[Hiring] Director of Communications @The Health and Reentry Project

Role Description

HARP is seeking a Director of Communications to develop and execute a proactive communications strategy for the organization. HARP is growing rapidly and needs a communications leader who can scale our strategy to match. The ideal candidate will craft clear and compelling communications that resonate across a wide range of perspectives and strengthen HARP's position as the go-to resource in the health and reentry policy space. This new position reports to HARP's Executive Director and is part of the senior leadership team.

Responsibilities

• Strategy and Leadership
  • Serve as a strategic thought partner to the Executive Director on external positioning, branding, and narrative framing.
  • Develop and execute a communications plan and supporting calendar aligned with HARP's mission and strategic priorities and evaluate and update it regularly.
  • Build and maintain HARP's organizational voice, messaging, and visual identity across all platforms to advance HARP’s visibility and brand.
• Marketing
  • Create compelling materials that clearly communicate HARP’s value to a wide range of audiences, including policy makers, state and federal agencies, local officials, advocates and stakeholders, and the public.
  • Develop and implement a comprehensive marketing strategy for HARP's new State Technical Assistance Center (STAC) and other core areas of work.
• Communications Methods and Execution
  • Enhance and manage HARP’s product development process from conception to publication, including oversight of external contractors and design vendors.
  • Write and edit content across channels, including social media posts, newsletters, blogs, op-eds, and press releases.
  • Expand HARP's digital presence, including the website, social media, and email communications; manage relationships with web and design contractors.
  • Track and report on digital performance metrics to continuously improve reach and engagement.
  • Support rapid-response communications around relevant policy developments and breaking news.
  • Develop and maintain an editorial calendar that amplifies HARP's publications, policy work, and stakeholder engagement.
  • Build and maintain HARP's media list; support HARP leadership and staff in direct engagement with reporters, managing external PR resources and relationships as needed.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in communications, with a track record in policy, nonprofit, membership association, consulting, or government settings.
• Bachelor's degree required.
• Clear track record of developing and executing high-impact communications strategies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex concepts clearly to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated leadership experience, including launching or establishing communications processes (e.g., workflows, templates, shared standards) in a collaborative, results-oriented culture.
• Experienced with digital communications tools, content management systems, social media, and basic performance analytics.
• Exceptional strategic thinking capabilities with a ‘builder’ mindset; a proven ability to translate vision into concrete, scalable operational plans while spotting opportunities for replicability and increased impact.
• A collaborative leader and team player willing to “roll-up their sleeves.”
• A foundational learning orientation characterized by intellectual humility and curiosity; a leader who actively seeks diverse perspectives, values feedback, and thrives in a dynamic ‘learning while doing’ environment.
• Comfort operating in a nonpartisan environment that bridges multiple sectors and perspectives.
• Experience managing external contractors and vendors.
• Familiarity with health policy, criminal justice, or related fields, or the curiosity and skill to quickly learn complex policy issues.

Benefits

• $120,000-160,000 commensurate with experience and may be adjusted based on the candidate's location.
• HARP offers a competitive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401K, and more.

Location

Remote within the continental United States.