Communications Manager, Global Programs

International Justice Mission; Virginia (MN); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision benefits

Commuter benefits

Retirement benefits

Paid leave and holidays

Spiritual formation programs

Staff care resources

Job summary

International Justice Mission (IJM) is seeking a Communications Manager to lead messaging strategy that translates program work into clear, compelling external communications for mass audiences. The role collaborates with Global Programs, Revenue Resources, and Global Marketing Communications and is hybrid (onsite Tue/Thu in the Washington, DC area) or remote for non-local candidates.

You will develop messaging frameworks, manage key messages, ensure survivor-centered storytelling, and support

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, writing, marketing, journalism, English, nonprofit management, or related field.
• 7+ years of experience in strategic communications, marketing communications, campaign communications, content strategy, brand messaging, or related roles.
• Experience developing messaging for multiple audience profiles, including mass audiences, major donors, institutional partners, media, and senior leaders.
• Experience working across cultures and functions with program experts, regional teams, communications partners, and senior leaders.
• Strong strategic communications and messaging architecture skills, with ability to develop repeatable frameworks, narrative guidance, and reusable content assets.
• Advanced writing, editing, and editorial judgment.
• Demonstrated experience developing mass-audience marketing messages for international development contexts is strongly preferred.
• Role reports to the Global Director, Marketing Communications and provides strategic communications direction to IJM’s leadership and cross-functional partners.

Responsibilities

• Develop and operationalize messaging strategies that align programmatic evidence, organizational priorities, and IJM's Brand Platform
• Lead mass audience positioning for key portfolios and ensure messaging is compelling for external audiences
• Make complex programmatic truths clear, relevant, and accessible for external audiences
• Create and maintain key messages, messaging frameworks, and authoritative content adaptable across audiences and platforms
• Ensure program communications are accurate, survivor-centered, dignified, and aligned with brand standards
• Coordinate with program, regional, marketing, fundraising, and media teams to align communications and ensure consistency
• Lead end-to-end messaging development for priority program areas with alignment to program evidence and audience needs
• Lead and produce content strategy, audience positioning, and key-message development for IJM's priorities
• Build scalable content systems that adapt a core truth for different audiences and uses without drift
• Use audience insights and content performance to refine messaging strategy and improve clarity and engagement
• Translate complex models, data, and technical language into accessible external communications
• Apply survivor-centered storytelling and ethical messaging principles
• Provide strategic editorial counsel to partners on audience relevance and cultural context
• Participate in IJM's community of spiritual formation

Skills

Strategic communications

Marketing communications

Campaign communications

Content strategy

Brand messaging

Mass-audience messaging

Editing/writing

Narrative frameworks

Cross-cultural collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in communications/related field

Job description

Who We Are International Justice Mission (IJM) is the global leader in protecting vulnerable people from violence around the world. Our team of over 1,200 professionals are at work worldwide in over 30 offices. Together we are on a mission to rescue millions, protect half a billion, and make justice unstoppable. We are a global community that cares for one another. We believe that the way we work is as important as the results we achieve. We provide professional excellence with joy and celebration to all those we serve.

The Need For over 25 years, IJM has pioneered the work to protect vulnerable people from violence. 9 out of 9 times in the last decade, IJM’s Justice System Strengthening Projects have reduced slavery and violence between 50 and 85% for very large populations of people in poverty. As we grow to expand our impact to protect 500 million people from violence, we are seeking a Communications Manager to lead messaging strategy that translates IJM’s casework and innovative protection programs into clear, compelling marketing communications for mass audiences.

This role serves as a key collaborator between Global Programs, Revenue Resources, and Global Marketing Communications. It partners with subject matter experts to define content strategy, position programs for mass audiences, and develop repeatable messages. It then translates that strategy into messaging frameworks and source-of-truth content for priority audiences, marketing campaigns, and media. This position is hybrid (onsite Tuesdays & Thursdays) if located in the Washington, DC area or remote for non-local candidates and reports to the Global Director, Marketing Communications. This role requires current authorization to work in the United States. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position, now or in the future.

