Senior Director of Communications
Position Overview
The Senior Director oversees communications, content development, events, stewardship communications, and organizational positioning efforts that support Baltimore's Promise's mission and growth, with a strong advancement-facing focus.
Serve as a key implementation partner to the Senior Leadership team by translating advancement strategy into coordinated communications, stewardship activities, engagement opportunities, and advancement materials that advance Baltimore's Promise's organizational goals.
The role supports fundraising and partnership development activities, and ensures consistent communications execution in support of the advancement function.
Why Now
Baltimore's Promise is working to ensure 42,000 more Baltimore City youth and young adults achieve economic mobility by 2030, as part of StriveTogether's 4 Million Futures campaign. The Senior Director of Communications & Advancement advances this goal directly: by building the public and funder narrative that drives investment toward it, working closely with the Chief of Advancement & Strategic Partnerships to translate outcomes and impact data into materials that mobilize the Board, philanthropic and public funders, and cross-sector partners, and ensuring BP's positioning and advancement materials keep the 42K goal visible, credible, and compelling to the stakeholders whose support is required to reach it. This includes centering the stories of Baltimore City youth and young adults themselves, shifting the narrative from deficit-framed accounts of the city's children to one grounded in their strength, agency, and potential — and showing funders, partners, and the public what's possible when the city invests in that potential.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1) Communications & Narrative Leadership
Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of an organization-wide communications strategy that aligns with Baltimore’s Promise’s mission, values, and strategic priorities.
Advise and partner with senior leadership on positioning, thought leadership, major initiatives, and issues management; support executive leaders in serving as organizational spokespersons and represent Baltimore's Promise as appropriate.
Establish clear priorities, workflows, decision-making processes, and governance for communications across the organization.
Build and lead a high-performing communications function, shaping future staff and contractor roles to support organizational growth.
Own and evolve Baltimore’s Promise’s brand identity and messaging architecture, ensuring clarity, coherence, and fidelity across programs, initiatives, and channels
2) Editorial Oversight, Content Production, and Translation
Act as a hands-on contributor: review and edit documents across the organization (reports, briefs, memos, proposals, policy notes) to ensure accuracy, tone, and alignment with equity commitments.
Draft and shape high-impact materials, including executive reports, briefs, talking points, op-eds, speeches, fundraising, and advocacy content.
Develop presentations and visual materials (decks, one-pagers, infographics) to support programmatic and policy objectives.
Translate complex work into clear, compelling content for diverse audiences (youth, families, partners, funders, policymakers), ensuring accessibility and impact.
Maintain and oversee editorial calendars, ensuring timely delivery of materials across channels.
3) External Relations, Digital, and Internal Communications
Design and implement a proactive media relations strategy; cultivate relationships with reporters, editors, and influencers; prepare leadership for media engagements.
Oversee digital strategy and channels (website, email, social media), ensuring alignment with overall goals and stakeholder journeys.
Lead internal communications to keep staff informed, aligned, and engaged; develop resources to support consistent, values-aligned messaging.
Ensure race equity and inclusion are embedded in all external and internal communications.
4) Systems, Infrastructure, Vendor/Contractor Management, and Measurement
Build and manage communications systems, processes, and tools (planning calendars, asset libraries, intake forms) to move the organization from reactive to proactive communications.
Manage two current external agency/vendor relationships, ensuring quality, alignment, and efficient resource use; supervisory scope is expected to grow as the department builds out and adds staff.
Develop and manage the communications budget; forecast, track, and report on spending and impact.
Define and monitor key communications KPIs (reach, engagement, reputation, influence) and report progress to leadership and the Board; use insights to refine strategy.
5) Communications Support for Advancement & Stewardship
Manage the annual communications plan supporting advancement, and align on shared calendars with the advancement team.
Produce stewardship communications, funder updates, and cultivation materials, coordinating with the advancement team to meet proposal timelines.
Develop and maintain advancement materials including impact reports, case statements, one-pagers, presentations, annual reports, and supporting materials that advance Baltimore's Promise's investable plan and fundraising strategy.
Support Board communications, engagement materials, and advancement-related reporting.
Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)
Core Competencies
Deep understanding that the entire communications lifecycle—from strategy and message development to dissemination and audience engagement—must be centered in equity and driven by the voices of the community and the youth Baltimore’s Promise serves.
