About Malala Fund

Registered in the U.K., U.S. Nigeria, and Pakistan, Malala Fund is working toward a world where all girls can learn and lead. Malala Fund advocates for resources and policy changes needed to give all girls a secondary education. The girls we serve have high goals for themselves and we have high expectations for leaders who can help them. We invest in local education leaders and front-line organizations, the people who best understand girls in their communities in regions where most girls are missing out on secondary school. We give girls the tools they need to advocate for education and equality in their communities and a platform for the world to hear their voices. We believe girls should speak for themselves and tell leaders what they need to learn and achieve their potential.

About the position

Malala Fund is seeking a mission-driven senior communications expert to join our team as the Senior Director, Communications to develop and execute an organisation-wide strategic communications strategy. This roles sits within the newly formed External Affairs department which has been established to develop and execute policy positioning and advocacy strategy for key priority areas, cultivate and mobilise Malala Fund’s extended network of grantees in service of collective global action on girls’ education and drive strong brand and public relations communications to continue to position Malala Fund as a leading voice on girls’ education.

Reporting to the Chief of External Affairs, the Senior Director is responsible for the strategy and execution of all Malala Fund’s public-facing communications in support of the organisation’s advocacy, fundraising and brand objectives. They will lead a team of talented and creative media, digital and editorial professionals based in the US and the UK and proactively identify opportunities to cultivate and use external channels more effectively in service of Malala Fund’s change agenda. They will work hand-in-hand with all departments at Malala Fund to ensure communication strategy remains aligned across the organisation in support of our mission to secure 12 years of free, safe, quality education for all girls so they can learn and lead. As a senior leader, they will support colleagues across the organisation, offer strategic counsel on communication approaches and maintain a deep commitment to delivering impact for girls.

The successful candidate will be a collaborative and creative communications professional with a proven record of building communication strategies to successfully influence target audiences, shape public opinion and build brand and mission awareness. They will be seasoned in developing organisations’ brand, public profile, external influence and communications in order to build engagement and inspire key audiences. They will have demonstrated exemplary leadership abilities and interpersonal skills and enjoy working across teams and cultures.

Location: Washington, DC Office or New York Office

Responsibilities

Strategic Advocacy Communications

As Senior Director, Communications, you are responsible for ensuring Malala Fund’s external communications help advance organisational advocacy objectives. That means that you will be accountable for:

• Building an annual communications plan for the organization that includes: Identifying, developing and overseeing the execution of audience engagement strategies in support of external advocacy objectives; providing oversight to traditional and digital media plans; and ensuring clear baselines and targets/goals.
• Closely collaborating with colleagues within the External Affairs department to design and execute advocacy initiatives and campaigns, strategically and proactively leveraging the breadth of Malala Fund’s communications channels and centring the voices of activists.
• Closely collaborating with colleagues in Pakistan and Nigeria, providing strategic communications counsel to ensure alignment of external messaging across countries and programmes in line with organisational advocacy objectives.
• Ensuring that Malala Fund has strong and credible spokespeople on priority advocacy areas, supporting communications training as needed.

Brand Strengthening/Fundraising

As Senior Director, Communications, you are responsible for ensuring Malala Fund’s external communications help advance the organisation’s brand, reputation and fundraising. That means that you will be accountable for:

• Developing and leading messaging and brand voice for the organisation so that it fully reflects Malala Fund’s values and strategy, and ensuring quality, consistency and integrity across media platforms and strategic communications priorities.
• Closely collaborating with colleagues within the Development department to ensure communications materials effectively support fundraising campaigns and funder relationships/updates. 
• Identifying, developing and overseeing the execution of audience engagement strategies in support of brand and fundraising objectives.
• Strategic management of Malala Fund’s reputation through effective media and relationship management, advising the CEO and Executive Leadership Team on reputation and brand management.
• Developing and maintaining Malala Fund’s crisis communications plan to respond to external communication needs in coordination with the CEO and Executive Leadership Team and serving as the lead point of contact for public relations during crisis situations.
• Gathering compelling storytelling assets by leveraging Malala Fund’s network of activists and grantees 

Leadership and Representation

As Senior Director, Communications, you are responsible for leading Malala Fund’s communications team, external representation of the organisation in the media and with peers in other organisations. That means you will be accountable for:

Externally:

• Ensuring communication strategy remains aligned across the organisation (including with the Executive Office and co-founders).
• Overseeing the development and approval of public-facing communications and marketing collateral, ensuring high quality outputs and alignment with Malala Fund values.
• Leading the strategy for building relationships with the media, winning coverage for our work through innovative communications campaigns that inspire support and deepen and extend audiences’ understanding of our issues.
• Developing and cultivating strategic relationships with communications specialists from a variety of organisations, foundations and corporations to leverage Malala Fund’s brand awareness and collaboration.

