Head of External Affairs

Common Sense Media | Executive Office | Reports to Co‑CEOs | In person – San Francisco, CA | Full‑time, Exempt | Salary Range: $154,000–$183,000

About the role

The Head of External Affairs will partner with Common Sense Media's leadership to shape the organization's public presence, guide communications through critical moments, and build the visibility and credibility that advance our mission. This is a senior hands‑on role that will strategize, write, build relationships, and respond in real time. The Head of External Affairs will communicate what our research means, why our partnerships matter, and where our ideas are headed. They will have a journalist's instincts for narrative and orchestrate responses from experts across the organization so we can speak clearly when time‑sensitive issues arise.

Responsibilities

Narrative Leadership

• Develop an integrated communications strategy, in partnership with the executive leadership team, that reflects the full breadth of the organization's work.
• Identify compelling ways to tell the organization's stories and describe its impact.
• Shape the breakthrough stories and position thought leadership: understanding what's interesting in the work, why audiences will care, and how to make complex ideas clear and compelling.

Media Relations & Spokesperson Role

• Cultivate relationships with journalists, pitch stories that advance the organization's position, and earn coverage that moves the needle.
• Build new relationships from scratch and know which outlets and reporters can advance the organization's goals.
• Facilitate decision‑making in high‑stakes moments, knowing when to speak and when to hold, and when an issue becomes the narrative the organization needs to own.
• Serve as an organizational spokesperson when appropriate.

Major Announcements & Events

• Lead communications for the organization's most significant moments, including new research, major funding, partnerships, and policy positions, so that each reaches its intended audiences and builds lasting impact.
• Frame and implement Common Sense Media's national and global events with the Senior Director of Strategic Events, and collaborate across teams to orchestrate timing, messaging, and visibility.

Media Training & Visibility

• Work directly with the leadership team and spokespeople to help them show up with impact, coaching on messaging, media training, and presence on the channels most relevant to our audiences.
• Raise the profile of our experts so they become trusted voices in their own right.

Brand & Values Stewardship

• Ensure consistency so that our values show up in how we communicate, and that all external and internal channels reflect Common Sense Media's commitment to impact and authentic mission‑driven work.

Skills

• Hands‑on experience in rapid response communications.
• Ability to connect communications strategy to organizational outcomes and measure results.
• Understanding of modern communications platforms and tools: analytics platforms, social management, monitoring software, PR databases.
• Lean operating mentality and high agency, low ego; curious about tech, informed about the policy environment, and comfortable learning as they go.
• Comfortable building the function pragmatically as the work grows, with strong judgment and a bias toward action.
• Understanding of the media, tech, and child development landscapes well enough to contribute strategic thinking.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of senior‑level communications leadership experience, either in‑house at organizations (mission‑driven, tech, media, policy, or similar) or at top‑tier agencies doing strategic work.
• Proven experience developing and executing strategic communications plans at the national or global