Interfaith America- Chief Communications Officer
Chicago, IL
Full Time
Executive
Interfaith America- Chief Communications Officer
About Us:
Interfaith America’s vision is an America that embraces the power of pluralism, where we cooperate across differences for the common good. Our strategy focuses on equipping leaders to create institutional cultures – workplaces, higher education, community organizations – where people can respect, relate, and cooperate.
At the heart of our work is a deep commitment to pluralism and creative storytelling. By elevating various perspectives and amplifying voices that foster understanding and respect across deep differences, we strengthen the fabric of our democracy.
Why Join Us:
As Chief Communications Officer, you will play a pivotal role in advancing Interfaith America’s mission at a critical moment of growth. You’ll lead a talented strategic communications team in crafting and executing data-driven strategies that elevate our work from feature placements in top-tier media to targeted engagement with multi-sector audiences. In this role, your expertise will directly shape public understanding of religious pluralism and drive measurable impact across local and national platforms.
You’ll join an innovative, diverse organization where your strategic insights and leadership will harmonize cross-departmental efforts and streamline communications processes. Enjoy the autonomy to experiment with new storytelling formats, refine messaging frameworks, and make an impact that builds bridges across communities. If you’re motivated by mission-driven challenges and eager to deliver high-profile results in a supportive, values-centered environment, this is the opportunity to both advance your career and counter polarization in America.
Role Summary:
As Chief Communications Officer, you work with the executive team to achieve the organization’s next phase of growth and impact. You’ll help define and sequence external communications, ensuring our messages land with clarity and consistency across a recently expanded team and a divided nation.
You will develop and execute a unified, research-backed communications strategy that breaks through siloed efforts and aligns programmatic and executive priorities. That means harmonizing disparate initiatives whether program events, thought-leadership pieces, or rapid-response opportunities into a coherent narrative rhythm that reflects our commitment to religious pluralism and civic partnership.
Working alongside program leaders, you’ll translate programmatic impact into compelling stories that elevate our work in national outlets, regional press, and sector specific publications. You’ll coach senior staff on media engagement, model best practices drawn from mainstream news production, and ensure our impact metrics and learning insights receive the public visibility they deserve.
Reporting to the CEO and leading a nine-member Strategic Communications department, you will clarify roles and establish streamlined processes for content approval and asset distribution. You’re an innovative self-starter who manages up and across the organization, adept at building bridges between departments and locations, and committed to fostering a collaborative, solutions-oriented culture that welcomes feedback and drives measurable results.
Ideal Candidate Profile:
The ideal candidate is a strategic and skilled communications leader with a strong track record of translating organizational vision into clear, compelling narratives across multiple platforms. They bring expertise in both internal and external communications, marketing, and brand positioning, ensuring messaging is consistent, impactful, and audience focused. A natural collaborator and relationship-builder, they create harmony across teams and viewpoints while fostering accountability and shared ownership of results. Their warm, inclusive communication style is paired with strategic insight and a strong ability to execute. They will not only shape the strategy but also deliver on it. Entrepreneurial and adaptable, they approach challenges with creativity, resilience, and a solutions-oriented mindset. This leader values transparency, champions collaboration, and works to elevate both team culture and public engagement through intentional, mission-aligned messaging.
Key Responsibilities
Organizational Leadership & Strategy
Compensation: The salary range for this position is $230,000 - $250,000. The pay will be commensurate with the experience, skills, and qualifications that the candidate brings to the position.
About Us:
Interfaith America’s vision is an America that embraces the power of pluralism, where we cooperate across differences for the common good. Our strategy focuses on equipping leaders to create institutional cultures – workplaces, higher education, community organizations – where people can respect, relate, and cooperate.
At the heart of our work is a deep commitment to pluralism and creative storytelling. By elevating various perspectives and amplifying voices that foster understanding and respect across deep differences, we strengthen the fabric of our democracy.
Why Join Us:
As Chief Communications Officer, you will play a pivotal role in advancing Interfaith America’s mission at a critical moment of growth. You’ll lead a talented strategic communications team in crafting and executing data-driven strategies that elevate our work from feature placements in top-tier media to targeted engagement with multi-sector audiences. In this role, your expertise will directly shape public understanding of religious pluralism and drive measurable impact across local and national platforms.
You’ll join an innovative, diverse organization where your strategic insights and leadership will harmonize cross-departmental efforts and streamline communications processes. Enjoy the autonomy to experiment with new storytelling formats, refine messaging frameworks, and make an impact that builds bridges across communities. If you’re motivated by mission-driven challenges and eager to deliver high-profile results in a supportive, values-centered environment, this is the opportunity to both advance your career and counter polarization in America.
Role Summary:
As Chief Communications Officer, you work with the executive team to achieve the organization’s next phase of growth and impact. You’ll help define and sequence external communications, ensuring our messages land with clarity and consistency across a recently expanded team and a divided nation.
You will develop and execute a unified, research-backed communications strategy that breaks through siloed efforts and aligns programmatic and executive priorities. That means harmonizing disparate initiatives whether program events, thought-leadership pieces, or rapid-response opportunities into a coherent narrative rhythm that reflects our commitment to religious pluralism and civic partnership.
