Communications Director (Economic Policy)

Organization

Stand Together

Location

Arlington, VA

Job Description

Stand Together is a philanthropic community that helps America’s boldest changemakers tackle the root causes of our country’s biggest problems, from education to the economy, broken communities, and toxic division, among dozens of other pressing issues. We provide our partners with access to resources including funding, thought leadership, a network of peers, and a playbook for applying proven principles to transform lives and society. 
The Communications Director, Economic Policy leads the development and implementation of earned media communication strategies across Stand Together’s economic portfolio. The candidate will oversee highly complex, integrated communication initiatives with a focus on driving economic prosperity through limited government principles that promote bottom-up innovation. A strong candidate will bring a bias for action and thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment that requires sound decision-making, strategic thinking, and an ability to adapt quickly to take advantage of both short and long-term opportunities.  

How You Will Contribute

  • Concept, execute, and measure communication strategies with a special focus on policy solutions that embrace limited government principles and bottom-up empowerment to drive economic growth and prosperity 
  • Turn complex policy into sharp, relatable messages and narratives that resonate with audiences and media across preferred channels. 
  • Craft key messages, press releases, statements, and other communications materials necessary to best position the organization; manage message development and review with Stand Together’s content capability and agency partners where appropriate 
  • Work cross-functionally to ensure messaging aligns with Stand Together’s top priorities; navigate trade-offs to optimize impact.
  • Spot overlaps and synergies across policy campaigns and brands; protect and elevate ST's reputation at every touchpoint.
  • Partner with marketing, digital and internal communication to ensure earned media and thought leadership content is woven through owned and paid channels, amplifying reach, and deepening our bench of program advocates 
  • Use expertise to evaluate the strength of existing media and influencer relationships that support the economic progress priority; cultivate existing and grow new relationships across traditional and non-traditional sources, creating a steady drum beat of news highlighting community experts as ‘go-to’s’ for grassroots and national culture moments and inflection points 
  • Prepare principals for media and thought leadership engagements, ensuring key messages are conveyed with consistency and relevancy; engage with analytics and insights capability for research when needed 
  • When needed, serve as an on-record spokesperson 
  • Meet deadlines and adjust to shifting priorities; provide strategic, often crisis guidance, in a fast-paced, high profile media environments 
  • Set effective KPIs and manage recaps, reporting, with a focus on continuous improvement 
  • Manage vendor partnerships and budgets effectively 

What You Will Bring

  • 10+ years in corporate relations or policy communications, with experience in public relations, Tier 1 media, and matrixed environments supporting multiple brands or business units.
  • Proven strategist and writer with strong communication and presentation skills; excels under tight deadlines while managing multiple priorities and diverse feedback.
  • Collaborative team player with a track record of working cross-functionally and building strong relationships across internal teams and external partners.
  • Skilled at aligning communications with high-value outcomes; anticipates issues, resolves complex problems, and adapts plans based on stakeholder needs.
  • Experienced in developing and executing data-driven communication strategies that prioritize impact, protect reputation, and align with brand objectives.
  • Versatile content creator adept at tailoring voice across channels and mediums; able to coach and develop others to elevate team performance.
  • Enthusiasm to contribute to Stand Together's vision and principled approach to solving problems, and a commitment to stewarding our culture, which champions values including transformation and innovation, entrepreneurialism, humility, and respect.

What We Offer

  • Competitive benefits: Enjoy a 6% 401(k) match with immediate vesting, flexible time off, comprehensive health and dental plans, plus wellness and mental health support through Peloton and Talkspace. 
  • A meaningful career: Join a passionate community of over 1,300 employees dedicated to improving lives and driving progress on complex social challenges. 
  • Commitment to growth: Thrive in a non-hierarchical environment that emphasizes self-actualization, with roles and responsibilities based on your strengths, not tenure. 
  • Competitive compensation: Our approach rewards the value you create through competitive salaries and bonus opportunities, allowing you to share in the success you help drive.

Our Values: Working at Stand Together is different from many other organizations. Our culture is deeply rooted in Principle Based Management® (PBM®), a framework guided by the principles that drive human progress, such as dignity, openness, and bottom-up empowerment. PBM® empowers our employees to be entrepreneurial, to innovate, and to continually drive transformation.   
 
We believe diversity fuels creativity, broadens knowledge, and helps drive success, and that is why we’re proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and strive to treat all employees and applicants with honesty, dignity, respect and sensitivity.