Chief Public Affairs Officer

Resolve•McLean, VA

2d•Remote

About The Position

Chief Public Affairs Officer RESOLVE: The National Infertility and Family Building Association Full-Time Remote. Candidates based in the Washington, DC area strongly preferred. About RESOLVE RESOLVE: The National Infertility and Family Building Association is the nation's leading patient advocacy organization representing the 1 in 6 Americans facing infertility. RESOLVE empowers people navigating their fertility journey through trusted information, community support, and grassroots advocacy that make family building options accessible to everyone. RESOLVE has expanded insurance coverage for fertility care for 65 million Americans, serves 2,000 people each month through our support group network, and mobilizes over 40,000 advocates to take action in their communities. About the Role The Chief Public Affairs Officer (CPAO) is a strategic, senior leader who serves as the steward of RESOLVE’s brand and the architect of its external voice. This newly expanded role unifies marketing, communications, and government affairs under one leader, ensuring that how RESOLVE shows up publicly is coherent, compelling, and strategically aligned across all external audiences. The CPAO is ultimately accountable for growing RESOLVE’s brand, aligning its voice across channels, and driving execution across the team. Reporting directly to the CEO, this role sets the vision and strategy for how RESOLVE communicates, advocates, and engages. The CPAO leads a team of dedicated RESOLVE staff and outside consultants who bring that vision to life, and will have the opportunity to re-envision the systems and structures needed to enable RESOLVE’s strategic plan. This role is ideal for someone who can operate at the level of brand strategy and organizational positioning while also knowing when to roll up their sleeves and work alongside their team, whether that’s shaping a rapid-response press statement or ensuring RESOLVE’s messaging is landing consistently across advocacy, media, and community channels.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
10+ years of experience in communications, government affairs, external affairs, or brand strategy, with demonstrated leadership across more than one of these disciplines
Proven experience owning an organization’s brand or external voice, setting strategy, aligning teams, and driving execution
Deep familiarity with the federal and/or state legislative process; experience engaging with Congress or executive agencies
Proven track record managing complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives from strategy through execution
Strong writing skills across multiple formats: policy documents, press materials, donor communications, digital content
Experience managing and developing staff and external agency partners
Commitment to RESOLVE's mission and passion for ensuring that everyone has the resources they need for family building and infertility care

Nice To Haves

Experience in healthcare, women's health, or advocacy organizations
Established relationships from external partners across media, government affairs, or fertility
Familiarity with nonprofit fundraising communications and donor engagement
Experience with grassroots advocacy campaigns and community mobilization
Skilled in leveraging AI tools and digital platforms to increase communications effectiveness

Responsibilities

Own RESOLVE’s brand strategy, defining and evolving the organization’s external identity, voice, and positioning to grow recognition, credibility, and trust among patients, policymakers, partners, and the public
Develop and implement an integrated public affairs strategy spanning communications and government relations with clear goals and measurable outcomes
Lead National Infertility Awareness Week programming and planning, setting the vision and strategy and partnering with internal and external stakeholders for execution
Serve as the CEO’s strategic partner on all matters related to RESOLVE’s external presence and positioning
Drive cross-team alignment on messaging, ensuring RESOLVE speaks with one voice across advocacy, media, digital, and community channels
Identify opportunities to increase visibility, deepen partnerships, and grow revenue through a stronger public profile
Monitor and evaluate brand awareness and organizational credibility; use data to inform strategy
In partnership with the RESOLVE Access to Care team, define RESOLVE’s federal and state government affairs strategy and oversee the Director of Government Affairs, who leads day-to-day legislative relationships and advocacy execution
Partner with the Director of Government Affairs and CEO to advance RESOLVE’s legislative and regulatory priorities, including IVF access, insurance coverage mandates, and inclusive family building policy
Provide strategic direction for RESOLVE’s annual Hill Day and Month of Action; ensure advocacy campaigns are well-integrated with broader communications and brand strategy
Ensure RESOLVE’s policy positions and advocacy voice are consistent with organizational messaging across all external channels
Stay current on the federal and state policy landscape; partner with the Access to Care team to develop rapid-response communications as issues emerge
Represent RESOLVE in high-level coalition meetings, policy forums, and with senior stakeholders when appropriate
Oversee Director of Communications/Sr. Marketing Manager (new role to be hired) and agency partners as they execute external communications including media, website, e-newsletters, and social media
Serve as an organizational spokesperson when appropriate; handle or direct incoming media requests
Lead development of high-impact content including press statements, campaign messaging, donor communications, and impact reports
Oversee communications for the fundraising gala and National Infertility Awareness Week® (NIAW), bringing storytelling and brand cohesion to both
Identify strategic opportunities to lift up the voices of RESOLVE’s community, and translate complex policy and clinical topics into accessible, compelling narratives for diverse audiences
Build and maintain relationships with nonprofit partners, corporate partners, healthcare stakeholders, and patient community leaders
Identify and develop strategic partnerships that expand RESOLVE’s reach, program impact, and revenue
Represent the organization at external events, conferences, and meetings
Support corporate council engagement and physician/professional stakeholder relationships in coordination with staff
Lead and develop the public affairs team; foster a culture of accountability, creativity, and mission focus
Manage budgets for communications, government affairs, and outreach functions
Contribute as a collaborative and trusted member of a small senior leadership team, often pitching in across functions