Director of Communications

The African American Policy Forum (AAPF) is seeking an experienced Director of Communications to join our team!

This full-time permanent position is a hybrid in-office role at AAPF’s New York City location with three days in office Tuesday-Thursday and Monday and Friday being remote. Reporting to the Executive Director and working in close collaboration with the Director, Arts and Media and other senior leadership, the Director of Communications will be responsible for overseeing all elements of public relations/communications strategies and initiatives. The Director of Communications will be responsible for reputational management activities and serving as the lead on crisis communications. The Communications Director will provide coordination and support to AAPF’s existing teams and will work to develop a communications team for the organization.

The position entails some travel and occasional work on evenings and weekends as needed.

About AAPF

Founded in 1996, The African American Policy Forum (AAPF) is an innovative think tank that connects academics, activists, and policy-makers to promote efforts to dismantle structural inequality. We utilize new ideas and innovative perspectives to transform public discourse and policy. We promote frameworks and strategies that address a vision of racial justice that embraces the intersections of race, gender, class, and the array of barriers that disempower those who are marginalized in society. AAPF is dedicated to advancing and expanding racial justice, gender equality, and the indivisibility of all human rights, both in the U.S. and internationally.

Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Developing and promoting a cohesive identity for AAPF’s brand and leadership that positions the organization as a thought leader in the field and ensures consistent messaging across the organization;
• Engaging with the ED specifically and the senior team more broadly to develop key messaging, themes/topics, style/tone, target audiences, and appropriate communications channels;
• Generating positive and extensive media coverage of AAPF and its many projects, events, initiatives, etc., to raise the profile of the organization;
• Developing a strategic communications plan for messaging, including press releases and outreach to various publications/journalists to expand AAPF’s reach;
• Supporting hiring and recruitment to build an internal communications team;
• Incorporating use of media clipping service to monitor discussion of organization across print, online, and social media platforms;
• Researching industry and market trends and identify original and compelling themes/storylines to incorporate into campaign communications;
• Identifying and pursuing opportunities to collaborate with partner organizations and opinion leaders that advance the objectives of the organization’s campaign work;
• Developing and monitoring metrics to measure the reach/impact of communications and to identify areas of success/opportunities for improvement;
• Leading crisis management and contingency planning, providing counsel on reputational risk; and,
• Working in partnership with the Arts and Media team to manage content development for AAPF website and social media platforms.

The Ideal Candidate should have:

• Strong scholarly grounding in Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality;
• Familiarity with Kimberlé Crenshaw’s scholarship and the work and initiatives of the African American Policy Forum;
• Demonstrated commitment to tracking and engaging with national discourse on civil rights, racial and gender justice, media representation, and legal issues;
• 5–10 years of progressive experience in communications, with a proven record of leading teams and executing successful strategies;
• Media-savvy with established relationships across traditional and digital media outlets;
• Background in journalism, nonprofit communications, advocacy, or public policy strongly preferred;
• Exceptional organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment;
• Strategic thinker with deep knowledge of program management and team leadership;
• Eagerness to contribute to and facilitate collaborative, idea-driven brainstorming sessions;
• Exceptional writing, editing, and copyediting skills across multiple formats and audiences;
• Active, critical engagement with the evolving media and communications landscape;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and other digital productivity tools.

Application process

Salary will be commensurate with experience falling within the range of $100,000-$120,000. Interested candidates should apply by emailing a resume, cover letter, and writing sample to careers@aapf.org.

AAPF is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value a diverse workplace that strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.

AAPF does not tolerate any form of harassment or discrimination with respect to race, religion, color, social or ethnic origin, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), age, physical, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, veteran status, or any other status protected by local, state, or federal laws.