Deputy Director, Communications

Summary

The Rippel Foundation is seeking a Deputy Director, Communications to serve as the strategic and operational partner to the Director, Communications & Influence, supporting the leadership, coordination, and execution of the Communications function. Acting as second-in-command, this role helps translate the Director’s strategic vision into coordinated implementation across the organization.

The Deputy Director focuses on execution, team leadership, and operational oversight of communications efforts, ensuring that projects are delivered effectively, workflows are coordinated across teams, and the communications team operates as a high-performing unit. The role manages day-to-day communications operations, supervises staff and consultants, and strengthens systems and processes that enable effective storytelling and influence.

About the Rippel Foundation

The Rippel Foundation (Rippel) was established in 1953 to invest in initiatives addressing cancer, heart disease, the health of women and the elderly, and the maintenance of our nation’s hospitals. In 2007, we refocused our approach to these priorities, recognizing that a commitment to broader health system change is essential to achieve real, lasting impact. Today, Rippel is a nonprofit operating foundation with one primary strategic purpose: to be a catalyst for an equitable future for health and well-being. We believe that this goal is attainable if enough of us—individuals and organizations in all sectors—see ourselves and each other as interdependent stewards in a growing movement to thrive together. To accomplish this, Rippel focuses on creating equitable health and well-being for all in the US, beginning with those who are struggling and suffering. Rippel helps stewards adopt new mindsets and practices, enabling them to better assure the vital conditions and urgent services that all people need to thrive exist in communities across the country.

Working at the cutting edge of system transformation and building on its deep experience and expertise, Rippel focuses on those stewards best positioned to affect change in philanthropy, health systems and corporations. Rippel also partners with peers in a growing field to shift commitments, relationships, actions, and investments as well as create new norms – all grounded in what people need to thrive.

Duties & Responsibilities

Strategic Communications Execution

• Serve as a trusted thought partner to the Director, Communications & Influence, helping translate communications strategy into coordinated execution.
• Support development and implementation of communications strategies that elevate Rippel’s voice and influence.
• Work with program teams and subject matter experts to implement communications strategies and ensure alignment with organizational priorities.

Writing and Editorial

• Serve as a liaison to Rippel’s spokespeople and subject matter experts, including executive leadership, to support the development of speeches, presentations, op-eds, and other public-facing materials. Contribute to executive messaging and thought leadership that strengthens Rippel’s reputation and influence.
• Develop compelling communications content across formats, ensuring clarity, alignment with narrative strategy, and strong editorial quality.

Storytelling and Promotion

• Champion storytelling efforts that highlight the insights, work, and impact of Rippel, its partners, and the field.
• Manage media relations, issues monitoring, and brand stewardship.
• Identify opportunities for visibility, including media coverage and/or high-profile speaking engagements, and support outreach efforts in partnership with the Director.

Management and Collaboration

• Lead operational management of the Communications function, including workflow coordination, project prioritization, and cross-team alignment.
• Manage and mentor team members and supervise consultants and external communications firms.
• Serve as a liaison between Communications and other teams to ensure alignment and effective collaboration across the organization.
• Lead the development and improvement of communications systems, workflows, and internal processes that support effective collaboration and high-quality output.

Budget and Performance Management

• Track performance of communications initiatives and provide insights to strengthen future communications efforts.

Support budget tracking, vendor management, and resource coordination for the Communications function in partnership with the Director.

Track communications performance metrics and contribute to organizational reporting and board-facing materials related to communications strategy and influence.

Qualifications

• Experience
  • 10+ years’ professional communications and/or public relations experience required, preferably in a non-profit, foundation, or public agency setting.
  • Experience supervising direct reports, consultants, and vendors
• Editorial & Strategic Communications
  • Superior editorial production skills, easily discerning what makes compelling content
  • Excellent writing and editing skills to prepare or oversee a wide variety of communications content, including public announcements, reports, internal memos, speeches, policy memos, infographics, videos, and social media content
  • Experienced and wise discernment handling dynamic, sensitive, high-stakes assignments with executives, multiple stakeholders, and diverse viewpoints
  • Strong media relations skills, with a track record of writing opinion pieces and successfully pitching national, state, regional and local media outlets
  • Proficient with standard digital platforms, including email, content management systems, and web management tools such as Mailchimp and WordPress
• Leadership & Operations
  • Conscientious, detail-oriented project management, time management, and organizational skills, moving initiatives forward in a collaborative and effective manner
  • Ability to lead, motivate, and supervise multicultural teams in a way that achieves project objectives, supports the professional development of team members, and contributes to a collegial working environment
  • A strategic mindset with the ability to exercise sound judgment while navigating complex situations.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively with and provide clear direction to internal and external colleagues and consultants; self-motivated and able to work well both independently and as part of a team
• Cultural Competency & Mission Alignment
  • High cultural competence to effectively work in partnership with diverse communities, including an appreciation for historical context, discernment of relationship nuances and power dynamics, and a keen understanding of social, racial, and ethnic differences
  • A broad appreciation for and sensitivity to Rippel’s culture and workplace environment, including its commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion across racial, cultural, political, and ideological differences
  • Aligned to Rippel's mission of creating equitable health and well-being for all in the US.

Additional Conditions of Employment

• Fully remote position within the continental United States. Geographic location within Central or Eastern time zones is preferred.
• Some out of town and overnight travel required, approximately 10% to 15%
• The work environment is a typical office setting, requiring regular sitting; frequent talking, hearing, repetitive motions such as typing and writing; and use of virtual conferencing systems and practices.
• The work requires close visual acuity to perform activities such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading.
• Requires extremely demanding attention to execute high-level managerial responsibilities related to legal contracts, editing, writing, research, and understanding high-level concepts.
• Rippel is committed to an ongoing journey for equity and justice. We prohibit discrimination and harassment based on characteristics, perceived or actual, protected by applicable federal, state, and local laws or ordinances in all employment practices. We encourage applications from those who, through both their work and lived experience, can further our efforts to help create just systems where all people thrive.
• Applicants requiring an accommodation due to a disability should contact Human Resources at ddinatale@rippel.org.

Base Salary: $125,000-135,000 annually

Rippel offers a comprehensive and flexible benefits package including health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, basic life/LTD, flexible spending accounts, 401(k), and generous paid time off, including paid family leave.

Rippel offers a comprehensive and flexible benefits package including health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, basic life/LTD, flexible spending accounts, 401(k), and generous paid time off, including paid family leave.