Senior Director, Strategic Communications

About Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA)

Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) is the country’s leading voice for child care, championing equitable access to affordable, high-quality care.

CCAoA works with partners at the local, state, and federal levels, including the United States Military and the Department of Defense, to make child care programs, policies, and funding work better for children, families, child care providers, and communities.

CCAoA works in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to build the supply of healthy, nurturing, and stable child care that helps families get to work, supports children’s development and learning, and keeps our economy growing. CCAoA also delivers innovative, results-based services for families and child care providers, produces research, engages with the media, public, and policymakers, and advances policies and mobilizes action that promotes understanding of and increased investment in a high-quality child care system. To learn more, visit our website. Follow CCAoA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Summary of Position

CCAoA is seeking a results-driven, seasoned leader to drive the next chapter in our strategic communications, marketing, and digital initiatives. These efforts are essential to our mission, driving our national association’s growing network and thought leadership presence. This hands-on leadership role demands a professional who thrives in a dynamic, growth-oriented environment. The ideal candidate will be deeply involved in shaping and executing strategy, serving as a thought partner to senior leaders, and taking the lead in drafting and reviewing key content. They will expertly balance the strategic elevation of CCAoA’s public presence while overseeing the organization’s communications strategy and providing senior leadership with critical insights on the communication impacts of all organizational initiatives.

As the Senior Director, you’ll nurture, mentor, and manage a dedicated team of marketing and communications professionals and collaborate across departments to achieve CCAoA’s operational and programmatic goals. Reporting directly to the Chief of Staff, you will play a pivotal leadership role, highlighting the significance of child care, our network, and enhancing CCAoA’s strategic standing in the sector. You will champion the cause of child care through policy, advocacy, research, system building, membership, events, and partnerships. This position is pivotal in driving CCAoA’s overarching strategic priorities, aligning departmental goals with the organization’s mission to make a lasting impact in the child care sector.

Position Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead and evaluate the organization’s strategic communications, marketing, and brand initiatives.
• Act as a thought partner to the CEO and senior leaders on communication impacts of organizational activities.
• Oversee brand strategy and drive mission-driven communication internally and externally.
• Cultivate and lead the marketing, communications, and digital teams, leveraging data-driven strategies to enhance performance and effectively promote CCAoA’s mission.
• Drive a national narrative shift about CCAoA’s role in the child care crisis and strengthen the organization’s brand.
• Manage crisis communications and public relations strategy, ensuring proactive media engagement.
• Stay informed on industry trends and policy developments to align messaging and initiatives.
• Collaborate across departments on communications campaigns that position CCAoA as an industry leader.
• Oversee digital marketing efforts, including website management, social media, and online content.
• Manage the strategic communication department’s budget to maximize impact and achieve goals.
• Analyze marketing data to guide strategy and ensure alignment with brand identity and strategic goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree required. Prior experience working on child care issues, early learning advocacy, or a related field, including work with associations, is a plus.
• 10+ years of experience leading brand, communication & marketing teams and strategy.
• Track record of launching content-rich, data-driven campaigns across all platforms while working in a fast-paced environment and demonstrated ability to grow awareness and increase engagement.
• Experience hiring and managing external firms to provide additional capacity and/or expertise when needed.
• Experience managing complex budgets and projects.

Skills and Essential Qualities

• Strong management and leadership capabilities, with excellent interpersonal skills and a proven ability to develop people. Skilled in managing a hybrid team and working effectively across departments.
• Able to manage multiple tasks with flexibility. Capable of executing immediate plans, making agile, strategically aligned decisions, and planning for long-term sustainability.
• Possesses executive-level influencing skills, able to build consensus and collaboration across various units and departments. Communicates effectively with all levels of management and staff, establishing strong working relationships.
• Exceptional creative, oral, and written communication skills.
• Ability to support colleagues collaboratively and creatively at all levels and in all areas of the organization. Capable of learning and communicating complex and technical topics.
• Proven track record of setting key performance indicators and managing national campaigns that exceed goals, with a strong foundation in data-driven decision-making.

Learn more here