Chief Policy and External Affairs Officer

TNTP • AL: Alabama, AL

2d • $250,453 - $375,680 • Remote

About The Position

TNTP is seeking a Chief External Affairs Officer to lead the organization's external affairs function. This role involves shaping TNTP's narrative, brand, and strategic communications to advance enterprise priorities and achieve measurable impact. The Chief External Affairs Officer will oversee integrated marketing, media, publications, campaigns, events, and internal communications to build national influence and encourage the redesign of education systems. The position requires a strategic leader who can translate complex ideas into compelling narratives, serve as a senior spokesperson, and build high-performing teams. The goal is to ensure all students graduate with strong academic foundations and clear pathways to opportunity.

Requirements

• 10+ years of senior leadership experience in communications, external affairs, marketing, or public affairs within education, nonprofit, or public-sector-adjacent environments.
• Exceptional writing and narrative expertise, with demonstrated ability to personally shape executive-level and high-stakes communications.
• Proven ability to translate complex organizational strategies into coherent narratives that resonate across internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience serving as a senior organizational spokesperson with strong media presence and credibility.
• Deep understanding of the K–12 education ecosystem and systems-change work, with the ability to connect strategy, practice, and storytelling.
• Strong track record building and leading integrated teams that deliver measurable audience, engagement, and organizational outcomes.
• Sophisticated understanding of brand stewardship, digital strategy, and communications in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
• Demonstrated expertise in crisis communications, executive counsel, and leading through organizational change.
• Applicants for employment with TNTP must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.

Responsibilities

• Design and oversee TNTP’s comprehensive external affairs strategy, galvanizing national support to redesign education systems so that all students graduate with strong academic foundations and clear pathways to opportunity.
• Serve as TNTP’s chief narrative architect, owning the clarity, coherence, and consistency of how the organization defines problems, articulates solutions, and communicates impact across both external and internal communications channels.
• Direct executive communications strategy and real-time execution, including speeches, major publications, board communications, crisis messaging, and high-stakes correspondence.
• Represent TNTP as a senior external spokesperson in high-profile forums, media engagements, and national convenings aligned to the organization’s external affairs and influence strategy.
• Orchestrate alignment across divisions to ensure marketing, communications, campaigns, and organizational messaging advance enterprise priorities and drive measurable impact and growth.
• Ensure all positioning reflects a deep understanding of TNTP’s instructional, consulting, and systems-change work, translating complex ideas into compelling, accessible narratives without sacrificing rigor.
• Direct teams responsible for brand strategy, national storytelling, and thought leadership initiatives that elevate TNTP’s visibility, influence, and partnership opportunities nationwide.
• Oversee media strategy and partnerships that amplify organizational impact and position TNTP at the forefront of critical education conversations.
• Lead strategy and execution for high-profile events, convenings, and public engagements that position TNTP as a field leader and catalyze collective action.
• Guide development and execution of an ambitious publication and editorial agenda aligned to TNTP’s reputation for rigorous, student-centered insight and practice.
• Set strategic direction for innovative marketing solutions, multimedia content development, and cross-channel digital campaigns that expand reach and deepen audience engagement.
• Own and execute an enterprise-wide internal communications strategy that strengthens organizational culture, ensures clarity of direction, and builds shared understanding of TNTP’s priorities, progress, and impact.
• Partner closely with executive leadership, People & Culture, and Chiefs across the organization to ensure internal messaging is timely, aligned, and supports effective change management and org-wide execution.
• Build and lead high-performing teams across marketing, communications, campaigns, and engagement functions, fostering collaboration, strategic integration, and leadership development.
• Develop senior leaders and emerging talent as effective communicators, thought leaders, and organizational ambassadors.

Benefits

• Competitive mid-market salaries
• Generous PTO
• Comprehensive benefits, with a range of plans and programs designed to support the physical, mental, and financial wellness of employees and their dependents
• Closed the last two weeks of December

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: No Education Listed