Director, Executive Communications

Summary

Join KIPP Foundation as the Director of Executive Communications and lead compelling communications to rally teammates, families, and stakeholders. Centralize CEO engagements, integrate cross-organizational communications, and establish infrastructure for executive communications operations. Craft speeches, talking points, and social media content, while maintaining a content library. Maximize the CEO's efficacy by leading preparation, providing support, and conducting post-engagement debriefs. This role requires 7-8 years of progressive experience in strategic communications and executive communications, including experience advising C-suite executives. The position offers a competitive salary ($120,000-$145,000), remote work options, and a comprehensive benefits package.

Requirements

• Achievement & Outcomes Orientation: Determine what quantitative and qualitative data are most relevant to deliver compelling communications and supports the team in creating and monitoring systems for collecting, reviewing, and acting upon data to drive outcomes. Demonstrate ability to monitor progress, communicate status to the right stakeholders, and adjust plans and use of time to ensure systems are yielding desired outcomes
• Communications: Demonstrate excellent capacity to write, prioritizing concision, clarity, data synthesis, and storytelling. Able to review complex data sets (quantitative and quality) and create a compelling narrative that synthesizes that data and highlights illustrative anecdotes to drive organization-wide priorities
• Partnership and Alliance-Building: Lead successful collaboration across functions and evolves/adapts plans to get strong results. Has the interpersonal, diplomatic, relationships building and communication skills to connect and compel teammates across different functions to collaborate effectively toward shared goals
• Change Management & Communications: Effectively articulate case for change through clear and compelling presentations and translates this into actional plans. Effectively tailor communications and engagement approach for different audiences to deepen investment and drive actions and behavior change that would lead to organization-wide goals. Acts as a champion for change with cross-team stakeholders
• Executive Level Support: Demonstrate ability to advise CEO, offering guidance on tone, presence, delivery, and message discipline. Demonstrate skills in preparing executives for media interviews, public speaking, and high-visibility engagements. Show ability to deliver feedback with clarity and discretion to enhance performance and alignment. Bring a strategic lens to CEO preparation, ensuring leaders are equipped to communicate with influence, authenticity, and impact
• 7-8 years of progressive experience in strategic communications, media relations, and executive communications
• At least 5 years in a similar role
• Experience working directly with or advising C-suite executives
• Demonstrated record of setting ambitious goals and achieving them with consistency
• Proven track record of navigating high-stakes communications, including crisis management and public positioning

Responsibilities

• Centralize CEO Engagements: Serve as the CEO’s one-stop hub for all internal and external engagement planning, ensuring clear goals, strong alignment, and logistical readiness
• Cross-Org Communications Integration: Coordinate with Development, Media Relations, and Internal Comms to align messaging, eliminate silos, and ensure message coherence across functions
• Establish Infrastructure: Build sustainable systems and routines to support executive communications operations, content sharing, and narrative alignment across the organization
• Conduct Across Functions: Coordinate with Regions, Program teams, Development, Media Relations, and Marcomms to ensure message communications consistency and to effectively execute the CEO’s vision
• Plan and Prioritize Engagements: Identify high impact speaking opportunities and conferences, tracking past effectiveness (e.g., donor engagement, media reach) to inform future priorities; in coordination with the Manager of Executive Administration, ensure seamless arrangements for specific travel needs for conferences and development pitches
• Proactive Story Finder: Take an entrepreneurial approach to source, validate, and synthesize compelling stories from network data and through working with regions, program teams, and our data & analytic teams.  Operate with an owner’s mindset to effectively execute the CEO’s communications vision
• Network-wide CEO Communications: Write and edit monthly network-wide communications that are clear, compelling, and concise to show progress on priorities and build momentum around an aligned 2030 strategy. Ensure communications are written appropriately for critical stakeholders, such as university presidents, congressional leaders, and other key partners
• High Stakes Content Creation: Crafting speeches, talking points, public statements, and brand-aligned decks that reflect the CEO’s voice and advance strategic goals. Prepare high quality note cards and coach CEO for speaking engagements (e.g., panels, ED convenings, donor briefings)
• Thought Leadership Writing: Write and edit CEO social media and opinion content, coordinating with Senior Director of Media and External relations to shape narrative and secure placements
• Maintain a Content Library: Partner with Marcomms to curate a centralized library of talking points, bios, and strategic materials to support rapid deployment and consistency
• Point of Contact for CEO Comms: Serve as point of contact for all communications from the Office of the CEO—responding to internal inquiries, external requests, and partnering with Marcomms on media outreach; triage critical communication needs and recommendations to Chief of Staff of the CEO
• Lead Prep and Support: Own the CEO’s readiness for all key appearances—providing strategic briefings, speech materials, and delivery support
• Executive Presence Support: Advise the CEO on tone, pacing, storytelling, and audience connection to strengthen delivery and impact
• Mock Interviews and Message Delivery: Prepare the CEO for tough questions and help him stay aligned with message priorities during public or political conversations
• Post-Engagement Debriefs: Evaluate speech or media performance and refine approach for future engagements

Benefits

• 25 holidays for + 18 days additional flexible PTO days (flexible PTO increases to 23 days for years 3 and 4 and to 28 days for years 5+)
• 100% paid parental leave
• 100% coverage of the premium for employee and 75% for employee + family medical/dental/vision plans
• Wellness benefits such as fitness reimbursements, discounted tickets to theme parks/attractions, backup care support for children and adults/elders, and our employee assistance program
• Finance Security benefits include such as a 401K retirement plan with 4% match, employer-sponsored legal plans, life/disability insurance, and flexible spending accounts