The Black Wealth Data Center (BWDC) is seeking a talented and collaborative communications leader to serve as its first-ever Director of Communications & Public Affairs. This person will play a senior role in the organization's growth and development.

The Director of Communications & Public Affairs will develop and implement an ambitious organizational communications and public affairs strategy with a focus on driving organizational growth, increasing visibility, and advancing BWDC?s mission.

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director will work in close collaboration with the funder, senior leadership, staff, vendors, and partners. Stakeholder communication, engagement, and management will be a critical skill.

The ideal candidate will have a diverse communications background, including experience and ease working in high-performing teams in matrixed organizations. They will bring deep expertise in developing strategic messaging and building multifaceted media strategies, the ability to work with data and digital teams, an enterprising spirit, and a passion for assessing wealth distribution and addressing underinvestment.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive communications strategy that advances BWDC?s mission and enhances brand visibility.
• Build and lead the communications and public affairs presence for the organization, using deep understanding of targeted messaging, BWDC?s mission, and communication trends to guide its voice and decision-making.
• Advise and support the Executive Director as the organization's public voice of the organization and draft talking points, speeches, and other materials.
• Conceptualize, develop, and maintain a distinct brand identity that resonates with partners, users, vendors, stakeholders, and government entities.
• Translate strategies to well-designed, compelling pitches.
• Work closely with internal leadership and stakeholders to ensure strategic alignment on communications strategy and goals.
• Ensure all communications and public affairs activities align with and promote the organization's mission and strategic objectives.
• Partner with the data, partnerships, and product teams to build messaging for new tools and highlight impactful narratives that elevate the impact of the BWDC.
• Develop and cultivate strong external relationships that strengthen the organization's mission, including key stakeholders, users, vendors, and the media.
• Manage relationships with media outlets and reporters and exercise excellent judgment in prioritizing media opportunities.
• Oversee BWDC?s vendor relationships that support marketing, branding, communications, public relations and related activities.
• Produce high quality, timely written communications content.

Special Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Excellent and persuasive communication skills with experience in organizational communications, media relations, strategic messaging, branding and marketing, and digital content.
• Experience managing complex, multi-disciplinary initiatives, including strategic planning, relationship management, and coalition-building in a matrixed environment.
• Strong commitment to and understanding of racial and economic justice issues and ability to represent BWDC?s mission and vision with external audiences, especially legislators, staff, media, public officials and the public.
• Commitment to collaboration and the ability to receive and implement input from various stakeholders.
• Track record of translating strategic thinking into action plans and output.
• Team player, problem solver, and impact-driven professional who can thrive in a fast-paced culture.
• Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills, and the ability to effectively interface with internal and external stakeholders.

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline required.
• Seven years of experience in journalism, media relations, communications, or other related experience required.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond HS Diploma/Graduation Equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Classified Title: Director Strategic Communications 
Job Posting Title (Working Title): Director of Communications & Public Affairs   
Role/Level/Range: ATP/04/PH  
Starting Salary Range: $116,600 - $204,000 Annually (Targeted salary is $225,000- Commensurate with Experience) 
Employee group: Full Time 
Schedule: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm 
FLSA Status: Exempt 
Location: Hybrid/District of Columbia 
Department name: Black Wealth Data Center - BWDC 
Personnel area: School of Government & Policy 

About Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University remains committed to its founding principle, that education for all students should be grounded in exploration and discovery. Hopkins students are challenged not just to learn but also to advance learning itself. Critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and entrepreneurship are all encouraged and nourished in this unique educational environment. After more than 130 years, Johns Hopkins remains a world leader in both teaching and research. Faculty members and their research colleagues at the university's Applied Physics Laboratory have each year since 1979 won Johns Hopkins more federal research and development funding than any other university. The university has nine academic divisions and campuses throughout the Baltimore-Washington area. The Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, the Whiting School of Engineering, the School of Education and the Carey Business School are based at the Homewood campus in northern Baltimore. The schools of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing share a campus in east Baltimore with The Johns Hopkins Hospital. The Peabody Institute, a leading professional school of music, is located on Mount Vernon Place in downtown Bal...timore. The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies is located in Washington's Dupont Circle area.

Show more

Show less

Connections working at Johns Hopkins University