Internally:

• Oversee a strategic approach to communications which supports the whole organisation, working with the Measurement, Evaluation, and Learning team to develop and roll out a clear methodology to evaluate the impact of activities and to apply learning to future communications strategies and approaches.

• Overseeing the organisation’s external communications plan and calendar to support advocacy, brand and fundraising objectives in alignment with Malala Fund’s strategic plan.

• Effectively managing staff within the communications team, encouraging creativity, inclusivity and high performance and ensuring that the team has clear and realistic goals and objectives aligned to the organisational strategy.

• Providing strategic communications guidance to Malala Fund’s external-facing teams, as well as communications-related needs for the Executive Leadership Team, Executive Office and the Board of Directors.

Qualifications

Essential:

• Passion for our mission and a commitment to using your skills to make a positive impact on behalf of girls.
• 12 years of experience in a senior leadership role in strategic communications, with considerable experience in developing communications strategies.
• Ideally 7 years in senior management role leading and mentoring communications staff
• An understanding of the global communications and media landscape with the ability to bring fresh ideas and perspective to the team.
• Demonstrated leadership and management skills, with a high capacity to lead collaborative projects.
• Solid judgment and problem-solving skills with high attention to detail, accuracy and quality.
• Impeccable cross-cultural sensitivity, diplomacy, communicative skills, and discretion, with the ability to build trust and relationships with diverse audiences.
• Strong interpersonal skills: demonstrated relationship management experience and a high degree of diplomacy.
• A creative, open, and innovative mind energetically searching for new solutions.
• Strong, self-directed work ethic.

Desirable:

• Ability to travel internationally approximately 20% of the time.
• Specific familiarity with the global education and/or girls’ rights sectors and past experience developing communications plans on these topics
• Relevant relationships with journalists and media outlets specific to our sector.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Recruiting, interviewing, and training new staff
• Overseeing the daily workflow of the Communications unit within the wider External Affairs team.
• Providing constructive and timely performance feedback and performance evaluations.
• Handling discipline and termination of employees in accordance with company policy

Living our Values

We aim to center girls in all we do and create a supportive environment where people excel in their craft while never compromising our organizational values:

We aim high. Inspired by the girls we serve, we set ambitious goals for ourselves and push others to do the same. We focus on impact and delivering tangible, purposeful results.
We dare to be brave. We speak truth to power and hold leaders accountable to their commitments to girls. We have the difficult conversations, say yes to tough projects and aren’t afraid to take risks

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We value differences. Our best work happens when we bring many voices to the table. We embrace diverse perspectives and open dialogue. We strive for equity in all we do and are always learning from others. 

We think creatively. Getting all girls in school requires innovative thinking and solutions. We are resourceful and seek unconventional approaches to overcoming challenges. 

We act with integrity. The relationships we build are grounded in trust and accountability. As an organization and with each other, we endeavor to do what’s right and respectful.

If challenging the status quo that limits girls’ potential excites you, we might be the perfect fit!

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Please note that due to the very high number of applications we receive when positions are posted, we may only be able to respond directly to candidates who we wish to move forward in the interview process.

Malala Fund is an equal opportunity employer and inclusive organization who welcomes applications from under-represented and intersectional groups including BIPOC, LGBTQ and persons with disabilities. We are seeking people with different backgrounds, cultures, ages, experiences and identities to provide a wide range of experience, ideas, views and insights into the strategy, policies, culture and ambitions of Malala Fund.

Malala Fund is also committed to ensuring the safety of those involved in our work. Our first priority is protecting everyone who comes in direct or indirect contact with our organization.

Malala Fund has a zero-tolerance approach to abuse and exploitation by any of our staff, representatives or partners. We commit to ensuring that those who work with Malala Fund or on our behalf are able to work in an environment that is free from harm. To this end, Malala Fund reserves the right to conduct background checks on prospective and current employees.