Job Description

Development and External Relations full-time Washington, D.C.

Background

New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy has ambitious plans to raise its profile in D.C. and beyond to ensure wider policy impact and brand recognition.

To achieve this goal, the Institute is looking to recruit a Director of Communications to lead the organization’s strategic approach to communications, to build a communications team capable of realizing the Institute’s objectives, to centralize and bring consistency to communications functions that have in the past been dispersed throughout the organization, and to enhance the Institute’s reputation.

The Director of Communications will be a key member of the Institute’s senior leadership team, reporting to the CEO. The position is based at the Institute’s Washington, D.C. office with some opportunity for remote work.

Job Description

The Director of Communications will have direct responsibility for:

• Devising, developing and implementing, in conjunction with the senior leadership team, the overall communications strategy for the Institute.
• Elevating the New Lines brand and positioning the organization as an institute of substance.
• Ensuring the institute’s communications are effective, enabling colleagues and partners to align with full clarity on New Lines’ strategic priorities.
• Building, leading, and inspiring a high-quality communications team capable of delivering the organization’s goals.
• Positioning the communications team internally as key delivery partners for the organization.
• Devising and delivering an ambitious external outreach program that demonstrably enhances the reputation of the Institute.
• Providing support with marketing of the Institute’s analytical products. 
• Instituting a framework to monitor and measure the impact and effectiveness of all the Institute’s communications activity and implementing a culture of continuous improvement.
• Establishing and maintaining relationships with key external stakeholders, including the Institute’s partners and fellows and media contacts.
• Leveraging their own profile and network in support of the institute’s strategic goals.
• Advising and mentoring other members of the senior leadership team on their own communications activities.
• Acting as an energetic and credible ambassador for the Institute.
• Managing the Institute’s communications budget and liaising effectively with its CFO.

Person Specification

You will be a seasoned strategic communications professional, preferably with knowledge of the government, policy and/or media sector. Ideally, you will be able to demonstrate the following:

• At least 7 years’ experience leading a communications team as a member of an organization’s senior leadership team.
• Contribution to strategy development at a senior level.
• A clear understanding of the environment in which New Lines Institute operates.
• A career built around influencing policy through high-quality communications.
• An effective network of contacts among policymakers, the media, and other key stakeholders.
• Excellent network-building skills with experience engaging with diverse audiences and building purposeful partnerships with influential stakeholders.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluating program results and advocacy outcomes to determine effectiveness and applying lessons learned to achieve continuous improvement.
• A record of value-led leadership.
• Experience in successfully building, leading, and inspiring teams, based on a supportive, motivating and quality-driven leadership and management style.
• Excellence in influencing, persuading, and building confidence and trust in a diverse and complex organization to ensure collaboration, integration and alignment.
• Strong writing skills, honed for a variety of audiences and media.
• The ability to work across several areas while prioritizing effectively.
• The ability to pursue long-term strategic objectives while simultaneously focusing on short-term deliverables.
• A desire to pursue innovative approaches while understanding and mitigating risk.

Personal style

• The charisma and gravitas needed to act as an effective ambassador for the organization.
• A constructive, collaborative and open working style.
• An ability to influence and support collective decision-making with personal and professional authority.

Summary of Benefits:

• Employer Paid Life, AD&D, Short Term Disability Insurance
• Voluntary Life, AD&D, Long-Term Disability Insurance
• PTO
• 401(k) Plan

Salary Range: $110,000-$130,000 annually

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