Director, Communications

Raikes Foundation; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The Raikes Foundation in Seattle seeks a Director of Communications to lead the organization’s storytelling and brand strategy. You will partner with leadership to translate complex education and equity issues into compelling content that advances the foundation’s mission.

As a mission-aligned leader, you will design and oversee cross-cutting communications programs, manage coalitions, and ensure voices across programs are represented with clarity and impact.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership in communications and coalition-building.
• Experience crafting and leading issue-based communications across diverse audiences.
• Ability to manage budgets and resources for multiple programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the foundation's communications strategy and brand.
• Translate complex social issues into compelling content to drive action.
• Coordinate with leadership and coalitions to ensure inclusive, equity-focused messaging.

Skills

Leadership in communications

Coalition-building

Content strategy

Writing and storytelling

Job description

The Raikes Foundation was launched in 2002 by Seattle based philanthropists, Jeff and Tricia Raikes, with a focus on both “what” and “how” philanthropy funds. Specifically, the foundation has had a deep commitment to youth through its long-term work in education and youth homelessness, and to supporting funders to give in more impactful ways. Over the years, the foundation has also embarked on a journey to understand and deepen its commitment to racial equity and how it serves as a through-line across all the foundation’s work. Given the multi-crisis context the country is facing, as well as a deepening awareness of the inequities baked into the systems that are supposed to support all Americans, the foundation is deepening its work on equity and justice.

ABOUT THE POSITION

With leadership from Executive Director, Dennis Quirin, the Raikes Foundation is looking to build and maintain the foundation’s brand and reputation as well as expanding its impact though communications. With this exciting focus, NPAG and the Raikes Foundation invite nominations and applications for a Director of Communications.

Reporting directly to the Executive Director, the Director will first and foremost be a mission aligned partner, compelling storyteller, and gifted communicator who is intellectually curious and has the facility to write and speak about complex social issues and sectors in a way that inspires action. The Director will work within funder and partner coalitions that help identify and deliver on field-facing communications needs. And finally, the Director will also ensure the foundation has a consistent cadence of content that is relevant, equity-focused, persuasive, and engages the foundation’s key leaders, including the co-founders, to use their voices to advance the foundation’s mission.

The ideal candidate will be an experienced leader and collaborative team member, capable of deftly working within coalitions, managing resources, and ensuring a wide range of voices are featured and heard. Strong candidates will have a deep understanding of issue-based communications and a demonstrated track record for designing and implementing communications programs focused on impact in the field. The Director of Communications will effectively steward the communications assets in a small but dynamic and growing organization and bring a strategic outlook to designing and implementing a foundation communications strategy that supports broad, cross-cutting work and knits together the needs of multiple program areas.

The Raikes Foundation’s ability to achieve its mission is enhanced by a diverse team, an inclusive culture and programmatic strategies that apply an equity lens. We seek candidates who possess the knowledge, skills, and lived experience that contribute to the diversity of our team and share a commitment to equity.

Deanna Norcross published this page in Job Board 4 years ago