Vice President, External Affairs and Strategic Communications
About Tides
Tides is a nonprofit and philanthropic organization dedicated to advancing social justice. We work across the social sector to shift power to communities of color and other groups historically denied power. Centering equity and justice in everything we do, we collaborate deeply with movement leaders, nonprofits, donors, foundations, and corporations to amplify the impact of their work.
What You Will Do
Shape and Lead Tides' Narrative in a Complex Environment
Develop and execute an integrated communications and external affairs strategy aligned with organizational goals, theory of change, and financial sustainability plan.
Serve as principal counsel to the CEO and Executive Team on public positioning, message discipline, crisis response, and sequencing of public statements.
Advise the Executive Team and Board of Directors on reputational risk and narrative exposure.
Own Tides' brand architecture, persona, voice, and narrative frame across all external channels and audiences.
Drive Tides’ narrative proactively in the broader social sector landscape.
Monitor and track how mission-related issues are being framed, weaponized, or reshaped across media, political, and cultural spaces.
Exercise disciplined judgment on when to lead public conversation, when to amplify coalition partners, and when strategic restraint better serves the mission.
Elevate Brand Positioning and Public Presence
Oversee content strategy spanning earned media, owned channels, executive thought leadership, annual reports, and Tides publications.
Lead integrated marketing strategy across brand, digital, email, social, advertising, and campaign channels to build awareness, engagement, and action among target audiences.
Set and manage marketing/engagement growth goals and KPIs, including digital reach, audience growth, and supporter acquisition, that build Tides’ brand visibility and public presence, translating results into conversion metrics in partnership with Business Development.
Oversee Tides’ website, digital properties, and marketing technology stack; ensure data-informed decision-making and appropriate investment in analytics, CRM, and automation tools.
Direct brand and creative development, including visual identity, design systems, and campaign creative, working with in-house staff and agency partners.
Partner Across the Organization to Align Strategy and Messaging
Partner with Tides Foundation, Tides Center, and Business Development leadership to lead public-facing campaigns, mobilization moments, and integrated marketing calendars.
Partner with the Chief Programs Officer to align communications with fundraising strategy, donor stewardship, and major-gift engagement.
Partner with Tides Foundation, Tides Center, and Business Development to co-develop donor-facing content that demonstrates impact, addresses current-moment concerns, and reinforces the case for sustained and expanded investment.
Support Board communications, including board meeting preparation, board-facing updates, and ambassadorship materials.
Partner with the Executive Team, the People Team, and Internal Communications staff to ensure external positioning and internal messaging are coordinated, particularly ahead of significant announcements, crises, and politically sensitive external statements.
Lead and maintain a shared messaging architecture so talking points, positioning documents, and narrative frames are consistent across staff-facing and public-facing channels.
Enhance and Modernize the Communications Function
Lead, develop, and retain a high-performing marketing and external communications team; coach direct reports and cultivate strength within the function.
Manage the marketing and external communications budget, including agency, consultant, platform, production, and paid media spend.
In partnership with the Chief People Officer, co-lead Tides’ internal communications team, integrating internal and external communications strategies and messaging as applicable.
Select, manage, and hold accountable external agency and vendor partners; build a trusted "extended team" model that scales capacity without permanent headcount.
Establish KPIs and reporting cadence across marketing performance, external communications, reputation health, earned media impact, and audience growth.
Build Crisis Response and Reputation Management Capacity
Partner with the Chief Legal and Compliance Officer to manage the intersection of communications with regulatory, legal, financial, and investigative risk.
Own organizational crisis communications planning, playbook maintenance, and live response.
Coordinate with Executive Team and Senior Leaders during incidents, whether internal or external.
Maintain a pre-approved response architecture for attack vectors so the organization can move with speed when required.
What You Will Bring
A deep and sustained commitment to Tides' mission and JEDI values, grounded in an equity-centered approach that advances justice, builds transformative partnerships, centers community power and agency, and fosters trust through accountability and service.
15 years of relevant experience, with 10 years in a senior-level leadership capacity.
Demonstrated experience as principal marketing and communications counsel to a CEO, Executive Director, or equivalent senior principal.
Proven track record in crisis communications at national scale, including politically or ideologically charged incidents.
Deep national media relationships with demonstrated placement across mainstream, political, and movement press.
Experience with mission-driven, advocacy, or politically active organizations (nonprofit, 501(c)(3)/(c)(4), political, or public-interest).
Demonstrated marketing and brand leadership, including brand strategy, digital marketing, audience growth, and measurable campaign results.
Experience with mission-driven, advocacy, or politically active organizations (nonprofit, 501(c)(3)/(c)(4), political, or public-interest).
Experience managing lean teams and extended vendor networks under resource constraints.
Excellent judgment when handling sensitive legal, personnel, and political matters.
Excellent written and verbal communication, including executive speechwriting and op-ed drafting.
Ability to ground all work in a deep commitment to the Tides mission and JEDI values, applying an equity center lens to strategy, practice, and engagement.
Application Instructions
Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and applications (résumé with cover letter) should be sent via the Isaacson, Miller website: https://www.imsearch.com/open-searches/tides/vice-president-external-affairs-and-strategic-communications. For best consideration, please apply by August 10, 2026. Electronic submission of materials is required.
Equal Employment Opportunity
We look forward to reviewing applications from all qualified job seekers. We strongly encourage applications from women, people of color, and bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the LGBTQIA+ communities. No applicant will be discriminated against because of their race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, or medical condition including acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related conditions.
Reasonable Accommodation
If you are in need of an accommodation, please advise in writing at the time you apply.