Director of Communications and Public Affairs

About the Role

The Director of Communications and Public Affairs provides strategic leadership and oversight for VEA's communications, public relations, media relations, digital communications, publications, branding, and public affairs functions. Reporting to the Executive Director and serving as a member of VEA's management team, the Director provides strategic communications counsel to the Executive Director, VEA President, and organizational leadership. The role is responsible for developing and executing communications strategies that advance VEA's mission, strengthen member engagement, support organizational priorities, and effectively communicate VEA's message to members, potential members, the media, education stakeholders, and the public. The Director ensures consistent, timely, accurate, and effective organizational messaging across platforms and leads VEA's response to emerging, sensitive, and high‑profile communications matters.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, public affairs, or a related field preferred; equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience considered.
• At least seven years of progressively responsible experience in strategic communications, public relations, public affairs, journalism, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing strategic communications plans and campaigns.
• Experience supervising, developing, and evaluating professional staff.
• Experience managing departmental, project, or campaign budgets.
• Exceptional writing, editing, verbal communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated experience with media relations, including outreach, interview preparation, press strategy, and relationship building.
• Ability to provide strategic communications counsel to executive and organizational leadership.
• Experience managing sensitive, high‑profile, or rapidly developing communications matters and crisis communications.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast‑paced environment.
• Experience with digital communications, social media, email communications, websites, and emerging platforms.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments and with organizational leaders, staff, members, affiliates, consultants, vendors, and external partners.
• Strong commitment to public education, equity, and the values of the labor movement.
• Preferred experience includes work within a labor union, membership association, nonprofit, public education, advocacy, government, or other mission‑driven organization.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Department of Communications and Public Affairs, including professional and administrative communications staff.
• Establish departmental priorities, goals, work plans, and performance expectations aligned with VEA's strategic priorities.
• Supervise, coach, develop, and evaluate assigned staff.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, inclusive, and high‑performing team culture.
• Ensure departmental projects, campaigns, publications, and communications products are completed accurately, on time, and within established budgets.

Core Job Functions

• Develop, lead, and implement comprehensive communications and public affairs strategies that advance VEA's mission, strategic priorities, organizational goals, and visibility.
• Serve as a strategic communications advisor to the Executive Director, VEA President, management team, and other organizational leaders.
• Direct VEA's internal and external communications, media relations, publications, digital communications, branding, and organizational messaging.
• Lead communications strategies supporting VEA priorities, including organizing and membership growth, legislative and public affairs initiatives, public education advocacy, and racial and social justice.
• Direct media relations and earned media strategies, including proactive outreach, press events, interview preparation, talking points, press releases, statements, and media response.
• Lead crisis and rapid‑response communications and advise leadership on sensitive, high‑profile, or emerging issues.
• Oversee VEA's digital communications strategy, including websites, social media, email communications, digital campaigns, and emerging platforms.
• Oversee planning, editorial direction, production, and distribution of the Virginia Journal of Education, The President's Communiqué, membership communications, recruitment materials, organizational publications, and other communications products.
• Assist with development of speeches, presentations, columns, talking points, correspondence, and other executive communications for the VEA President, Executive Director, and organizational leadership.
• Develop and maintain VEA's organizational brand, messaging, and visual identity, ensuring consistency across channels and campaigns.
• Collaborate with VEA departments and field staff to develop communications strategies supporting programs, campaigns, events, membership engagement, recruitment, and retention.
• Provide communications guidance, technical assistance, training, and strategic support to VEA local affiliates, leaders, members, and staff.
• Engage and manage consultants, agencies, research firms, vendors, and other external communications partners.
• Utilize research, analytics, and other data to inform communications strategies and evaluate effectiveness and reach of VEA communications and campaigns.
• Develop, administer, and monitor departmental and organizational communications and public relations budgets.
• Stay current on emerging communications trends, technologies, platforms, and best practices; identify opportunities to strengthen VEA's communications capabilities.
• Perform other duties consistent with the position as assigned by the Executive Director.

Other Requirements

• Ability to travel as required to support organizational meetings, events, campaigns, and affiliate activities.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends based on organizational needs.
• Ability to respond to time‑sensitive or rapidly developing communications matters when necessary.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary range: $125,000 – $165,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

• 95% employer‑paid medical insurance.
• 100% employer‑paid employee‑level dental and vision insurance.
• Employer‑funded Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) for eligible medical and wellness expenses.
• Defined‑benefit pension plan.
• Generous paid leave and holidays.

The Virginia Education Association is an equal‑opportunity employer committed to building a diverse team that reflects our membership and the communities we serve. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and individuals from historically underrepresented backgrounds.