, including our print and digital presence.
• Manage relationships with all marketing and communications-related contractors and vendors and oversee their contracted work product.
• Lead the communications department, managing a growing team of staff and consultants supporting traditional media, digital media, storytelling, and creative design.
• Develop and implement systems and processes to streamline marketing and communications workflow, with protocol to test new strategies and messaging.
• Set, track, and analyze clear and measurable metrics to regularly inform strategy.
• Develop and deepen relationships with producers, editors, and journalists, especially in broadcast and streaming media, and lead on media relationships and outreach.
• Oversee traditional media functions, including drafting press releases, hosting press conferences, pitching coverage, and drafting opinion editorials.
• Monitor daily news cycle and relevant coverage to pitch follow-up pieces and ensure the organization is a part of timely public conversations.
• Prepare Executive Director for media appearances and speaking engagements.
• Oversee the organization’s digital presence, including the website, email communications, and all social media.
• Develop and implement an effective marketing funnel to increase the subscriber base, subscriber engagement, and small donor support.
• Oversee the production of all written and digital content, including copywriting and creative design.
• Oversee the ads program, including the full spend of donated Google Ads funds.

Requirements

• At least five years of professional experience developing and executing effective public relations and communications strategies with a demonstrated track record of earned media placement across print, broadcast, and streaming, including major national outlets.
• At least two years of professional experience driving social strategies and content development for Instagram, Twitter/X, BlueSky, TikTok, and YouTube, including collecting, analyzing, and reflecting performance data.
• At least two years of professional experience directly managing full-time staff and contractors.
• Proven ability to distill dense, complicated issues into clear, specific messaging — not just accessible , but precise.
• Avoids clichés and generic advocacy language in favor of concrete, evidence-grounded narratives that reflect the nuance of the work.
• Strong existing relationships — and a proven ability to build new ones — with producers, editors, and journalists at both major and niche media outlets, especially those covering social and racial justice, business or economics, and politics.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously, planning well ahead of deadlines, maintaining centralized tracking systems, proactively surfacing blockers with proposed solutions, and following through.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills, including storytelling and copyediting.
• Goal-oriented creative mind.
• Ability to leverage data and analytics to assess impact and adapt strategies.
• Experience identifying and training media spokespeople.
• Understanding of the importance of brand standards and proven ability to clearly define and implement brand guidelines.
• Experience working with the email automation platform Mailchimp or similar platforms.
• Willingness to work outside normal office hours as needed in timely media cycles.
• Working understanding of criminal justice, the prison industry, and/or the finance industry, and strong interest in learning more.
• Experience in criminal justice is strongly preferred.

Benefits

• Healthcare: Full medical, vision, and dental coverage.
• Flex spending account for healthcare.
• Paid Time Off: 20 days of vacation time, 10 days of personal/sick leave, 3 days bereavement leave, federal holidays, and winter break.
• Professional Development: Personal budget for professional development.
• Wellness Stipend: Monthly stipend for personal wellness expenses.
• Other: $75 monthly contribution to your phone bill.
• Flex spending account for transportation.