Director, Communications (Government Performance)

**POSITION DESCRIPTION**

THE PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS 

Director, Communications (Government Performance)

Communications

The Communications department supports leaders at all levels of the institution to promote project and campaign efforts, inform key audiences, and protect and advance Pew’s reputation. The department provides a comprehensive range of communications services for all programmatic and administrative units and Trusts-operated projects. Our in-house expertise includes strategy and message development; editorial; design and creative services; media event planning; digital and video production; and social media strategy and production. The department oversees all communications policies, guidelines, and processes to ensure production of the highest quality work and effectively steward Pew's resources.

Within the Communications department, the program communications team provides strategic counsel and leads the development of integrated communications strategies that advance Pew’s varied research, policy, and advocacy goals across programmatic portfolios. They collaborate with colleagues in program areas and within communications teams to ensure consistent messaging, manage media relations, and support thematic content production and targeted outreach efforts that influence public understanding and government decision-making.

Position Overview

Are you passionate about using strategic research and advocacy communications to advance domestic policy that improves public health, advances biomedical discovery, modernizes the court system, and provides greater opportunity for economic advancement for the American people? If so, this is the right opportunity for you.

In this role, you will:

• Drive communications strategy for the government performance portfolio, translating evidence-based research into compelling insights that inform policy and support advocacy efforts.

• Manage staff and multiple projects, providing clear direction, setting priorities, and maintaining high standards to drive effective, mission-aligned communications.
• undefined
• Draw on strong interpersonal and organizational skills and writing and editing abilities to assist on crosscutting content, projects, and events.
• undefinedThis position reports to the senior director, communications, is based in Pew’s Washington, DC office, and participates in Pew’s hybrid work program with core days in the office and the flexibility to telework the remaining days.  Staff also enjoy four telework “flex weeks” per year.  

Responsibilities

Communications Leadership

• Serve as part of the senior leadership team of communications staff supporting the government performance portfolio, assisting the senior director with management and development of a high-performing, cohesive, and smoothly functioning staff.
• Provide strategic and tactical counsel in difficult situations that may arise to protect organizational reputation and ability to achieve program goals.
• Support senior program leadership with internal and external communication needs, ranging from reporting to the executive office and the board, to public speaking and stakeholder engagement, including media interviews.
• Directly supervise a team of communications professionals and consultants as business case requires.
• Perform other duties or special projects as needed.

Communications Strategy

• Provide senior leadership to program communications teams and strategic communications counsel to key staff to create and execute comprehensive, integrated communications strategies that advance Pew’s research, analysis and policy objectives.
• Oversee communications for U.S. government performance policy initiatives, with the goal of influencing critical government decisions and informing the public.  
• Guide the integration of consistent messaging and prioritization of outreach within projects and across the government performance portfolio, at the local, state and federal level and with programs that intersect with Pew’s U.S. work.
• Drive integrated strategic communications planning across the team to ensure that priorities, narratives, and campaigns are aligned from concept through execution, with clear shared objectives, audience focus, and coordinated delivery across internal and external channels.
• Manage crisis communications and issues management with the senior director ensuring rapid, transparent and effective response.
• Direct development of contracts and consultants when needed, to ensure highest degree of quality-of-service delivery and standards for the unit.

Media Relations

• Cultivate and develop strategic media