Director of Communications

The Director of Communications leads the Rennie Center’s efforts to strengthen its visibility and influence across Massachusetts. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director shapes Rennie’s editorial voice and content strategy, leads its earned media strategy, and collaborates with organizational leaders and subject-matter experts to bring Rennie’s research, experience, and policy priorities into public conversations. Working across the organization, the Director creates opportunities to engage priority audiences through compelling content, media, digital channels, events, and direct outreach, while building an integrated communications operation that expands Rennie’s reach and advances its impact.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Editorial Voice and Content Strategy

• Own Rennie Center’s voice, messaging, and editorial standards across all external communications.
• Develop and manage an editorial strategy and calendar that turns Rennie’s research, programs, and ideas into timely, compelling content.
• Lead Rennie’s digital communications across its website, newsletter, social media, and other channels.
• Oversee production of print and digital communications materials, ensuring consistent quality, messaging, and brand standards.

Earned Media and Public Relations

• Develop and execute a proactive earned media strategy that increases Rennie’s visibility and advances its policy and organizational priorities.
• Build strong relationships with reporters and editors, identifying opportunities for Rennie’s research, ideas, and expertise to inform news coverage and public conversations.
• Coordinate organizational responses to relevant news, policy developments, and emerging issues.

Thought Leadership and Influence

• Work with the Executive Director and staff to ensure Rennie’s research, experience, and strategic priorities contribute to important education conversations.
• Expand opportunities for Rennie’s leaders and staff to contribute to public conversations through op-eds, commentary, speaking engagements, social media, and other high-impact channels.
• Identify Rennie’s priority audiences and develop tailored strategies for reaching and engaging them.
• Cultivate staff, board members, Policy Fellows and alumni, and organizational partners as champions who amplify Rennie’s ideas and extend its influence.

Events and Audience Engagement

• Oversee planning, communications, promotion, outreach, and day-of execution for major Rennie events, convenings, report releases, and policy briefings, both in person and virtually.
• Develop a series of strategic convenings that bring together leaders, practitioners, and policymakers to exchange ideas, inform Rennie’s work, and advance its policy agenda.
• Establish Rennie’s annual report on the Condition of Education in the Commonwealth and other signature initiatives as year-round platforms for outreach and engagement with priority audiences.

Systems and Measurement

• Integrate communications planning across Rennie’s projects and initiatives, working with staff to identify stories, audiences, and opportunities for impact from the outset.
• Manage external communications partners and develop tools and workflows—including effective use of AI—that extend capacity and improve efficiency.
• Establish and track measures of communications reach, engagement, and influence, using results to strengthen strategy over time.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Qualifications

• Significant experience leading communications, journalism, public relations, or related work, with demonstrated success developing and executing communications strategy.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity-centered communications, including the ability to communicate about education in ways that recognize the strengths and assets of students, families, and communities.
• Exceptional editorial judgment and writing skills, with the ability to translate complex ideas into clear, compelling communications for different audiences and formats.
• Demonstrated experience with earned media, including building media relationships, pitching stories, and identifying opportunities to shape public conversations.
• Experience developing thought leadership and audience engagement strategies that increase the visibility and influence of an organization and its leaders.
• Strong relationship-building and collaboration skills, with experience working across teams, supporting senior leaders and subject-matter experts, and managing multiple content streams simultaneously.

Preferred Qualifications

• Eight or more years of experience in communications, journalism, public relations, or a related field.
• Knowledge of the Massachusetts education and policy landscape.
• Existing relationships within Massachusetts education, policy, or news media.
• Experience working for a nonprofit, policy, research, or mission-driven organization.
• Technical proficiency with website and digital communications platforms, including website management, social media, email marketing, and basic SEO.
• Experience using AI and other emerging tools to strengthen communications quality and efficiency.
• Experience with multimedia communications, such as podcasts, video, or graphic design.

Rennie Center employees receive a generous benefits package; more information is available upon request.