Vice President, Communications

CHILDREN'S FUNDING PROJECT is a nonprofit social impact organization that helps communities, states, and Native Nations expand equitable opportunities for children and youth through strategic public financing. Through our hands-on technical assistance and collection of resources, we help advocates, policymakers, public agencies, Tribal Nations, and funders identify and align existing funding, generate new revenue, and implement strategies to administer funds in ways that maximize their impact. This growing organization is dynamic and seeks to meet the needs of the child and youth field and provide a healthy work environment. Read more about us at: https://www.childrensfundingproject.org.

About the Position: The Vice President of Communications leads organization-wide communications strategy to elevate Children’s Funding Project’s visibility, clarify and amplify our narrative, and advance the children’s funding movement. The position will oversee executive and thought-leadership communications, media relations, digital and social media, publications, and learning-related communications, and will strengthen communications systems and capacity across the organization. The position reports to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and is a member of the Executive Team.

Strategic Communications and Narrative Development

• Steward organization’s communications strategy with defined goals, audiences, priorities, and measures of success to advance Children’s Funding Project’s visibility, legitimacy, and momentum.
• Promote a unifying national narrative about directing public funding to children that bridges policy complexity and public understanding and connects organization-level and initiative-level communications.
• Invest in and oversee executive communications, including thought-leadership support for the CEO and other key leaders.

Communications Systems, Media, and Digital Engagement

• Drive continuous improvement of communications operations, including simplified approval pathways and decision-making thresholds that enable speed without sacrificing quality. 
• Shift communications capacity from process management toward proactive content production, executive visibility, and media engagement. 
• Develop and implement a proactive media strategy that positions Children’s Funding Project and its leadership as national thought leaders, including message development, media training, press materials, and relationship-building with reporters and outlets.
• Oversee Children’s Funding Project’s digital presence, including website, email, and social media channels, and guide careful social media expansion for key initiatives such as the Fund IRL social media coalition and the Native Children’s Funding initiative.

Movement-Building and Content

• Ensure that major communications initiatives and campaigns support real-world action—such as policy change, ballot measures, coalition growth, and community wins—and elevate local champions and success stories.
• Oversee and contribute to organization-wide efforts to plan, produce, and disseminate Children’s Funding Project’s content and products, balancing quality, efficiency, and amplification of high-value content.
• Partner with the Communications Director and program leaders to integrate communications into the design of content, courses, and learning tools, recognizing communications as central to teaching and capacity-building for communities.

Organizational Leadership and Strategic Advice

• Serve as a key member of the Executive Team, contributing to the development and refinement of organizational strategy and goals, and ensuring communications is positioned as a shared service and strategic driver.
• Oversee the communications function and develop and maintain a broad and deep knowledge of all program areas.
• Help define and track communications-related indicators aligned with strategic plan goals, including measures of reach, engagement, adoption, and field impact.
• Represent the organization and serve as a thought leader at conferences, meetings, trainings, and other in-person and virtual events.

Special Projects

• Design, supervise, and/or lead cross-cutting communications initiatives, including narrative refreshes, brand alignment across sub-brands, and new movement-building campaigns.
• Lead or support internal change-management projects related to communications systems, processes, and roles, as well as other duties, as directed by the CEO.

Skills & Experience

• A minimum of ten years of communications and staff leadership experience in a nonprofit, government, philanthropy, advocacy, or related setting, overseeing multiple projects or portfolios.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing organization-wide communications strategies that shift organizations from reactive to proactive communications.
• Proven ability to lead media relations and thought-leadership efforts, including strategy development, spokesperson preparation, and, when appropriate, management of external media partners.
• Experience with digital and social media strategy, including platform selection, content strategy, and analytics, ideally in the context of advocacy, movement-building, or policy change.
• Experience building and managing communications systems and processes, including workflows, approval pathways, and tools that support both responsiveness and routine.
• Experience working with diverse communities and a deep commitment to the values of justice, equity, diversity, and belonging.
• Demonstrated experience managing remote staff and teams, including supporting professional development plans and providing mentorship.
• Passion for Children’s Funding Project’s mission and purpose and an ability to communicate this passion to others.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, with the ability to represent the organization externally across a wide range of stakeholders and constituencies.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in Communications, Public Administration, Public Policy, Business, or a related field preferred.

Location: Remote with periodic travel; candidates in the Washington, DC area are preferred, but all qualified candidates will be considered.

Compensation: The salary for this full-time position is $143,500. Children’s Funding Project also offers a generous benefits package, a great (and growing!) team, and a working environment that emphasizes professional development and growth.

TO APPLY: A  cover letter and writing sample are required for consideration and should address your specific interest in and vision for the position as well as showcase your communications expertise and style.  The cover letter and writing sample will weigh heavily in the selection process.

Children’s Funding Project commits to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment that reflects the breadth of communities and clients we serve. We are an equal opportunity employer dedicated to hiring socially conscious individuals with diverse experiences and knowledge that deepen our organization’s impact. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. People of color, members of Tribal Nations and Native communities, LGBTQ-identified people, gender-nonconforming people, people with disabilities, veterans, and people who speak a language in addition to English are strongly encouraged to apply.