Chief External Affairs Officer

Organization Description:

Vital Voices Global Partnership is a leading international non-profit organization. Vital Voices invests in women leaders who are tackling the world s greatest challenges from gender-based violence to the climate crisis, economic inequities, and more. As venture catalysts, Vital Voices is identifying leaders with a daring vision for change and partnering with them to make that vision a reality. What sets Vital Voices apart is that they make long-term, holistic investments in leaders with bold ideas for change — providing them connections, capacity, a network of their peers, financial support, and visibility for their work. Vital Voices has provided early support for leaders who went on to become Nobel Peace Laureates, US Youth Poet Laureates, Prime Ministers, award winning innovators and breakthrough social entrepreneurs. Over the past 25 years, the organization has directly invested in more than 20,000 change-makers across 184 countries, who in turn have improved the lives of millions of people in their communities and countries.

Today, Vital Voices has a staff of nearly 80 headquartered in Washington, DC. In the coming years, the organization plans to dramatically scale their impact. In early 2022, Vital Voices opened the first-ever Global Headquarters for Women s Leadership, a 30,000+ sq. ft. historic building just blocks from the White House on 16th Street. An Embassy for women and hub of activity, events, and collaborations — bringing together women leaders and their allies to tackle the world s greatest challenges.

Vital Voices Guiding Principles:

• Bold ideas and bold actions are embraced
• Collaboration is central to our success
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion is at the heart of our culture
• Funding is an enabler, not a driver
• Innovation is necessary to propel us forward
• Building trust with the women we serve and between each other is paramount
• Our approach is holistic and long team
• Difficult conversations make us better

Mission
Vital Voices invests in women leaders taking on the world s greatest challenges and accelerates collective action towards an equitable and sustainable world.

Organizational goals 2030

• Scale our proven investment model from 20,000 to 50,000 women leaders - who together will positively impact the lives of one billion people.
• Make a measurable impact on 1-2 of the greatest challenges as defined by the Vital Voices Global Network - proving the power of collective action.

Opportunity for Impact
Vital Voices provides connections, increased capacity, a peer network, financial support, skills training, and increased visibility for leaders work, which ranges from gender-based violence and climate justice to economic inequities and political disempowerment, and more. The Chief External Affairs Officer has the opportunity to join Vital Voices and play a key role in scaling the organization through global communication, advocacy, networking, and digital marketing enhancement. By creating meaningful communication both internally and externally, and effectively storytelling for a global audience, this leader will help build Vital Voice s networks across the globe to continue leveraging the collective power of female voices.

Role and Responsibilities
Reporting to the CEO, Alyse Nelson, the Chief External Affairs Officer will oversee digital marketing, internal communication, external affairs, advocacy, and PR efforts. This leader will manage a team of passionate, creative and forward thinking communications and advocacy team members, and will lead efforts across communications, digital marketing (including social media, web, email), partnerships and advocacy. As a part of the senior leadership team, this leader will serve as a subject matter expert and general strategist for the overall growth and expansion of the organization, and will work closely with C-suite executives and Board Members. Vital Voices is looking for someone with the ability to create meaningful communication strategy in a high growth organization, set both short and long term digital marketing goals, particularly with social media campaigns and presence, and grow partnerships that align with Vital Voice s mission and brand as an organization.

Additional responsibilities include:

• Define and drive a proactive, integrated communications strategy that promotes awareness of Vital Voices mission, core values, and key initiatives
• Create and develop partnerships that drive awareness and will directly benefit the communities that Vital Voices serves
• Build relationships with key media outlets and journalists to help define Vital Voices story in the press
• Lead and build a high-performing communications team of 8-10; two key hires will be a VP, Communications and VP, Marketing
• Proactively engage with executive leadership to develop high quality, creatively-written material for internal and external distribution including as part of thought leadership initiatives and in support of other organizational needs including internal communications
• Spearhead issues management and crisis response, including proactive strategic planning and counseling senior and C-Level executives during sensitive communication situations
• Work with cross-functionally across the global Vital Voices organization to support key objectives and to help team members share the Vital Voices story and mission across all channels and projects

Professional Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in communication and digital marketing within a startup and/or a mission based company; previous nonprofit experience is a plus
• Excellent written/verbal communication skills and storytelling skills required.
• Strong network of contacts, specifically at mission based organizations or non-profit organizations that are aligned with Vital Voices mission or can positively contribute to growing Vital Voices networks.
• Ability to develop cross-functional relationships both internally and externally to rapidly scale the communication and digital marketing functions as the business grows.
• Ability to handle multiple projects, set priorities, and drive results in a dynamic and innovative environment.
• Highly analytical/data-driven and understands how to optimize digital marketing levers to deliver upon overall organization goals for growth.

Personal Characteristics

• DE&I Commitment: Embrace and model the Vital Voices guiding principles, values, investment, and leadership models with the goal of supporting Vital Voices organization culture and success.
• Mission-driven with strong values and commitment to social good.
• Understanding and empathetic of nuances and complexities around providing a platform for women s voices to be heard rather than being the voice itself.
• Possess a low ego and is driven by the need for continued growth rather than the need for personal imprint on every decision.
• Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and self-awareness.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt messaging to a global audience of diverse backgrounds and levels of access to digital initiatives.
• Empathic leader able to guide teams through periods of rapid change and uncertainty.
• Highly ambitious and possesses a level of urgency regarding the future of the organization s mission and goals.

Additional responsibilities include:

• Define and drive a proactive, integrated communications strategy that promotes awareness of Vital Voices mission, core values, and key initiatives
• Create and develop partnerships that drive awareness and will directly benefit the communities that Vital Voices serves
• Build relationships with key media outlets and journalists to help define Vital Voices story in the press
• Lead and build a high-performing communications team of 8-10; two key hires will be a VP, Communications and VP, Marketing
• Proactively engage with executive leadership to develop high quality, creatively-written material for internal and external distribution including as part of thought leadership initiatives and in support of other organizational needs including internal communications
• Spearhead issues management and crisis response, including proactive strategic planning and counseling senior and C-Level executives during sensitive communication situations
• Work with cross-functionally across the global Vital Voices organization to support key objectives and to help team members share the Vital Voices story and mission across all channels and projects