10+ years of progressive experience in strategic communications, editorial leadership, media relations, or related fields; 3–5 years in a senior organizational communications leadership role; experience in complex, multi-stakeholder environments (nonprofits, philanthropy, advocacy, public sector).
Experience in advancement/development communications (donor and funder stewardship, cultivation materials, fundraising campaigns) and in policy communications (policy notes, advocacy content, translating policy positions for public and legislative audiences); comfort operating in both registers is required given this role's dual reporting relationship to communications and advancement strategy.
Demonstrated success leading organization-wide communications, or serving as a senior communications leader responsible for brand, messaging, and external visibility.
Ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on production. The successful candidate will lead the function and directly contribute to producing high-quality work.
Strong editorial judgment with superb writing, editing, and storytelling skills; ability to translate complex ideas and data into clear, compelling content for diverse audiences.
Proven track record developing and executing integrated communications strategies across media relations, digital/social, content development, and thought leadership.
Demonstrated commitment to ethical communications (accuracy, representation, consent, responsible storytelling) and to race equity in all work.
Sound judgment on the responsible use of AI tools in content development: maintaining human editorial control, honoring consent, and never using AI to generate or composite youth stories, quotes, or likenesses; disclosing AI involvement in published materials where appropriate.
Hands-on Capabilities
Exceptional ability to draft and edit high-quality content across formats (reports, briefs, op-eds, speeches, presentations, fundraising materials).
Experience developing presentations and visual materials (decks, one-pagers, infographics) and translating complex work into accessible content for broad audiences.
Proficiency with content and editorial calendars, email marketing systems, media databases, website CMS, and social media management tools.
Experience supervising staff and/or managing external vendors/consultants with a collaborative, coaching-oriented leadership style.
A personal philosophy and commitment to collective action, authentic collaboration, and youth-focused, equity-centered storytelling.
Leadership and Collaboration
Experience building and leading a cross-functional team; ability to develop other leaders; collaborative, coaching-oriented approach.
Experience working with Boards, funders, and executive leaders on messaging complex, politically sensitive issues.
Preference for experience working with youth and intergenerational collaborations; familiarity with Baltimore’s Promise context is a plus.
In addition to the responsibilities, all Baltimore's Promise staff are expected to seek out and take advantage of opportunities that our partners and our community provide for us to learn, connect, and show up to support values-aligned efforts in Baltimore. In particular, staff are encouraged to be in spaces that are focused on Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) youth and young adults and stakeholders who directly relate to your portfolio of work and professional network.
Compensation and Benefits:
This position is classified as exempt and is not eligible for overtime compensation in accordance with the policies set forth by Baltimore's Promise and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The annualized compensation for this position is $135,000. Please note that this compensation is firm. Baltimore's Promise compensation ranges are determined by the responsibilities and level of authority required by each position as opposed to individual candidates' qualifications or pedigree. This is an intentional attempt to mitigate pay inequities that are in part driven by systemic and implicit racism and gender bias impacting career trajectories and negotiation. However, to honor individual candidates' unique experiences and assets, this position is eligible for a one-time hiring bonus.
This is a full-time position with full benefits, including CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield health insurance, dental and vision insurance, paid time off, paid parental leave, cellphone and mileage stipends, and support for professional development opportunities.
Hybrid Work Schedule: Baltimore's Promise is an in-person, team-based organization. Staff are expected to be in the office approximately 2–3 days per week on average, with some weeks requiring a greater in-person presence (up to 5 days), depending on the work, meetings, and community needs. In-person collaboration is the default for planning, decision-making, and strategic conversations, while virtual meetings are used intentionally. We value flexibility and trust staff to self-manage their schedules within these shared expectations.
Please visit www.baltimorespromise.org/benefits to view the many additional benefits that Baltimore's Promise offers to its hard-working staff.
Travel: Travel around Baltimore City for in-person meetings and into the office for staff meetings is a regular occurrence. Occasional travel includes national conferences, staff retreats, and meetings around the state.
To Apply:
Submit the following application materials as a PDF by clicking the link below:
Resume
Cover Letter
2–3 communications work samples that demonstrate your experience in strategic communications, storytelling, and/or content development (e.g., campaigns, narrative frameworks, op-eds, speeches, reports, digital content). Samples should reflect your own writing and editorial judgment; if AI tools were used in producing a sample, please note where and how.
