Communications Director

Communications Director

Start Date: August 25, 2025

Permanent, Full-Time In-Person, Based in D.C.| Salary Range $103,000-$110,000 plus benefits

About NETWORK: Founded by Catholic Sisters in 1972, in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council, NETWORK is an inclusive, national, Catholic advocacy organization open to all who share our values, working to achieve equity and justice for everyone. Grounded in Gospel values and the Catholic social justice tradition, NETWORK transforms our society by shaping federal policies that achieve racial, economic, and social justice; serve the common good; and honor the dignity of all. We value women’s leadership, we embrace people from religious and secular backgrounds, we affirm members of the LGBTQ+ community, and we engage in the ongoing work to become a multicultural, anti-racist organization.

Why this position matters: This position develops and disseminates the public ‘voice’ and messaging for the organization, and leads the communications team of professionals. As such, NETWORK is seeking a Communications Director who is grounded in the Catholic social justice tradition, an effective leader of teams, and a creative thinker and who can lead organizational communications and effective media strategy. The NETWORK Communications Director is an experienced communications professional who has developed and executed high-level messaging and strategic internal and external materials. This person is an excellent listener and organized implementer who can integrate the organization’s mission and foundational principles into all areas of communication and who can successfully manage a team of communications professionals.

You could be our next Communications Director if you have:

• 7-10 years of progressive professional experience in communications and managerial leadership
• Master’s degree in communications, journalism or public relations or related field, with additional education / formation grounded in Catholic theology, tradition and social teaching
• A strong set of written, verbal and digital communications skills and problem solving capabilities
• A commitment to the principles of Catholic Social Teaching and dedicated to creating a multi-cultural, anti-racist organization
• Familiarity with faith-based organizations, advocacy organizations and women’s religious congregations
• Ability to shape communication strategies, effectively collaborate internally and externally, and be successful in cross team implementation
• Ability to work under pressure, work independently and on a team, meet deadlines, and manage people and multiple projects
• A high level of organizational skills and emotional intelligence
• Multi-lingual a plus

What You’ll Be Doing:

Serve as Communications Strategist

 Oversee and manage the development of all strategic communications and messaging for the organization

 Support organizational Leadership in creating, managing and delivering public messaging and comments

 Respond to crises or challenging situations quickly and professionally

 Work with all forms of media, including press releases, digital campaigns, print materials, social media, audio and video, etc.

 Develop relationships and work with external media outlets as well as other communications professionals and organizations

Lead the Communications Team

 Serve as Team Lead for the Communications Team, providing team leadership, , ensuring team collaboration and communication within the team and with all NETWORK staff

 Supervise team including handling all personnel issues, managing work load, conducting regular individual performance review and coaching sessions

 Collaborate in the development of NETWORK’s policy agenda and participate in organizational activities (development, planning, evaluation)

Responsible for organizational policy messaging and strategy

 Oversee development and use of organizational branding as well as ensure consistent use of organizational style guide for internal and external messaging

 Support policy, field, and fundraising efforts to ensure communications are high-quality and messaging is accurate, on-brand, timely and informative

 Develop strategy to engage new audiences in the field, especially Latine and Spanish-speaking Catholics

Oversee communication and promotional aspects of organizational campaigns, events, and initiatives

 Supervise and assist in the development of speeches, op-eds, talking points, blog posts, press releases, and the management of social media and digital outreach

 Provide quality control for print and digital materials

 Establish NETWORK as a "go-to" for Capitol Hill press events, builds relationships with Members of Congress and their Communications staff, and coordinate joint messaging opportunities.

 Oversee resources that equip, support, and grow the field with the Grassroots Mobilization Team

Rapidly respond to relevant news of the day in faith and political life.

 Lead the strategies and tools to ensure that NETWORK (leadership team, staff, board, and field) is featured in the news, social media and other outlets as a key faith constituency working to promote racial and economic justice

 Establishes, enacts, and evaluates a proactive media plan—to increase engagement with reporters as well as reactive response; builds strategic relationships with media representatives, including cultivating, nourishing, and evaluating those relationships.

 Provides ideas and insight on the effect the organization's actions and legislative activities have in the media, strategizes about what actions and campaigns will attract press attention, and integrates press/messaging strategies into NETWORK campaigns and major projects

 Promotes and supports grassroots voices in local media via op-ed/LTE strategies and cultivating additional spokespeople for NETWORK.

 Ensures NETWORK message and brand is consistent across the organization and communicated clearly, strategically, and well to external audiences.

Benefit details:

• Generous time off: Two weeks paid vacation in each of first two years, in addition to Thanksgiving Week off, Christmas Week off, plus 10 additional holidays and 12 personal days a year.
• Platinum level health plan offered including dental and vision
• Generous retirement plan and parental leave after one year

How to apply:

Cover letter: 2-3 paragraphs in an email telling us why you’re interested in this position, why you are qualified, why you want to be a part of the NETWORK community. Give us a sense of the level of responsibility, complexity, and creativity of the work you’ve engaged in. Please tell us how you found this announcement.

Resume: Attach a resume.

Email: Send materials to Sister Erin Zubal at employment@networklobby.org. Please include “Communications Director” in the subject line.