Vice President, Communications

Mercy Housing; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare plans

Dental and vision

Paid time off

Company holidays

403b + match

Life insurance

Employee assistance

Volunteer leave

Pet insurance

Job summary

Mercy Housing, the nation’s largest affordable housing provider, seeks a visionary Vice President of Communications to lead the national strategy, brand, and influence. This role advises the ELT, shapes the brand narrative, and elevates visibility and philanthropy across diverse audiences.

The position leads internal and external comms, earns media, and drives strategic plan communications while supporting regional teams in a hybrid work model.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive enterprise communications leadership in internal/external comms
• Experience in nonprofit, affordable housing, or mission-driven orgs preferred
• Experience leading and developing professional staff in complex environments

Responsibilities

• Lead the national communications strategy and team to advance Mercy Housing's mission and brand
• Translate strategies into annual and quarterly plans with measurable outcomes
• Establish editorial calendars and reporting to improve visibility and accountability
• Partner with executives to shape communications strategies across the enterprise
• Lead internal communications and change management across regional teams
• Build communications capability with tools, standards, and coaching for leaders
• Oversee media relations, storytelling, and reputation management in collaboration with senior leaders
• Develop executive communications for key organizational initiatives and leaders
• Manage budgets, agency relationships, and external vendor expenditures
• Establish performance metrics and reporting to demonstrate impact
• Travel regularly to Mercy Housing's geographic locations

Skills

Strategic leadership

Writing & storytelling

Media relations

Internal communications

Change management

Education

Bachelor's degree in communications or related field

Job description

At Mercy Housing, the nation's largest affordable housing provider, we believe that business and mission are not competing values. Our core values of Respect, Justice, and Mercy guide how we serve our residents, support our employees, and work together to create stable, vibrant communities.

The Vice President of Communications will lead Mercy Housing’s national communications strategy and team, setting the vision, standards, and operating model that advance the organization’s mission, brand, and influence nationwide. This role is responsible for building and leading a proactive, high-performing communications function that positions Mercy Housing as a trusted national voice, thought leader in affordable housing, and reliable steward of philanthropic and public resources.

Serving as a strategic advisor to the Executive Leadership Team, this role shapes Mercy Housing’s brand narrative, strengthens internal and external communications, and supports long-term organizational goals including increased visibility, the ability to secure transformational philanthropic investments, recognition as an employer of choice, and deeper trust and collaboration between national and regional teams.

This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule.

Location: Denver, CO

Pay: $160-175k annually, depending on experience.

Benefits

• Several Healthcare plans to choose from, dental (free basic dental option) and vision
• Early close Fridays (3 paid hours each Friday), early close prior to a holiday (3 paid hours)
• 15 days of earned PTO your first year, 12 company holidays + 2 floating holidays
• Paid time off between Christmas and New Year's Day
• Paid time-off to volunteer
• Paid parental and caregiver leave
• 403b + match
• Employer paid Life Insurance
• Access to free Employee Assistance Plan
• Pet insurance options

Duties And Responsibilities

• Lead communications intake, planning and prioritization processes to ensure resources are aligned with the organization's highest-priority initiatives and stakeholder needs.
• Translate enterprise communications strategies into annual and quarterly communications plans that drive organizational alignment, measurable outcomes, and effective resource allocation.
• Establish editorial calendars and reporting mechanisms that improve visibility, accountability, coordination, and execution across the organization.
• Partner with executive leaders across the enterprise to shape communications strategies that advance organizational priorities, strengthen alignment, and support effective organizational decision-making.
• Lead Mercy Housing's internal communications strategy and work collaboratively with partners to support employee communications, leadership communications, strategic plan communications, organizational announcements, and change management efforts.
• Build communications capability across the organization by providing counsel, tools, standards, and coaching that enables leaders to communicate consistently, effectively, and in alignment with Mercy Housing's mission and strategic priorities.
• Lead and develop communications staff responsible for media relations, internal communications and related communications functions, fostering a culture of accountability, responsiveness, collaboration, and high-quality execution.
• Lead Mercy Housing's earned media and storytelling strategies to strengthen the organization's reputation, visibility, and influence while supporting fundraising, advocacy, and strategic priorities. Partner with the Senior Vice President on high-risk or high visibility matters and reputation management
• Lead and collaborate on the development and production of executive communications supporting key organizational initiatives and leaders.
• Manage communications budgets, agency relationships, and external vendor expenditures, ensuring resources are allocated effectively and aligned with organizational priorities.
• Establish communications performance measures and reporting processes that demonstrate impact, inform decision-making, and support continuous improvement.
• This role requires regular travel and presence across Mercy Housing’s geographic locations.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Recruit, hire, develop, and retain a high-performing communications team aligned with Mercy Housing’s mission, values, and future-state aspirations.
• Provide coaching, feedback, and professional development to team members, fostering a culture of accountability, learning, and continuous improvement.

Minimum Qualifications

• 12 years of progressively responsible experience in enterprise communications leadership, including internal and external communications, media relations, and brand stewardship.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing, or a related field.
• Five years of experience managing and developing professional staff.
• Experience working in a national nonprofit, affordable housing, or mission-driven organization with regional operations.
• Experience leading communications in complex, highly matrixed environments.

Knowledge And Skills

• Proven ability to design and lead strategic communications functions that drive measurable outcomes related to brand, reputation, trust, engagement, and philanthropy.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with the ability to translate complex topics into clear, compelling messages for diverse audiences.
• Strong proactive and reactive media experience across earned media, media relationships and issues and crisis management.
• Strong understanding of internal communications, change communications and workforce engagement across varied roles, languages, and technology access.
• Working knowledge of print and digital communications with an emphasis on strategic use rather than tactical execution.
• Demonstrated success leading communications teams in a complex, fast-paced environment with competing priorities.
• Ability to balance strategic leadership with operational execution, including prioritization and decision-making under pressure.

Mercy Housing is a fair chance employer; while we conduct background checks for all positions, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.