Statement of your approach to applying a race equity and inclusion lens to communications strategy, message development, and storytelling. (Maximum word length 250 words)
Names, titles, and relational context of 3 professional references. We will not contact references unless you advance in the application process, and we will inform you before contacting them.
We are reviewing application submissions and scheduling interviews on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Please submit your materials as soon as possible.
Apply Here: https://baltimorespromise.formstack.com/forms/srdirectorofcommunication
Application materials submitted through online job platforms or by email will not be considered.
ABOUT BALTIMORE'S PROMISE
Baltimore's Promise is a citywide collaborative composed of public, business, higher education, nonprofit, community, and philanthropic leaders. We serve as a catalyst for organizing efforts and resources around a shared vision: All Baltimore City youth will travel a safe, healthy, and successful educational path from cradle to career. Baltimore's Promise uses data to report on outcomes for children from birth through their early careers in order to understand the complex needs of our city's children.
We promote a data-based approach to program and policy design—one that is informed by context and lived experience of the communities affected and conducted with the participation of all stakeholders. Recognizing enduring inequalities resulting from persisting racism, ethnocentrism, sexism, and the intersections thereof, we employ a race equity lens to all aspects of data collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation.
RACE EQUITY AND INCLUSION STATEMENT (Last Updated May 17, 2017)
Too many Baltimore City children and youth face significant obstacles to achieving their full potential. Opportunity and paths to success are not equitably available to all of our children. Through generations of collective history in our city—confirmed by bodies of research—we know inequities in opportunity and disparities in outcomes are driven by race, gender, socioeconomic status, culture, disabilities, and other societal factors. In Baltimore, systemic race-based barriers disproportionately affect Black children and youth and those in other communities of color. For Baltimore's Promise to fulfill our mission of ensuring that all children succeed, we must apply an equity lens that allows us to better understand these barriers and the challenges faced by our vulnerable children, youth and the family supporting their pathway. Acknowledging these entrenched structural impediments, Baltimore's Promise must commit to long-term strategies that will create opportunity and foster transformative change across Baltimore City.
A rigorous and sustained focus on eliminating systemic and institutional race-based barriers to opportunity is essential to achieving our objectives from cradle to career. Through this intentional approach, we can better shape targeted strategies that meet specific needs of our vulnerable children and youth while improving conditions and outcomes for all populations we serve, creating new pathways for opportunities for children, youth and families to thrive in Baltimore.
ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES
Foundational to all of Baltimore's Promise's work is ensuring it is developed, implemented, and evaluated in alignment with our organizational values, listed below, and our race equity and inclusion statement. It is of critical importance that all staff are fully aligned with our values and commitment to race equity and inclusion. This position must consistently live our values in the way they think about, approach, engage, and support Baltimore City's young people.
Equity–Our efforts and initiatives are co-developed and driven by the lived experiences of those most negatively impacted by the outcomes we seek to improve. Race, ethnicity, gender, or other attributes should not have predictive power over support, resources, and opportunities that one can access.
Hustle—We are self-starters who take the initiative to strategically identify and advance solutions to address failures in achieving positive outcomes for children, youth, and families. We work efficiently, cross-functionally, and resourcefully—with a sense of urgency—to carry out the mission of the organization.
Humanity–We honor individuals and communities by holding ourselves and our partners accountable to act with integrity, compassion, kindness, and empathy.
Creativity—We are fun and innovative. Our first idea may not be the final strategy because we look for and embrace new ideas from diverse sources. We celebrate the accomplishments of staff and partners.
Shared Accountability–Shared Accountability is our collective responsibility for the work of the organization, not a threat of sanction. When we say we will do something, we will do it, and if we don't, we will communicate our reasons why. We must be both supportive and critical of one another to ensure that we meet individual and team responsibilities that contribute to larger organizational goals.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Baltimore's Promise is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity. It is our policy to recruit, hire, train, and promote individuals, as well as administer all personnel actions, without regard to race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin or ancestry, status as an individual with a disability who is otherwise qualified to perform the essential functions of his or her position, or any other protected characteristic in accordance with applicable laws. Baltimore's Promise will not tolerate any unlawful discrimination, and any such conduct is prohibited.