Senior Communications Advisor

Reports to: Director, Marketing & Communications | Location: Remote, U.S. | Full-time exempt position

About the Role

The Senior Communications Advisor serves as a trusted advisor to executive and senior leadership, translating Changent priorities, complex initiatives, and important decisions into compelling communications that advance our mission. This role provides senior-level counsel across communications, thought leadership, reputation, and high-visibility initiatives, applying sound judgment and an understanding of audiences, messaging, and organizational context. Working across Changent, this role connects communications to build alignment, support informed decision-making, and strengthen the organizational voice and reputation. Through thoughtful counsel and clear, purposeful communications, this role supports work that improves the lives of children, families, and communities.

Responsibilities

• Executive Communications Counsel & Advisory (30%)
  • Advise executive and senior leaders on messaging, stakeholder considerations, timing, and delivery.
  • Translate organizational strategy, decisions, and initiatives into clear and compelling communications.
  • Anticipate communications needs, assess reputational implications, and understand stakeholder reactions related to major organizational decisions.
  • Prepare executive communications, talking points, presentations, briefing materials, speeches, and organizational announcements.
  • Counsel leaders on sensitive, high-visibility, and complex communications matters.
  • Provide real-time communications guidance during organizational change, emerging issues, or periods of heightened external attention.
  • Prepare executives for high-profile internal and external engagements and stakeholder interactions.
  • Guide executive communications to reinforce organizational mission, values, brand, and strategic priorities.
• Enterprise Communications Strategy & Integration (25%)
  • Lead communications planning for enterprise-wide priorities and major organizational initiatives.
  • Advise departments on communications planning to coordinate messages, audiences, timing, and channels across the organization.
  • Partner with department leaders to clarify communications objectives and determine the most effective approach.
  • Assess enterprise communications to identify gaps, risks, and opportunities.
  • Facilitate enterprise communications planning and coordination with cross-functional teams.
  • Develop and maintain messaging frameworks, narrative guidance, communications protocols, and decision-making processes.
  • Provide strategic oversight for major organization-wide communications deliverables, including the Year in Review and other high-profile publications and campaigns.
  • Shape enterprise communications around a cohesive organizational narrative and brand position.
• Internal Communications & Change Communications (20%)
  • Develop internal communications strategies in partnership with executive leaders and the Director of Marketing and Communications.
  • Counsel leaders on communications related to organizational change, strategic priorities, leadership decisions, and major initiatives.
  • Create or oversee executive announcements, staff communications, organizational updates, and leadership messages.
  • Develop communications plans that consider employee audiences, sequencing, timing, feedback, and potential areas of concern.
  • Advise on change management communications across the organization.
  • Advise on communications for leadership and organization-wide meetings and other internal engagement opportunities.
  • Set communications standards, guidelines, and processes that promote consistency and coordination.
  • Assess the effectiveness of internal communications and recommend improvements.
• Thought Leadership, Reputation & Issues Counsel (15%)
  • Advise on thought leadership opportunities and executive positioning to strengthen the organizational voice and expertise.
  • Develop executive narratives, key messages, points of view, and positioning for priority topics.
  • Partner with subject matter experts and external agencies on thought leadership across conferences, media, and other external platforms.
  • Counsel leaders on reputational implications of public issues, policy developments, organizational decisions, and emerging events.
  • Identify communications risks and recommend proactive response strategies.
  • Support crisis and issues communications planning in partnership with the Director and external agency.
  • Advise on sensitive external communications, statements, op-eds, talking points, and public responses.
  • Link thought leadership efforts to broader organizational and reputational goals.
• Brand, Digital Governance & Strategic Projects (10%)
  • Guide the organizational narrative, brand voice, and messaging standards across high-visibility communications.
  • Provide strategic guidance on brand positioning and messaging across high-profile organizational communications.
  • Provide strategic oversight for website content, structure, governance, and updates.
  • Partner with the internal website owner and external technology firm to support website priorities and audience needs.
  • Review high-visibility communications products for strategic alignment, message clarity, and brand consistency.
  • Develop communications guidelines, review protocols, and decision frameworks in partnership with the Director.
  • Lead or advise on special communications projects requiring executive engagement and cross-functional coordination.
  • Support agency coordination by clarifying internal priorities, feedback, approvals, and subject matter expertise.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, Public Affairs, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in strategic communications, executive communications, corporate communications, public affairs, or a related field.
• Experience serving as a trusted communications advisor to executives and senior leaders.
• Experience developing communications strategies for complex, sensitive, or enterprise-wide initiatives.
• Advanced executive writing skills, including speeches, talking points, presentations, organizational announcements, briefing materials, and thought leadership content.
• Experience preparing internal and change communications.
• Experience advising on reputational risks, stakeholder reactions, crisis communications, or issues management.
• Experience supporting thought leadership and executive positioning.
• Experience working in a complex, matrixed, national, or decentralized organization.
• Experience leading complex, cross-functional communications projects without direct authority.
• Knowledge of brand strategy, narrative development, and organizational reputation.
• Exceptional judgment, discretion, diplomacy, and political awareness, with the ability to synthesize complex information and distill key messages.
• Ability to facilitate, consult, build relationships, and influence, with the ability to balance long-term priorities with urgent and evolving communications needs.
• Experience in nonprofit, healthcare, public health, policy, advocacy, or mission-driven organizations preferred.
• Ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment in a remote environment.
• Ability to travel up to 15% annually as needed.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position reports to the Director, Marketing & Communications and does not have direct reports.