Director of Strategic Communications

Mar 11

Location: Flexible / Remote within the US (HQ in NYC)
Type: Full Time W-2 Employee
Start Date: August 1, 2025

OVERVIEW

Government can’t function without great people. At Work for America (WFA), we’re building the talent infrastructure our communities depend on, starting with the state and local governments that deliver clean water, safe streets, and 9-1-1 responses.

Our mission is bold and urgent: help the best people stay in public service, and inspire a new generation to choose it as a first step. That means rethinking how government jobs are understood, described, and promoted. We’re testing bold communications strategies - running digital campaigns, partnering with traditional media and creators, and telling real stories from the frontlines of public service.

Civic Match, our flagship initiative, is one way we’re doing that. What began as a quick-turn resume bank after the 2024 election is now a national platform connecting nearly 10,000 displaced federal workers to urgent, mission-driven jobs in city halls, statehouses, and public agencies across the country.

Now we’re hiring a Director of Strategic Communications to lead all of our communications and marketing efforts - and to help shift how the country sees public service. This is more than a comms role: it’s a chance to drive culture change. You’ll manage traditional communications functions like media relations, branding and newsletters. But you’ll also lead a programmatic effort to shift national narratives around public work: forging creative partnerships, building toward a large-scale campaign, and positioning public service as a bold, patriotic calling.

APPLY NOW

ROLE SUMMARY

The Director of Strategic Communications will be the senior leader overseeing all of WFA’s communications and marketing efforts - bringing clarity, consistency, and creativity to everything we say and share. This includes both traditional responsibilities (earned media, newsletters, brand management, digital strategy) and a broader charge to lead narrative change as a strategic pillar of our mission.

You’ll manage internal staff (including a full-time Communications Coordinator) and external partners (including a creative agency) and take a strategic lens to every platform, partnership, and piece of content. You’ll also experiment with new tactics - like influencer partnerships, creator collaborations, and unexpected storytelling formats - to shift how public service is perceived nationwide.

We’ll measure success by reach, resonance, and recruitment impact - helping more people understand, trust, and choose public service.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Lead with Vision

Own and execute a unified communications and narrative strategy across earned media, digital platforms, partnerships, and campaigns.
Drive messaging that connects public service to pride, purpose, and progress - reaching both current public servants and everyday Americans.

Build the Brand

Ensure consistency and impact across all WFA communications - from branding and newsletters to social and web.
Manage agency relationships and creative contractors to evolve our visual and messaging identity.

Drive Media and Marketing Strategy

Cultivate relationships with journalists, editors, and influencers to tell our story across local, national, and digital media.
Oversee content strategy, newsletter cadence, press outreach, and rapid response communications.

Make Narrative a Programmatic Lever

Treat narrative shift as a program, not just a platform. Build partnerships with creators, nonprofits, and civic leaders to help make public service desirable and visible again.
Lay the groundwork for a future large-scale national campaign to reposition government work in the public imagination.

Manage and Collaborate

Supervise a small but mighty team, including a Communications Coordinator and external consultants.
Collaborate across the organization to ensure messaging reflects WFA’s values, priorities, and momentum - especially for major reports, announcements, and initiatives.

QUALIFICATIONS

8–10 Years of Experience: You’ve worked at the intersection of media, advocacy or creative strategy - and you’re ready to lead.
Team Leadership: You’ve managed direct reports and know how to coach, delegate, and deliver results through others.
Strategic Fluency: You can zoom out to lead narrative strategy and zoom in to write a tweet, draft a press release, or refine messaging language.
Creative Instinct: You bring fresh ideas to the table and know how to make government feel relevant and cool.
Cultural Awareness: You understand this moment in American life - and how powerful stories can rebuild trust in civic institutions.
Execution Mindset: You know when to ship, when to edit, and how to keep momentum across fast-moving priorities.
Mission Alignment: You care deeply about making sure state and local governments have the talent they need to delivery.

WHY JOIN US?

Strategic Impact: Lead communications not just as a support function, but as a programmatic pillar that drives public perception, influences policy, and accelerates hiring outcomes across the country.
Creative Freedom: Bring your full creative vision to life - from testing bold new tactics to laying the foundation for a large-scale campaign that positions public service as a patriotic career path.
High-Visibility Work: Your storytelling will directly reach policymakers, journalists, job seekers, and civic leaders. You’ll help elevate the voices of public servants and shape how government work is seen and valued.
Collaborative Culture: Join a small, fast-moving, and highly motivated team that brings care, energy, and urgency to everything we do.
Growth and Opportunity: Step into a senior leadership role at a critical moment in our growth, with room to shape the team, strategy, and long-term vision for communications at Work for America.