Director of Communications

Reporting to: Deputy Executive Director
Manages: Deputy Communications Director, Digital Advisor, Communications Officer, and external consultants
Contract type: Permanent contract
Working hours: This is a full-time role, candidates should be available to work TfG's core hours of 9am to 1pm EST
Candidate level: Director

BACKGROUND

Together for Girls (TfG) seeks an accomplished Director of Communications to join our rapidly expanding and mission-driven organization.

Together for Girls works in over 20 countries around the world and combines state-of-the-art data with powerful advocacy to end violence against children and adolescents, especially sexual violence.

We are a nimble yet highly impactful team that continues to grow and evolve. We work with a broad range of organizations, researchers, and advocates to drive change.

In 2022, Together for Girls launched and continues to host the Brave Movement, a survivor-led global advocacy movement to end childhood sexual violence.

PURPOSE OF ROLE

The Director of Communications leads the Together for Girls global communications and public relations strategy and manages an experienced communications team. This includes honing a comprehensive, cross-channel communications strategy, managing the overall Together for Girls brand, leading external relations, and navigating complex external organizational structures and partnerships. It also entails building and maintaining communications partnerships, providing editorial direction and thought leadership, directing high-level events, and overseeing the creation and dissemination of various collateral for key audiences.

This position reports to the Deputy Executive Director and manages the Deputy Communications Director, Digital Advisor, Communications Officer, and external consultants.

PRIMARY

Strategic vision

• Provides an overall strategic vision for TfG communications and a range of public relations activities, including implementing a comprehensive cross-channel communications strategy and translating it into a prioritized work plan.
• Works across TfG teams to promote TfG initiatives, including research, programs, publications, and campaigns. Serves as primary decision-maker for communications priorities.

People management

• Manages, mentors, and coaches communications staff and supports their professional development.
• Liaises with and represents the communications team priorities with the TfG leadership team.
• Manages communications-specific budgets and tracks deliverables.
• Serves as the primary communications point of contact for external relationships, including TfG partners, funders, allied organizations, consultants, and vendors.
• Works with the TfG team in prospecting and cultivating strategic opportunities and partnerships, including funding opportunities, and provides inputs in grant proposals and reports.

Media relations

• Works with the communications staff to engage in media outreach and identify, draft, and place thought leadership pieces.
• Represents TfG at appropriate public forums, including events, working groups, etc., and responds to communications-related inquiries from the public as necessary.

Messaging and content creation and dissemination

• Develops and maintains positioning and consistent messaging across channels in collaboration with other communications team members.
• Provides editorial oversight on TfG collateral (i.e. website, newsletters, fact sheets, etc.) and develops dissemination strategies to ensure content reaches key audiences.
• Liaises with the Digital Communications Advisor to provide guidance and support on the Together for Girls digital strategy to stay current and ensure we are reaching our global audiences.

Campaigns

• Oversees strategy for and execution of other high-quality advocacy and/or fundraising campaigns as opportunities arise, typically around key moments such as International Day of the Girl, the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, International Youth Day, etc.
• Supports Brave Movement and Keep Kids Safe advocacy and appoints or serves communications working groups.

Events

• Directs or contributes to high-level events (both virtual and in-person) around key moments and identifies ongoing engagement and speaking opportunities for TfG staff.

Analytics & reporting

• Works with the Digital Advisor to regularly review and analyze metrics across all digital channels and identify opportunities to advance the overall communications strategy.

PROFILE

Required

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, media, communications, public policy, international relations, or a related field, and 10 years of professional experience in communications, journalism, media, or public relations, OR an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Superior interpersonal skills and willingness to work in a highly collaborative team environment.
• Strong management skills, including at least 5 years of experience in a management role– with a proven ability to hire, lead and motivate staff, consultants, and agencies to do their best work.
• Strong project management skills and the ability to work virtually in a complex, fast-paced environment.
• Excellent writing, influencing, and presentation skills.
• Existing diverse and extensive portfolio of media contacts, with a proven track record of building and fostering new media partnerships.
• Must be deadline- and detail-oriented, as well as a team player and a problem solver.

Desired

• Master’s degree in journalism, communications, public policy, or international relations.
• 10+ years of experience in creative communications strategies development, media relations, social media, digital marketing, public relations, and events management.
• Knowledge of international development, and experience traveling and working in developing countries is strongly preferred.
• Proven record as a media strategist and builder of targeted audiences.
• Strong knowledge of digital media and audience analytics.
• Knowledge of international development, global health, violence, and gender issues.
• Language proficiency in Spanish, French and/or Swahili is a plus but not required.
• Experience with crisis communications and the ability to respond quickly and effectively to real time media opportunities.

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND

Violence against children and adolescents is a prevalent and devastating global crisis. Sexual violence is a notable taboo, and often hidden, form of violence. Across the globe, between 4-35% of girls and 1-21% of boys experience sexual violence before their 18th birthday. Childhood sexual violence takes on many forms and it can happen to anyone.

We envision a world where every child and adolescent is safe, protected, and thriving. Decades of research show how effective solutions can prevent sexual violence, with policies and programs to ensure survivors access healing and justice.

Together for Girls was created to work across sectors with a comprehensive and holistic approach to preventing and responding to violence. We understand that a multi-faceted problem like violence requires multi-sectoral, radically collaborative solutions. Our partners include survivor activists, civil society, national governments, United Nations entities, and the world’s foremost leaders in global health, gender equity, development, and violence prevention and response.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Location & ways of working

This position is a full-time position that can be based in Washington D.C., New York, London, Brussels, The Hague, Nairobi or Addis Ababa. Applicants should have work authorization for their preferred location, and be available to work the core hours of 9am to 1pm EST.

This is currently a remote position with the expectation to travel to attend some in-person meetings periodically. This position will also require travel up to 25%.

Compensation

This role offers a competitive salary adjusted to the cost of labor in the city where the candidate resides, for example, the annual salary for the position for a candidate based in Washington, D.C. will be between $104,000-$130,000. Final salary within this location adjusted range will also be determined by the candidate’s qualifications and years and type of experience.

Culture and values

Together for Girls seeks to create a courageous, inclusive, and flexible culture that empowers our staff to have the capacity and ability to deliver change. We strive to build and maintain psychological safety, trust, and accountability among team members in order to foster honesty and openness about our needs and challenges while also prioritizing self-care.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send a letter of application stating the skills and approach that you would bring to the post with your CV/resume (no photos) in strict confidence by email only to: Karem Armstrong at Karem@darylupsall.com

Please ensure they are sent with the titles “your name cover letter” and “your name CV” Please put “TfG_Director of Communications” in the email subject line.

The deadline for application is April 16, 2023.

View the PDF of this Director of Communications job description.

Together for Girls, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and committed to maintaining an inclusive and diverse working environment free from discrimination and harassment. Qualified applicants from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Together for Girls, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the U.S.