Director of Strategic Messaging

Children's Rights•New York, NY

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

Children’s Rights is seeking a full-time Director of Strategic Messaging with a start date in the summer of 2026. Children’s Rights is a 30+ year old national nonprofit organization, located in New York City, that holds government systems accountable for protecting kids and keeping families together. Our lawyers and policy experts work to end unnecessary family separation and ensure that children can live safely with their families, instead of in foster care. The position serves to develop and execute strategic narratives that shape public discourse, influence decision-makers, the child welfare field, and the broader public. The Director of Strategic Messaging will produce high-impact written content, mobilize a coalition of advocates (the “Coalition”), of which Children’s Rights is a member, and orchestrate timely calls to action that advance a vision in which children can safely remain with their families, instead of in the foster system. The Coalition is composed of individuals and organizations committed to preserving family integrity and ensuring that children can safely remain with their families. The Director will work in close partnership with Coalition members to elevate this shared vision, leveraging their expertise and lived experience to shape and amplify aligned narratives. The position is housed at Children’s Rights and reports directly to the Executive Director. A representative of the Coalition will support the Executive Director by providing recommendations regarding the activities, goals, and work products of this position; however, ultimate editorial and employment authority rests solely with the Executive Director of Children’s Rights. This position is for an exceptional communicator who can write compellingly and quickly, think strategically, and engage effectively with coalition partners, media, and the public. The Director will develop and execute a proactive communications strategy, producing a high volume of written content across platforms—from op-eds and blogs to social media—while continuously analyzing the policy and media landscape to identify opportunities and respond to emerging moments. This is a visionary role for a forward-thinking, courageous advocate, with disruptive ideas, who deeply understands racial justice and the child welfare field.

Requirements

Exceptional written and verbal communications skills, with demonstrated ability to write quickly and persuasively across a variety of formats and audiences.
Proven experience drafting op-eds, blogs, social media content, and other advocacy-oriented communications for publication.
Deep knowledge of and commitment to the child welfare / child protection / family policing field, including its racial equity dimensions.
Strong understanding of racial equity frameworks and the ability to articulate systemic racial disparities with accuracy and conviction.
Demonstrated experience working within or alongside coalitions, advocacy networks, or multi-stakeholder collaborations; ability to leverage the expertise of diverse coalition members to strengthen shared messaging.
Visionary, forward-looking mindset—a strategic thinker with disruptive ideas and the courage to take risks in service of transformative change.
Exceptional relational skills; ability to build trust, work collaboratively across organizations, and operate effectively as both a team player and an independent self-starter.
Proven ability to analyze a complex policy, media, and advocacy landscape and translate that analysis into timely, actionable communications strategy.
A skills-based writing examination will be required as part of the interview process.

Nice To Haves

Lived expertise in the child welfare system is strongly preferred.
Experience working in coalition settings is a plus.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute an annual communications strategy and content calendar in close collaboration with Coalition members.
Produce a high volume of compelling written content across formats, including op-eds, blog posts, social media content, messaging frameworks, talking points, rapid-response statements, and other strategic communications.
Write quickly and with clarity—generating timely, persuasive content in response to legislative developments, media coverage, and other newsworthy moments.
Support Coalition members as authors and co-authors, helping them translate their expertise and lived experience into published narratives.
Continuously monitor the policy, media, and advocacy landscape to identify opportunities to advance the Coalition’s narrative agenda and counter opposing viewpoints.
Develop and maintain messaging frameworks, sample content, and a resource library of research, reports, and evidence to support consistent, evidence-grounded communications.
Serve as a primary relationship manager for Coalition members, building trust and leveraging the expertise, perspectives, and networks of partner organizations and individuals.
Coordinate Coalition meetings, agendas, minutes, newsletters, and action alerts to ensure aligned and timely advocacy responses.
Collaborate with Coalition members and consultants on branding and web presence to amplify shared messaging and build public-facing infrastructure.
Maintain an ongoing, sophisticated analysis of the child welfare policy environment, media narratives, and advocacy landscape at the national and state levels.
Identify and rapidly respond to emerging opportunities to shift the narrative, engage decision-makers, and mobilize public support.
Advise Coalition partners on strategic communications priorities based on real-time landscape analysis.
Act with urgency, creativity, and a willingness to take calculated risks in service of the Coalition’s shared objectives.
Center racial justice in all communications—articulating the profound racial disparities in the child welfare system with accuracy, nuance, and conviction.
Maintain a future-oriented, hopeful vision for what is possible for children and families, and embody that vision in all written work and coalition engagement.
Perform other duties as required by organizational needs.