Responsibilities

• Develop and operationalize messaging strategies that align programmatic evidence, organizational priorities, and IJM's Brand Platform
• Lead mass audience positioning for forced labor slavery/human trafficking, violence against women and children, online sexual exploitation of children, and police abuse of power portfolios
• Make complex programmatic truths clear, relevant, and compelling for external audiences
• Create and maintain key messages, messaging frameworks, and authoritative content that can be adapted across audiences, platforms, and uses
• Ensure program communications are accurate, culturally sensitive, survivor-centered, dignified, and consistent with brand and ethical storytelling standards, message, structure, and audience experience
• Coordinate with program, regional, marketing, fundraising, and media teams to align communications and enable consistent adoption of approved messages
• Lead end-to-end messaging development for priority program areas, ensuring alignment with program evidence, organizational strategy, audience needs, and brand standards
• Lead working sessions that clarify the communications challenge, establish audience priorities, and align partners around a clear messaging direction
• Lead and produce content strategy, audience positioning, message architecture, and key-message development for IJM's programmatic priorities
• Build scalable content systems that allow one core programmatic truth to be adapted for different audiences, platforms, and communications objectives without message drift
• Use audience insights, partner feedback, and content performance to refine messaging strategy and improve clarity and engagement
• Translate complex program models, evidence, data, and technical language into accessible, accurate, and compelling external communications
• Apply survivor-centered storytelling and dignified messaging principles when communicating about violence, exploitation, casework, and lived experience
• Build communications capability by developing practical guidance and repeatable tools that help teams use approved program messaging consistently
• Provide strategic and editorial counsel to program and communications partners on audience relevance, message hierarchy, cultural context, and ethical storytelling
• Participation in IJM's community of spiritual formation

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, writing, marketing, journalism, English, nonprofit management, or related field
• 7+ years of experience in strategic communications, marketing communications, campaign communications, content strategy, brand messaging, or related roles
• Experience developing messaging for multiple audience profiles, including mass audiences, major donors, institutional partners, media, and senior leaders
• Experience working across cultures and functions with program experts, regional teams, communications partners, and senior leaders
• Strong strategic communications and messaging architecture skills, with ability to develop repeatable frameworks, narrative guidance, and reusable content assets
• Advanced writing, editing, and editorial judgment
• Demonstrated experience developing mass-audience marketing messages for international development contexts is strongly preferred
• This role reports to the Global Director, Marketing Communications. It does not directly supervise staff but provides strategic communications direction to IJM’s leadership and cross-functional partners.

Critical Qualities

• Eager commitment to IJM's Core Values: Christian, Professional and Bridge-Building
• Self-starter with strong initiative
• Disciplined with priorities
• Strong interpersonal skills and self-awareness
• Exceptional verbal and written communication
• Flexible, collaborative and eager to support others
• Effective team player who fosters collaborative environment
• Global and cultural awareness, with sensitivity to communicating across diverse audiences and contexts
• Adept at creative problem solving

What does IJM have to offer?

• Comprehensive Medical/Dental/Vision benefits
• Monthly commuter and parking benefits in the DC metro area
• Retirement benefit options
• Paid leave starting at 23 days 12 holidays (plus early release the day prior)
• Daily, quarterly, and annual community spiritual formation
• Robust staff care resources
• IJM holds strict safeguarding principles and a zero tolerance to violations of the Safeguarding Policy, Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment Policy, and Code of Ethics.

Candidate selection is based on technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring criteria subject to assessing the candidate’s value congruence and thorough background, police clearance, and reference check processes. At IJM, we’re committed to building a diverse workforce through fair and equitable employment practices. IJM encourages people of any race, color, age, sex, marital status or political ideology to apply for employment. While we welcome everyone into this work, we truly believe that the work we are doing is God’s work, not our own, and practice spiritual disciplines together daily. That’s why we legally require under SEC. 2000e-1 [Section702] of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that all employees practice a mature orthodox Christian faith, as defined by the Apostles’ Creed. IJM requires a background check, police clearance and thorough review of references with an employment offer and/or employment contract.

International Justice Mission (IJM) is the global leader in protecting vulnerable people from violence around the world. Our team of over 1,300 professionals are at work worldwide in over 20 countries. Together we are on a mission to rescue millions, protect half a billion, and make justice unstoppable. We are a global community that cares for one another. We believe that the way we work is as important as the results we achieve. We provide professional excellence with joy and celebration to all those we serve.

Learn more about our work at ijm.org Visit our careers site below to learn about benefits, what it is like to work at IJM and to see frequently asked questions. https://www.ijm.org/careers IJM is a leader in the global effort to safeguard vulnerable people. In compliance with International Safeguarding Standards (UNICEF, IASC 6 core principles on PSEA, IASC Minimum operating standards on PSEA and CHS) we commit to a zero-tolerance policy and to take measures to prevent harm against anyone who comes into contact with IJM and its work. By choosing to move forward in the assessment and hiring process you are affirming you will abide by IJM’s Safeguarding Policy, Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment Policy, Code of Ethics and related procedures.