Director, Internal Communications

ijm; Virginia; Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

International Justice Mission (IJM) seeks a Director of Internal Communications to build enterprise internal communications capabilities across a global matrix. This strategic role will shape operating models, governance, and channels to ensure clear, consistent communication across leaders, regions, and functions.

Partnering with Global Technology Solutions, the Director will evaluate platforms and tools to improve accessibility, coordination, and employee experience.

Responsibilities

• 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 enterprise communication principles (clear, timely, truthful, respectful, audience-aware, two-way).
• Build systems that improve information flow, decisions, and feedback across the enterprise.
• Establish a governance rhythm with an enterprise communications calendar and escalation path to prevent message overload.
• Define mandatory standards for major changes and cross-functional communications while preserving regional flex.
• Advise senior leaders on communication effectiveness, organizational alignment, and change readiness.

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 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.

Responsibilities

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 c