Working alongside program leaders, you’ll translate programmatic impact into compelling stories that elevate our work in national outlets, regional press, and sector specific publications. You’ll coach senior staff on media engagement, model best practices drawn from mainstream news production, and ensure our impact metrics and learning insights receive the public visibility they deserve.
Reporting to the CEO and leading a nine-member Strategic Communications department, you will clarify roles and establish streamlined processes for content approval and asset distribution. You’re an innovative self-starter who manages up and across the organization, adept at building bridges between departments and locations, and committed to fostering a collaborative, solutions-oriented culture that welcomes feedback and drives measurable results.
Ideal Candidate Profile:
The ideal candidate is a strategic and skilled communications leader with a strong track record of translating organizational vision into clear, compelling narratives across multiple platforms. They bring expertise in both internal and external communications, marketing, and brand positioning, ensuring messaging is consistent, impactful, and audience focused. A natural collaborator and relationship-builder, they create harmony across teams and viewpoints while fostering accountability and shared ownership of results. Their warm, inclusive communication style is paired with strategic insight and a strong ability to execute. They will not only shape the strategy but also deliver on it. Entrepreneurial and adaptable, they approach challenges with creativity, resilience, and a solutions-oriented mindset. This leader values transparency, champions collaboration, and works to elevate both team culture and public engagement through intentional, mission-aligned messaging.
Key Responsibilities
Organizational Leadership & Strategy
- Lead the development and execution of a multi-year communications plan that advances organizational goals and sustains growth.
- Establish clear objectives, milestones, and KPIs to measure awareness, engagement, and reputation gains.
- Embed communications at the outset of strategic planning, ensuring every program initiative is aligned with our narrative goals.
- Serve as a strategic advisor to and member of the executive team, translating complex programmatic data into actionable insights for external audiences.
- As a member of the Executive Team, set and uphold vision, mission and org wide strategy for long term impact; ensure alignment across organization.
- Design and implement research-backed campaigns that secure high-visibility placements in national outlets (New York Times, Wall Street Journal), major local outlets (ie. Chicago Tribune, Deseret News, The Tennessean) and program area “niche” publications (ie. Christianity Today, Chronicle of Philanthropy, Inside Higher Ed, Harvard Business Review)
- Act as principal media spokesperson and prepare senior leaders for interviews, speaking engagements, and op-eds.
- Build relationships with journalists, editors, and influencers to elevate our stories and expand our network of trusted messengers.
- Monitor media trends and sentiment, advising the team on opportunities and risks without invoking partisan framing.
- Assess communication risks, implement crisis communication protocols and readiness plans.
- Harmonize messaging across web, email, social media, and paid channels to create cohesive brand experiences.
- Oversee content development and publication while ensuring alignment with broader organizational priorities.
- Oversee audience segmentation and personalization tactics to deepen engagement with diverse faith and civic constituencies.
- Understands the importance of leveraging analytics tools to track performance, drive A/B testing, audience segmentation; refine content strategies and optimize engagement performance.
- Oversee a content calendar, coordinating deadlines, approvals, and asset distribution to minimize last-minute requests.
- Embed Strategic Communication liaisons within program teams to co-create stories that showcase impact and support organizational goals.
- Partner and harmonize workflows and communication rhythms between StratComs and Programs, Impact, Advancement, and the Founder & President’s Office.
- Facilitate regular syncs and feedback loops to ensure transparent collaboration and continuous improvement.
- Mentor and retain a high-performing, diverse communications team; define roles, responsibilities, and growth pathways.
- Foster a culture of open feedback, professional development, and shared accountability.
- Set clear performance expectations and conduct regular reviews against established KPIs.
- Champion inclusive storytelling practices.
- Expertise managing communications budgets and allocating resources for maximum ROI.
- Strong vendor management skills, including freelance talent, and technology partners.
- Proven ability to establish disciplined workflows, manage simultaneous campaigns, and harmonize priorities across departments.
- As a member of the Executive Team, shared responsibility for annual budget and aligning organization’s direction with funding strategy.
- Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing, or a related field required.
- Advanced degree (e.g., Master’s in Communications, MBA, MPA) or APR accreditation a plus but not mandatory for exceptional candidates.
- Minimum 10 years in senior communications or marketing leadership roles, ideally within nonprofit, civic-sector, or similarly mission-driven organizations.
- Proven experience managing and scaling teams, navigating rapid growth and cross-generational workforces.
- Demonstrated capacity to partner with C-suite executives and to translate strategic priorities into actionable communications plans.
- Deep understanding of religious pluralism, interfaith work, and the civic-sector landscape.
- Familiarity with nonprofit governance, fundraising dynamics, and impact-measurement frameworks.
- Established network within media, civic institutions, and faith communities—capable of building relationships with new stakeholders.
- Must be located in Washington, DC or Chicago, Illinois.
Compensation: The salary range for this position is $230,000 - $250,000. The pay will be commensurate with the experience, skills, and qualifications that the candidate brings to the position.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging
Nonprofit HR is committed to fostering and maintaining a work environment where diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are fully integrated into everything we do for the benefit of our employees and the clients that we serve. To fully realize our goal, we prioritize our understanding of the complexities of DEI within our workforce to inform our approach to talent management. We believe that this guides how we do our work, advise our clients to operationalize DEI and position our content and educational opportunities help strengthen the talent management capacity of the social impact sector.
Continue reading our about our commitment at nonprofithr.com/deinow.
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