• Drive and continuously align JLUSA’s communications strategy, including annual and quarterly planning.
• Steward JLUSA’s organizational narrative, messaging, and voice across programs, departments, and external channels.
• Partner with organizational leadership to ensure communications clearly connect JLUSA’s programs and activities to its broader impact and theory of change.

• Partner closely with the Vice President for Development to align communications and fundraising strategy and maintain an integrated donor communications calendar.
• Develop impact stories, fundraising campaigns, annual reporting, and other materials that support donor cultivation and stewardship.
• Ensure Development has a strong pipeline of stories, evidence, and communications assets demonstrating what investment in directly impacted leadership makes possible.one

• Lead JLUSA’s editorial and content strategy across website, email, social media, publications, and other channels.
• Build cross-team systems to identify, collect, and communicate stories, accomplishments, and outcomes across JLUSA’s national network.
• Develop compelling content that positions directly impacted leaders as experts and agents of change and connects individual stories to collective and systems-level impact.
• Strengthen audience segmentation and engagement across JLUSA’s digital channels, using data to inform content and channel strategy.

• Create opportunities for alumni and directly impacted leaders to shape and participate in JLUSA’s external communications.
• Build and support a network of alumni spokespeople and subject-matter experts.
• Develop tools and partnerships that enable alumni, partners, staff, board members, and funders to amplify JLUSA’s ideas, research, stories, and campaigns.

• Establish communications metrics and regularly use performance data to refine audiences, content, channels, and strategy.
• Evaluate and improve the technology, tools, and workflows JLUSA uses to plan, produce, distribute, and measure communications.
• Develop and maintain an organization-wide framework for the responsible and effective use of AI, and support staff in using AI tools appropriately.

• Manage, coach, and support one communications staff member and oversee communications consultants and vendors.
• Establish effective workflows, project management systems, and cross-departmental communications planning practices.
• Work closely with Programs, Development, leadership, and other teams to identify and prioritize communications needs and opportunities.
• Balance strategic leadership and team management with hands-on execution in a lean, fully remote organization.
• Partner closely with the Chief Finance and Operations Officer (CFOO) to design, forecast, and manage the annual communications budget; track and oversee all departmental expenditures to maximize resource alignment with organizational goals, while ensuring strict adherence to internal fiscal controls, vendor management practices, and nonprofit compliance standards.

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible communications experience, preferably in a nonprofit or mission-driven environment.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing communications strategies, organizational messaging, and content strategies that advance organizational goals.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills, including the ability to translate complex systems-change, policy, research, or social-impact work for different audiences.
• Proven people-management experience, including budget management, supervising staff and consultants and collaborating effectively across teams.
• Strong understanding of digital communications, including email, websites, social media, audience segmentation, and content strategy; experience with earned media and thought leadership strongly preferred.
• Experience partnering with fundraising or Development teams and developing effective funder and donor communications.
• Strong project-management and organizational skills, with the ability to set strategy while remaining hands-on, manage competing priorities, and build effective systems and workflows.
• Comfortable using data and analytics to set meaningful metrics, assess performance, and refine communications strategy.
• High level of comfort with technology and emerging tools, including generative AI, and sound judgment about their responsible and effective use.
• Demonstrated ability to approach storytelling about lived experience ethically and respectfully, with a strong commitment to agency and dignity.
• Commitment to JLUSA’s mission, social justice, racial equity, and the leadership of people directly impacted by the criminal legal system. Experience in criminal justice, economic mobility, movement-building, or adjacent fields is valued but not required.
• Lived experience with the criminal legal system is valued and encouraged, though not required.

This description shall not be construed as a contract of any sort for a specific period of employment. 

• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance: All eligible full-time employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in employer-sponsored benefit plans, with coverage beginning on 1st of the month following 30-days of continuous full-time employment. JLUSA pays full premium cost for core dental and vision insurance, with higher coverage plans available with employee contributions. JLUSA pays 80% of medical insurance premium, including plans that cover dependents. 
• Paid Holidays: All federally observed holidays plus Christmas Eve and the day after Thanksgiving.
• Sick and Vacation Time: Full-time employees accrue 20 days of paid sick leave and 15 days of paid vacation per year. Vacation accrual rate increases after 5 years of employment.
• Additional Paid Time Off: Two-week office closure around December holidays.
• Short- and Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance: JLUSA covers full premiums for all eligible full-time employees. Life insurance benefit is up to 2 times employee’s annual salary.
• Retirement: JLUSA offers full-time employees with the opportunity to participate in 401(k) Tax Deferred Savings Plan. JLUSA adds $1.00 for every $1.00 an employee contributes to their 401(k) account, up to the first 4% of their eligible compensation.
• Wellness: Confidential and professional assistance available through contracted Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for personal, family or workplace problems. 
• Flexible Spending Accounts: Employees may enroll in flexible spending accounts for health, dependent care, and commuting costs, in accordance with IRS guidelines.