Executive Vice President for Communications

Who We Are:

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a 501(c)(4) organization, is the premier coalition of more than 230 organizations that promotes and protects civil and human rights in America. The Leadership Conference has coordinated national lobbying efforts on behalf of every major civil rights law since 1957. To learn more about The Leadership Conference, please visit www.civilrights.org.

The Leadership Conference Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization, builds public will for federal policies that promote and protect civil and human rights in the US. Founded in 1969 as the education and research arm of The Leadership Conference, the Education Fund’s campaigns empower advocates to push for progressive change in the US. To learn more about the Education Fund, please visit www.leadershipconferenceedfund.org.

About the Role:

In May 2022, civil rights attorney and activist, Maya Wiley, took the helm of both The Leadership Conference and The Education Fund, with a vision to save as well as strengthen democracy in a turbulent and changing landscape and build on the legacy of this powerful coalition platform and its public education arm. Under Maya’s leadership, both entities are building on their strengths as multi-issue, diverse entities, with a growing coalition and growing audiences. The Leadership Conference and The Education Fund are seeking to be significantly more proactive and forward-looking, strengthening the field’s ability to do the same, bridging the federal, state, and local work as fundamental rights are increasingly contested in all arenas. The EVP of Communications is a senior management level position, reporting directly to the president and CEO in a dynamic, fast-paced, and innovative environment that values collaboration, coalition, and communications as central to meeting our mission of an America that lives up to its ideals.

The EVP of Communications role requires a collaborative leader with demonstrated success in modernizing communication channels and speed over a variety of earned and digital media platforms. Also, they are responsible for setting strategic department priorities, rebuilding the team structure and defining clear team goals, growing and protecting The Leadership Conference brand, increasing visibility and diversifying audiences, and developing strategies for impact to increase the narrative change needed to protect and expand democracy and civil rights.

What you will do:

Internal & External Strategy

  • Develop and implement the strategic plan for the Communications department, supporting and advancing The Leadership Conference mission and organizational goals.
  • Develop metrics and KPIs to assess impact and find areas for growth.
  • As part of the senior management team, help develop organizational priorities and direction and provide strategic guidance on external impact and influence.
  • Collaborate and partner with the leadership team to develop a long-term strategy on how the organization builds a state-of-the-art communications operation for the organizations that supports critical campaigns and coalition partners.
  • Innovate and develop new, cutting-edge communication models that leverage the organization’s thinking, messaging and tools used by coalition members.
  • Advise the President and CEO on communications strategy.

Leadership

  • Lead a communications team of approximately 14 and oversee the team’s goals, timeline, and actions to meet communications and external impact goals.
  • Rebuild the communications department to clearly define roles and processes in a collaborative environment with an efficient and streamlined decision-making process.
  • Provide overall strategic communications leadership for all facets of our multi-issue civil and human rights agenda and affiliated educational campaigns.
  • Supervise and build a team of individuals to successfully execute the department’s goals and objectives.
  • Manage and supervise the communications staff, ensuring the team infrastructure is aligned with the goals of the organization.
  • Serve as the senior representative for the communications team to other parts of the organization and manage internal relationships and expectations.
  • Serve as a member of the organization’s strategic leadership team to help facilitate coordination among departments and intradepartmental teams and address overall organizational issues.

Branding & Stewardship

  • Develop and oversee the implementation of integrated strategic communications plans to advance the mission and brand of the organization, broaden awareness of its priorities and programs, and increase the visibility of its programs across key stakeholders.
  • Develop Communication’s vision, frame, and narrative to achieve the organization’s campaign goals and policy objectives.
  • Identify opportunities for The Leadership Conference’s reputation and grow and diversify our audiences.
  • Oversee the development and maintenance of all digital platforms.
  • Drive the development and execution of a multi-channel digital program, expanding the organizations’ voice and reach to traditional and non-traditional audiences through digital content development, email list growth, and social media engagement.
  • Oversee all engagement strategies, including digital and earned media, email outreach, and paid marketing.
  • Oversee the development of all talking points, press releases, speeches, presentations, and other high-level materials as needed, especially for the President and CEO and senior leaders.
  • Cultivate, steward, and grow relationships with coalition members, the senior management team, the media, and other key constituencies.
  • Position the organization as a hub for communications that can support the needs of coalition members who lack communications infrastructure internally.
  • Lead and coordinate the communications component of coalition task forces on policy issues and campaigns.
  • Lead cross-organizational planning and execution of communications-centric projects.
  • Refine and strengthen The Leadership Conference brand through messaging and the development of brand marketing materials.
  • Manage proactive and reactive crisis communications planning and execution
  • Oversee and manage the media relations operation in developing proactive and reactive media strategies.
  • Work with the media relations team to maintain positive working relationships with targeted online, print, and broadcast journalists, editorial writers and columnists, and other persons of influence.
  • Manage a rapid response operation executed by the media relations team that utilizes multiple mediums to respond in real time to issues relevant to the organization.
  • Oversee the efficient drafting and vetting process of traditional press materials i.e., press releases and media advisories, speeches, talking points, presentation materials, articles, and opinion editorials, and organizing of press conferences and briefings.
  • Manage the writing, design and production, and vetting process of print and online educational materials, publications, newsletters, reports, etc.; approve articles and other content that may be uploaded to other sites and manage the day-to-day operation of the organization’s websites with periodic evaluation and upgrading.

Operations

  • Drive and build the department’s annual budget and work plan.
  • Ensure communications efforts are aligned with the organization’s financial development goals.

Perform other duties as assigned.

What you will bring:

  • Proven commitment to civil and human rights
  • Passion for the issues represented by The Leadership Conference
  • 15+ years of policy advocacy and/or political communications experience
  • 5 to 7 years of cross-functional senior management experience in a communications role/department
  • Proven track record of modernizing communications for organizations both internally and externally
  • Excellent senior management experience including staff and project oversight and supervisory experience
  • Experience in fast-paced environments, including crisis communications and rapid response.
  • Proactive, innovative thinking and a strategist with strong attention to detail
  • Thoughtful listener with a keen ability for discernment
  • Experience in government relations/government affairs a plus
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills with attention to detail and the ability to bring one voice to The Leadership Conference
  • Strong interpersonal skills and collegial working style
  • Multi-tasker and strong project manager with the ability to direct high-performing teams in a fast-paced environment

What We Offer:

The Leadership Conference offers its employees a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, and generous personal leave and vacation time. Staff can also take advantage of Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and a retirement savings account.

Salary Range – $190,000 – $225,000

To apply, please visit our Career Center and submit your resume and cover letter. Cover letters are required and should be attached.

Office Re-opening Statement

Currently, staff has the option to work from the office or home while we determine our long-term policy on remote and hybrid work. Please note this position is not permanently remote and over time the person filling this role may be required to work on occasion or regularly from the Washington, DC-based office.

Our Commitment to an Inclusive Workplace

The Leadership Conference and The Education Fund are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability.

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