Director, Communications & Public Affairs
Center on Economics & Foreign Affairs · United States
full timehybridDirector
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Sign in to applyAbout the role
Leads CEFA's institutional voice, media relations, digital presence, publications, event promotion, executive messaging, and reputation management.
Responsibilities
- Develop CEFA's communications strategy, editorial calendar, brand standards, audience priorities, and approval workflows. - Lead media relations, digital channels, newsletters, events promotion, executive communications, and publication launches. - Translate technical research and project work into clear, accurate narratives without overstating evidence or commitments. - Prepare spokespeople, manage inquiries, monitor coverage, and coordinate rapid response to reputational issues. - Maintain consent, attribution, accessibility, privacy, records, and nonpartisan standards across public content. Reporting & working relationships Reports to the President & CEO or designated executive. Works with all program leads, researchers, fellows, project teams, counsel, event partners, media, designers, and digital vendors. Authority & limits May lead assigned programs, staff, outreach, negotiations, and approved expenditures within written delegation. Final contracts, capital commitments, securities activity, public positions, and material partnership terms require authorized approval.
Required qualifications
- Senior communications or public-affairs experience in policy, finance, government, economic development, philanthropy, or mission-driven organizations. - Exceptional writing and editorial judgment across technical, executive, media, and public audiences. - Experience managing brand, digital operations, media relationships, crisis response, and multi-stakeholder approvals.
Preferred qualifications
What success looks like: - Consistent, credible institutional voice and stronger engagement with priority audiences. - Accurate, timely launches of research, events, partnerships, and approved initiatives. - Prepared spokespeople and disciplined handling of sensitive or high-visibility issues. - Communications metrics linked to institutional goals rather than visibility alone.
Benefits
Employment classification: Paid senior staff position. Status: Full-time. Term: Ongoing employment, subject to applicable law and CEFA policies. Compensation: Salary and benefits commensurate with experience and CEFA's approved compensation framework. Performance cycle: Annual objectives with regular check-ins and a formal performance review. Work arrangement: Location, travel, schedule, and exempt/nonexempt status determined for the final role and jurisdiction.
Equal opportunity
CEFA is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants receive consideration without regard to any legally protected characteristic.
About Center on Economics & Foreign Affairs
CEFA is a mission-driven nonprofit institution connecting research, policy, capital, and public- and private-sector partners to advance economic development and foreign-affairs priorities at national scale.