Senior Communications Officer, Policy

Responsibilities

• Translate program strategies, research, field intelligence, and emerging opportunities into clear communications strategic plans with defined narratives and measurable objectives that advances RWJF’s broader communications objectives and organizational priorities.
• Shape and prioritize communications priorities by assessing strategic importance, complexity, timing, and intended impact and recommending where communications effort should be focused in order to strengthen, engage, and activate target audiences to act around key narratives and policy changes.
• Embed health equity and Truth, Repair, and Transformation principles into communications counsel, message framing, constituent engagement, and prioritization so support advances RWJF priorities in ways that are inclusive, audience-aware, and aligned to One Voice.
• Serve as communications counselor to vice presidents, associate vice presidents, and other internal constituents, clarifying objectives, sharpening choices, and aligning communications approaches to audience needs and organizational goals.
• Develop strategic direction, briefs, and decision points that enable the Communications Studio and other communications partners to execute high-impact campaigns with coherence, quality, and consistency while maintaining alignment through handoff and delivery
• Refine communications recommendations as priorities evolve by incorporating audience insight, feedback, and learning from prior work to strengthen future strategic direction.
• Manage assigned budgets and associated contracts and vendor relationships that provide strategic communications expertise and counsel.
• Distinguish high-value communications opportunities from lower-value activity and prioritize based on mission, audience, timing, complexity, and organizational impact.
• Convert complex program, policy, research, and field inputs into clear communications strategy and audience-relevant direction.
• Advise internal collaborators with credibility and clarity, helping them make sharper choices about objectives, positioning, sequencing, and amplification aligned with the One Voice strategy.

Requirements

• Commitment to racial and health equity and to the Foundation’s vision, values, and Guiding Principles.
• Led or advised communications strategy for complex initiatives, programs, or issue areas rather than serving primarily as a task executor.
• Translated complex subject matter into clear messaging, narrative direction, and communications approaches for internal and external audiences.
• Worked across multiple constituent groups with different priorities and levels of communications fluency and built alignment around a shared direction.
• Shaped communications priorities by weighing strategic importance, complexity, timing, and organizational impact.
• Developed briefs, strategic direction, or decision points for cross-functional communications partners responsible for execution.
• Supported initiatives that required sound judgment in sensitive, high-visibility, or changing contexts.
• Used research, audience insight, feedback, or performance learning to develop and strengthen communications strategic recommendations.
• Developed and managed budgets; Hired and managed vendors, consultants, and project timelines.
• Minimum of ten years of experience with at least (5) years of experience specifically related to strategic communications in a policy-related environment.

Benefits

• Benefits RWJF offers comprehensive health and retirement benefits to employees, generous paid time off, and more.
• Transition Stipend A transition stipend is provided to all new hires to aid in costs related to transitioning to a new job.