Vice President, Communications - Color of Change

Larnell Vickers Enterprises•New York, NY

1d•$170,000 - $180,000•Remote

About The Position

Color Of Change is seeking a senior communications leader to own the organization’s message, public voice, creative direction, and audience development. The Vice President, Communications serves on the Organizational Leadership Team and reports to the President and CEO. This is a hands-on building role: the VP sets editorial and creative standards, establishes approval processes, builds an exceptional team, grows organization-owned channels, and expands Color Of Change’s reach and impact. The Communications Team carries campaigns to the public by making harm clear and paths to action understandable. It builds awareness through owned channels, organizes members through email, web, and text, supports campaigns with earned media, and keeps members informed about campaign outcomes. The team also manages email, website, and social media channels used for organizational messages, including Development fundraising appeals. The VP leads message development and rapid response; directs email, web, social, creative, and audience-development work; and makes Black history, dignity, creativity, and belonging visible. The role oversees department priorities, resources, contracted partners, and a team of eight full-time positions at full build. It works closely with Campaigns, Development, Marketing and External Affairs, Operations, People and Culture, senior leadership, and external partners to turn campaigns into durable public understanding.

Requirements

At least 10 years of experience in communications, journalism, media, or creative leadership.
At least 5 years leading and developing a team.
Exceptional writing and editing ability; a portfolio will be requested and reviewed, and candidates should be prepared to identify work they personally wrote, edited, directed, and decided.
Demonstrated success growing or deepening an audience relationship, with a credible account of the starting point, timeframe, resources, and results.
Experience connecting digital content, earned media, audience development, and original programming, with a clear understanding of what each requires.
Experience directing agencies and contractors and holding them to organizational standards.
Fluency with Black media, Black creators, and the cultural landscape members live within.
Proven judgment through a crisis, disinformation campaign, or hostile news cycle, with the ability to explain decisions and actions.
Experience managing a department budget.
Ability to provide a structural analysis of racism aligned with Color Of Change's vision and values.

Responsibilities

Develop clear arguments and framing for organizational priorities with the President and CEO and the VP, Campaigns.
Draft and edit high-stakes statements, speeches, op-eds, campaign messages, and other public communications.
Maintain editorial standards across public communications, including clear descriptions of harm, actionable steps, and language suited to members.
Advise the President and CEO on her public voice across broadcast, podcast, print, and stage, including the weekly media production cycle.
Lead rapid response and crisis communications, coordinating relevant internal teams and mutual aid partners.
Serve as final approver on message and public voice within the strategy set by the President and CEO.
Lead and execute email, website, and social media channels and the shared send calendar, incorporating Development's input.
Raise the quality of stories, memes, visual concepts, and original content; establish written voice and visual standards for staff and contractors.
Set priorities for discovery, reach, return engagement, and direct supporter relationships.
Create realistic promotion plans for original programming so audiences discover and return to it.
Make Black history, dignity, creativity, and belonging visible beyond their role in campaigns.
Move verified truth through Black media, creators, and trusted messengers when communities face coordinated disinformation, in coordination with the Campaigns Team's digital defense programming.
Report campaign efficacy, missteps, and next steps to members after each campaign.
Manage team intake and determine which work the department takes on, defers, or declines using the organization's five criteria for choosing work.
Establish routine approvers, backups, escalation rules, and agreed review checkpoints.
Direct contracted social media, communications support, and earned media partners.
Manage Communications priorities and resources within the approved budget and confirm vendor delivery.
Lead a department of eight full-time positions at full build, with direct reports in brand and creative production, media relations, original programming, and member communications.
Direct, coach, and evaluate the team, cultivating skilled communicators who approach the work through a culturally relevant racial justice lens.
Collaborate with People and Culture on organizational values, departmental change management, and talent governance, including performance management, compliance, and leadership development.
Raise the team's standard of excellence through coaching, feedback, and accountability.
Serve on the Organizational Leadership Team and integrate work across Communications, Campaigns, and Development.
Ensure campaigns become durable within public understanding.
Partner with Development, which sets fundraising strategy and writes appeals, so asks inspire donors and funders to act.
Partner with Marketing and External Affairs on audience growth and activations, and with Operations on technical implementation and measurement.