Director, Internal Communications

International Justice Mission; Arlington (VA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive Medical/Dental/Vision

Commuter benefits

Paid leave

Job summary

International Justice Mission (IJM) seeks a Director, Internal Communications to build and lead IJM's enterprise internal communications capability across a global matrix. You will shape strategy, governance, and tools to ensure clear, timely, and effective communication across leaders, regions, and functions.

The role partners with Global Technology Solutions to evaluate platforms and AI-enabled channels, establishing standards for message discipline, feedback, and adoption of major

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Communications, Organizational Development, or related field.
• 8–10 years in internal communications or change communications in global or matrixed environments.
• Experience leading communications for organizational change, technology implementations, or AI initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Develop global internal communications strategy aligned to priorities and employee needs.
• Define operating model, governance, and roadmap for internal communications as a capability.
• Advise senior leaders on communication effectiveness and change readiness.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Executive communication

Change management

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft 365

SharePoint

Intranet platforms

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.

The Need

For over 25 years, IJM has pioneered work to protect vulnerable people from violence. In the last decade, IJM's Justice System Strengthening Projects have reduced slavery and violence by 50–85 percent for large populations in poverty — in nine out of nine cases. As we grow toward protecting 500 million people from violence, we're seeking a Director, Internal Communications.

The Director, Internal Communications will build IJM’s enterprise internal communications capability: the operating model, governance, channels, leader practices, change-communication discipline, and measurement system through which employees understand priorities, navigate change, and act with alignment.

This is a strategic builder role, not solely a communications production role. The Director will establish the systems, standards, and capabilities that enable leaders, managers, functions, and regions to communicate clearly, consistently, and effectively across IJM’s global matrix. The role will strengthen enterprise, operational, and change communications; improve employee understanding and adoption of major initiatives; and create intentional pathways for feedback.

In partnership with Global Technology Solutions, which owns IJM’s organization-wide AI and technology strategy, the Director will evaluate and recommend appropriate communication platforms, tools, and emerging technologies that improve clarity, accessibility, coordination, and employee experience.

This position is based in the Washington, DC area and is available to be hybrid (onsite Tuesdays & Thursdays). It reports to the Vice President, Employee Experience and requires current authorization to work in the United States. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position, now or in the future.

Strategy & Governance

• Develop and lead IJM's global internal communications strategy, aligned to organizational priorities and employee needs;
• Define a multi-year vision, operating model, governance framework, and roadmap for internal communications as an organizational capability;
• Establish a small set of enterprise communication principles (e.g., clear, timely, truthful, respectful, audience-aware, two-way) that guide how the organization communicates;
• Build systems that improve the flow of information, decisions, and feedback across the enterprise;
• Establish a governance rhythm — including an enterprise communications calendar, sequencing review, and escalation path for high-impact messages — to prevent message overload and conflicting communications;
• Define mandatory minimum standards for significant, cross-functional, or organization-impacting communications (major change rollouts, org-wide announcements, crisis communications), while preserving flexibility for teams, functions, and regions in day-to-day communications;
• Advise senior leaders on communication effectiveness, organizational alignment, and change readiness;
• Set standards that improve message consistency while reducing communication overload; and
• Ensure employees have clear visibility into strategic priorities, key decisions, and mission impact.

Operational & Change Communications

• Define standard pathways for how information and decisions move through the matrix, including manager cascade guidance, consultation expectations, and regional/local translation of enterprise messages;
• Partner with functions and departments to strengthen communications around policies, processes, systems, and organizational change;
• Build organizational capability in change communications and adoption strategy;
• Develop tools and standards — templates, playbooks, audience mapping tools, cascade plans — that help leaders communicate change with clarity, consistency, and empathy, from strategy through sustainment; and
• Establish listening and feedback mechanisms to gauge employee engagement and adjust communication approaches accordingly, including as the organization further adopts AI and other new technologies.

Communication Culture & Employee Experience

• Shape communication norms that support collaboration, accountability, and transparency, including expectations for meeting norms, channel use, response times, and escalation practices;
• Develop training and resources that strengthen everyday communication across meetings, leadership updates, escalation pathways, and cross-functional collaboration; and
• Build shared expectations for healthy matrix collaboration, including timely follow-up and clarity in cross-functional exchanges.

Measurement & Continuous Improvement

• Establish metrics and reporting that measure communication effectiveness, adoption, and organizational impact;
• Use employee feedback and communication data to inform strategy and identify improvement opportunities; and
• Establish and oversee an enterprise communication channel strategy — including a clear channel map defining the purpose of each major channel (e.g., IJM All email, All Hands, SharePoint, Teams, manager meetings, newsletters) — and evaluate and optimize platforms, tools, and emerging technologies, including AI, to improve effectiveness, consistency, and employee experience.

Partnership & Leadership

• Serve as a trusted advisor to executives and leaders on communication strategy and execution;
• Build strong partnerships across Global People Support, the Global Leadership Team, regional leadership, and functional teams; and
• Lead and develop team members — including the Manager, Internal Communications — and external partners supporting the internal communications portfolio.

General Tasks

• Participate in IJM’s community of spiritual formation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required; advanced degree in Communications, Organizational Development, Change Management, Journalism, Public Relations, Business Administration, or related field preferred;
• 8–10 years of progressive experience in internal communications, change communications, organizational effectiveness, employee engagement, or corporate communications, including experience in a global or matrixed environment;
• Demonstrated success developing and implementing enterprise-wide internal communications strategies, and building the systems and governance models that support them;
• Experience leading communications for organizational change, transformation, technology implementation, or enterprise-wide adoption — including communicating complex business, technology, or AI-related initiatives to diverse audiences;
• Working knowledge of change management principles and experience partnering with leaders to drive adoption and behavior change;
• Strong grasp of communication channels, audience segmentation, planning, and executive communications;
• Experience advising senior leaders on communication strategy and messaging;
• Strong analytical skills, with experience using engagement data and communication metrics to inform decisions;
• Experience managing communications platforms, intranets, or digital workplace tools preferred; familiarity with AI-enabled communication tools and emerging workplace technologies a plus; and
• Exceptional written, verbal, presentation, and facilitation skills.

Critical Qualities

• Eager commitment to IJM's Core Values: Christian, Professional, and Bridge-Building
• Mature orthodox Christian faith;
• Strategic systems thinker able to design scalable organizational solutions;
• Strong listener who values employee perspectives
• Brings clarity and direction amid ambiguity and change;
• Curious about how AI and emerging technology are reshaping organizations and employee experience;
• Adaptive, humble, resilient, and tenacious in pursuing goals;
• Culturally aware and appreciative of difference;
• Strong service ethic and sound judgment in ambiguous situations;
• Builds trust and influence across teams; and
• Self‑accountable, meets deadlines with minimal supervision.

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.