Senior Director Global Marketing and Communications

Who is Water Mission?

Water Mission is a Christian engineering nonprofit that builds safe water solutions for people in developing countries, refugee camps, and disaster areas. Since 2001, Water Mission has served more than 8 million people in 60 countries, sharing safe water and the message of God’s love. Working at Water Mission is as much a calling as it is a career, and we are searching for people with the courage, passion, and drive to help us change the world. Read more about our Statement of Faith and Our Christian Mission.

What is the opportunity?

The Senior Director of Global Marketing and Communications provides strategic leadership for Water Mission’s global marketing, digital engagement, and communications efforts, with a primary focus on growing mass donor engagement and fueling the donor pipeline through high-impact acquisition and retention strategies. Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer, this leader will drive multi-channel campaigns and digital innovation to expand reach, deepen connection, and move supporters from awareness to deeper involvement, especially within mass and mid-level donor audiences. In the coming year, this role will also serve as a key communications leader for Water Mission’s first comprehensive capital campaign—ensuring campaign messaging is compelling, consistent, and deeply rooted in the ministry’s identity, impact, and future vision. The Senior Director leads a team of Directors across Content, Creative, Marketing, and Public Relations. They will oversee strategies that elevate the ministry’s external voice and brand while equipping global staff and internal stakeholders with tools and content that reflect Water Mission’s values, programmatic strategy, technical expertise, and transformational impact. All communications will be anchored in Water Mission’s identity as a Christian ministry—invitational in presentation, and accessible to diverse audiences, including secular donors, partners, and media. This position is based at Water Mission’s global headquarters in North Charleston, SC.

A successful Senior Director of Global Marketing and Communications will:

Donor Journey Strategy & Full Funnel Engagement

• Lead the strategy and execution of integrated marketing and communications efforts that support the full donor journey—from awareness to acquisition, first gift, and deeper engagement—with a particular focus on growing mass donor relationships and cultivating pathways to mid-level engagement.
• Oversee and optimize communication strategies that drive donor conversion, retention, and upgrading, across digital, print, and experiential channels.
• Collaborate with Investor Partnerships, Engagement, and Global Partnerships teams to support high-impact donor experiences through personalized messaging, collateral, and storytelling—without owning relationship strategy or solicitation for major donors.
• Develop messaging frameworks and multi-channel engagement strategies that guide donors from initial awareness to deeper involvement in the mission.
• Partner with Partnerships and Communications (P&C) leadership to develop and implement campaign-specific messaging strategies, digital assets, and communication plans that support Water Mission’s inaugural capital campaign and inspire transformational giving.

Digital Innovation & Multi-Channel Engagement

• Direct Water Mission’s digital marketing strategy, including website, SEO, social media, email, and paid media to increase reach, drive giving, and nurture deeper involvement.
• Ensure all campaigns are performance-driven and responsive to insights from CRM data, digital analytics, and constituent behavior in partnership with P&C Operations.
• Build and manage a roadmap for digital growth and innovation across platforms, tools, and user experiences.

Strategic Messaging & Global Equipping

• Develop a unified messaging framework that reflects Water Mission’s programmatic strategy, technical expertise, and Christian mission, adaptable across global contexts and diverse audiences.
• Provide communications support and alignment across cross-functional teams including Global Partnerships, Programs, Engagement, and P&C Operations.
• Equip global teams—including the Fundraising teams and key leaders in programs and country offices—with contextual messaging tools, content, and brand assets for use across audiences and contexts.

Brand and Content Strategy

• Steward the global brand identity, voice, and visual consistency, including future-focused strategy for international brand positioning (e.g., utility models).
• Ensure that Water Mission’s content and messaging affirm our identity as a Christian ministry while inviting participation from individuals and institutions who may not share our faith—creating space for curiosity, mutual respect, and shared purpose.
• Lead storytelling initiatives that elevate Water Mission’s impact, showcase engineering and WASH expertise, and communicate transformational change.
• Guide the development of sector-focused content and thought leadership materials in collaboration with the CEO, Global Partnerships, and Programs teams.

Team Leadership

• Lead, coach, and empower the Directors of Content, Creative, Marketing, and Public Relations to deliver excellence within their domains.
• Collaborate with the CAO to assess and implement an optimal team structure and operational model for P&C marketing and communications functions over the first year.
• Cultivate a team culture rooted in servant leadership and collaboration.

Perform other duties as assigned.

What is required?

• Personal and growing relationship with Jesus Christ; commitment to serve God through the mission of Water Mission.
• Alignment with Water Mission’s Statement of Faith and core values of Love, Excellence, and Integrity.
• Maintain a strong Christian witness and model servant leadership to colleagues, partners, the communities we serve, and the public.
• Engage in and lead prayer during team gatherings and participate in biblically based staff devotions.
• Stay informed on Water Mission’s objectives and relevant global issues to effectively support the ministry's communication efforts.
• Communicate the mission and scope of Water Mission clearly to internal and external audiences.
• Ensure appropriate documentation of work and communication in tools such as Raiser’s Edge and Smartsheet.
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, journalism, public relations, or related field required; master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum 15 years of experience in strategic marketing and communications, with at least 10 years in a senior leadership capacity.
• Proven ability to lead high-impact donor acquisition and engagement strategies across digital and multi-channel campaigns.
• Demonstrated success guiding communications for both mass and major donors, including campaigns, proposals, reports, and stewardship materials.
• Experience leading brand and messaging strategies in global or cross-cultural settings; international nonprofit or WASH-sector experience is a plus.
• Deep understanding of digital marketing, audience segmentation, paid media, SEO/SEM, and CRM/data systems.
• Strong skills in cross-functional collaboration, equipping global teams, and aligning messaging across departments and regions.
• Excellent written, visual, and verbal communication skills with the ability to distill complex concepts into accessible, mission-driven narratives.
• Demonstrated success in team development and performance management, with a passion for building capacity in others.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 10% of the time.