Vice President of Communications

The National Immigration Forum (the Forum) advocates for the value of immigrants and immigration to the nation.

The Forum is a nonpartisan advocacy organization that builds and strengthens trusted relationships with faith, law enforcement, national security, and business leaders to create a shared vision for immigration in America which values security, compassion, and economic prosperity for all.

Leveraging our policy, communications and programmatic expertise, the Forum advocates for balanced, responsible, and sustainable immigration laws and workforce development policies so all community members have the opportunities, skills, and status to reach their full potential and help America to thrive.

Visit our website at www.forumtogether.org for more information about the Forum.

Location: Hybrid with base location of Washington, D.C.
Reports to: Vice President & Chief of Public Affairs
Exempt or Non-Exempt: Exempt

Position Summary:

The Vice President of Communications serves on the Forum’s Leadership Team and leads the organization’s media relations, digital and strategic communications to support the Forum’s mission. The Vice President is responsible for creating, implementing, and overseeing an organization-wide communications strategy, including digital strategy, media relations, and developing and executing communication campaigns and messaging, all in order to grow, engage, and mobilize the Forum’s target audiences. The Vice President also manages internal communications staff and consultants.

The ideal candidate is an innovative, flexible, and skilled communicator with a curiosity for learning and passion for the Forum’s work, with demonstrated expertise in digital strategies.

Responsibilities:

Communications Strategy and Leadership

• Collaborate closely with the Chief of Public Affairs and the Forum Leadership Team to:
  • drive creation of unified messages and communications materials that advance the organization’s mission and strategies;
  • align and coordinate digital and strategic communications planning and implementation across all Forum programs and constituencies; and
  • regularly measure and evaluate communications to ensure our strategies are positively impacting the Forum’s target audiences while staying abreast of best practices in the rapidly changing digital landscape.
• Lead development and implementation of comprehensive strategic (media relations, messaging research and development) and digital communications (social media, ads, graphics, etc.) plans that are aligned with the organization’s advocacy and programmatic strategies to grow, engage, and mobilize the Forum’s audiences and counter misinformation and disinformation.
• Oversee all organization and constituencies email lists and audience management and all digital campaigns, infrastructure, and content creation.
• Stay current and educate Forum staff and consultants on emerging communication trends.
• Provide Principal support (op-eds, social media, interview preparation, etc.)

Digital Strategy and Content Creation

• Assess and oversee content guidelines across all programs.
• Oversee and implement Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and paid search strategy to gain exposure, drive traffic, and improve content.
• Establish metrics tied to communications goals, track and report results for communications outputs, and provide analysis and insights on those results, ensuring that ongoing and future efforts are optimized and contribute to overall strategies.
• Manage external vendors including graphic designers, web developers, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, advertising, and maintenance.
• Research and evaluate new digital platforms, trends, and opportunities to ensure the organization’s digital strategy and remains current and impactful for the Forum’s target audiences.
• Collaborate across the organization to oversee the development and implementation of appropriately branded diverse, engaging, and informative content assets that effectively distill complex ideas and translate material across multiple distribution channels (e.g. social media, website, microsites).
• Must be reactive and lead digital communications campaigns that position the organization as a positive voice on immigration and maintain the Forum at the forefront of the national conversation on constructive immigration solutions.

Communications Operations and Support

• In partnership with the Leadership Team, position the Forum as a thought leader through media, messaging, and marketing opportunities that advance the Forum’s work.
• Create, edit, and proofread materials for external use under intense deadline pressure.
• Respond to media inquiries and oversee participation of Forum staff in interviews.
• Initiate, develop and maintain positive relationships with key local and national media contacts.

Team Development and Management

• Manage and mentor communications staff, including coordinating and distributing assignments, establishing performance goals, and providing direction and feedback.
• Maintain a climate that attracts, retains, and motivates top-quality staff.
• Supervise consultants to develop and execute deliverables in a timely manner.

Required Experience and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and ten years’ relevant professional experience.
• Experience with digital communications campaigns and content creation.
• Direct supervisory experience.
• In-depth knowledge and experience with content platforms, including video, web, and social media platforms, and curiosity to stay abreast of developing platforms.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; proficient editor and proofreader.
• Experience with principles of SEO and best practices for web writing and presence.
• Ability to work collaboratively and provide clear direction and feedback to managers, associates, and coordinators.
• Ability to work collaboratively and thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment with the capacity to make decisions and anticipate future needs.
• An understanding of the communication needs and nuances of conservative-leaning and moderate voices on immigration.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• Knowledge of the legislative advocacy process.
• Proficiency in Adobe design suite (InDesign, Photoshop) and Salesforce or similar CRM; familiarity with HTML and CSS.

Salary: Salary starts at $115,000 and is commensurate with experience. The National Immigration Forum offers a competitive benefits package, including:

• Health Insurance (PPO) and Dental Insurance: Employee covered at 100%; dependents covered at a lower rate.
• 401k contribution.
• Generous leave policies: flexible PTO, paid parental leave and federal holidays.
• Short-term and long-term disability.

The Forum is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment. People of color, ethnic minorities and women are strongly encouraged to apply.

While the Forum offers a hybrid work environment and nationwide candidates are welcomed, this is a D.C.-based position and requires at least one to two days per week in the Forum office. No relocation assistance will be provided.

To apply, send cover letter, resume and salary requirement to [email protected] and include “Vice President of Communications” in the subject line. Applications submitted without the required information will not be considered.