Executive Director, EaR Strategy & Alignment, Public Affairs

About the role

The Engagement and Reach (EaR) division advances College Board’s mission by shaping how our work is understood, experienced, and acted on—helping protect the organization’s reputation while accelerating engagement and growth. This is a full-time, fully remote role with occasional travel to CB offices.

Responsibilities

• Own coordinated strategy and measurable outcomes across Public Affairs disciplines, while discipline leaders retain execution ownership within their respective domains

• Act as the primary day-to-day EaR contact for GPER, L&A, HMA, and other policy-adjacent teams

• Operate as a senior embedded partner within divisional leadership teams

• Provide strategic counsel on communications approach, sequencing, and risk

• Escalate conflicts or alignment gaps as needed and ensure timely resolution

• Lead Integrated Policy and Research Communications Strategy

• Translate legislative agendas, regulatory developments, research roadmaps, and stakeholder priorities into coordinated communications campaigns

• Develop structured campaign plans that align messaging, media strategy, executive positioning, stakeholder sequencing, and risk mitigation

• Align communications strategy in support of priority partnerships, endorsements, and sponsorships that advance policy, research, or stakeholder objectives

• Ensure communications strategies evolve as policy, regulatory, research, or partnership dynamics shift

• Orchestrate the EaR Studio Model

• Leverage Intelligence and Foresight to Strengthen Impact

• Provide clear insight into external dynamics and communications implications

• Drive Execution, Measurement, and Reporting

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in public affairs, policy communications, or strategic communications, including significant experience within complex, high-visibility, politically sensitive environments

• Significant experience supporting state or federal legislative or regulatory initiatives through communications strategy

• Strong communications strategy background, including experience designing and executing integrated campaigns that marshal media, messaging, and stakeholder sequencing across policy and research initiatives

• Proven ability to lead cross-program or cross-organizational strategy in complex, matrixed settings, building trust and influence without direct authority and working through ambiguity

• Exceptional writing skills, with demonstrated ability to translate complex policy or research content into clear, compelling narratives

• Proven ability to collaborate with research or subject matter experts to align publication releases with strategic messaging and media engagement

• Proven ability to assess external landscapes, anticipate risks and opportunities, and recommend effective engagement strategies

• Strong rapid response and crisis communications experience in politically or publicly sensitive environments

• A goal- and metric-oriented mindset with experience using data and insights to guide strategy and measure impact

• Executive presence, including the ability to represent EaR credibly with senior program leaders, navigate complex conversations, influence decision-making, and communicate clearly and confidently

• Ability to manage multiple initiatives, priorities, and stakeholders simultaneously

• Ability to travel 4 to 7 times per year to College Board offices or on behalf of College Board business