Communications Officer

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, based in Menlo Park, CA, has partnered with the search firm Chaloner on the search for a Communications Officer.

About the Foundation

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation invests in creative thinkers and problem solvers working to ensure that people, communities, and the planet can flourish. Together with our partners, we are harnessing society’s collective capacity to solve our toughest problems — from the existential threat of climate change, to persistent and pervasive inequities, to attacks on democracy itself. A nonpartisan philanthropy, the Hewlett Foundation has made grants in the U.S. and globally for nearly six decades based on an approach that emphasizes long-term support, collaboration, and trust.

Globally, we make grants to address both longstanding and emerging challenges like our efforts to reduce the growing threat of climate change, advance gender equity and governance, and reimagine the economy and society. Our U.S. efforts prioritize strengthening democracy, advancing education for all, and supporting community-led conservation. In the San Francisco Bay Area we call home, we make grants to support meaningful artistic experiences in local communities and support regional foundations working on critical issues such as housing. All of our grantmaking also invests in advancing racial justice and in strengthening the effectiveness of our grantees, and of philanthropy itself. The Hewlett Foundation’s assets are approximately $12.8 billion with annual awards of grants totaling almost $600 million. More information about the Hewlett Foundation is available at: www.hewlett.org

The foundation has approximately 130 employees, in programmatic, operational, and investment roles, and is located in the San Francisco Bay Area. Across the organization, our employees are challenged with meaningful work, have the resources for ongoing professional development and learning, and contribute to a collegial and engaging environment where they can thrive. We are committed to fostering a culture of inclusion as part of our guiding principles and encourage individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply.

About the Communications Department

Our ten-person communications team ensures that the foundation and our grantees use effective communications strategies to realize the foundation’s charitable goals and to advance the fields in which we work. In our institutional communications, we aim to successfully position the Hewlett Foundation as collaborative, knowledgeable, forward-thinking, impactful, and a facilitator of dialogue across differences, so that we build trust with internal and external audiences and have greater credibility and influence over the issues we care about. In communications grantmaking, we partner with and advise program staff so that they are able to make grants that leverage the full power of strategic communications, narrative and culture, and healthy media ecosystems to advance program goals. This includes supporting strategic planning, implementation and measurement of communications approaches. Internally, members of our team also support organizational learning to increase cross-program communication and knowledge-sharing. Among the team’s operating values are openness, authenticity, and empathy, as hallmarks of trustworthy communication; partnership and collaboration, critical for working with our peer funders, nonprofit grantee partners and internal colleagues; a culture of learning, including building and sharing our knowledge; and a commitment to equity and the inclusion of diverse perspectives, both in our team and in our external communications.

About the Role

The new Communications Officer will work collaboratively with the Communications team, internal partners, and external partners, including grantees, co-funders and consultants, to contribute to the development and achievement of communications objectives that contribute to the foundation’s mission. With the rest of the Communications team, the Communications Officer will help implement an institutional brand and communications strategy, including a foundation-wide shared narrative and activities to build trust and credibility with key target audiences that help the foundation advance its charitable goals.

This Communications Officer will serve as the primary communications partner for the foundation’s Education Program as well as 1-2 other grantmaking programs that focus on largely U.S.-based nonprofits. In this role, the Communications Officer will develop and execute strategic communications plans for programs aligned with the institutional brand, helping amplify the voices of our staff and grantees, by – for example - coordinating media relations, coaching on social media, and managing external contractors. They will also participate in program strategy conversations relevant to communications and provide advisory counsel and guidance on communications-oriented grantmaking, as needed, to advance the foundation’s grantmaking goals. The ideal candidate is a skilled, mission-driven problem-solver comfortable developing strategy and rolling up their sleeves to execute tactics; with a strong client orientation and ability to manage projects and external partners; knowledge of narratives, voices, and issues in philanthropy, K-12 education, and other domestic grantmaking areas (e.g., economy, democracy, arts); and a deep belief in in the power of communication to do good in the world. This position reports to the Chief Communications Officer.

Responsibilities

Institutional Communications

The Communications Officer helps manage and execute key institutional communications efforts, working cross-functionally and in collaboration with fellow members of the Communications team to build, manage and protect the foundation’s reputation, share its knowledge and learning, and amplify the voices of its staff and grantees in order to achieve the foundation’s charitable goals. Specifically, they:

• Develop and implement strategic communications plans for internal clients and communications initiatives, as needed, based on a thorough understanding of grantmaking objectives, institutional brand and narrative, and diverse stakeholders and audiences relevant to a given issue as well as philanthropy and social sector.
• Collaborate with communications colleagues and other internal partners to develop and disseminate consistent, clear, and effective messaging about foundation-wide initiatives. Work, as needed, to align internal and external communication on institutional initiatives.
• Cultivate and maintain media relationships related to Education Program work and stay up to date on relevant mainstream and social media narratives. Develop messaging, talking points, press releases and other materials, as needed.
• Make recommendations and provide tactical assistance to build and leverage the voice of program staff to help achieve programmatic goals through a range of online and offline channels, including preparation for speaking engagements and development of articles and essays to inform, engage and mobilize target audiences.
• With Digital Communications Officer and other team members, coordinate timely, relevant and engaging digital content such as email newsletters, institutional social media, blogs and other website content.
• Anticipate, inoculate against and respond to criticism or in crisis context, partnering with program, legal and other communications staff, as needed.
• Work with external partners, such as co-funders and grantees, around tentpole moments and announcements to elevate and support the field’s strategic goals.
• Working cross-functionally, help develop and execute events and convenings, including media roundtables and grantee communications such as webinars.

Retain and manage freelancers and external consultants, when relevant, in support of these efforts.

Manage and contribute to institutional communications projects, as needed, such as communications guidance and policy updates, development of tools and resources, and trainings.

• Contribute to the ongoing learning and development of the communications team, and the wider foundation, about best practices in the field of strategic communications, narrative and culture, and healthy media ecosystems.

Program Advisory Counsel

The Communications Officer serves as a strategic communications adviser to programs, which develop and execute the foundation’s grantmaking strategies, so that they are able to make grants that leverage the full power of strategic communications, narrative and culture, and healthy media ecosystems to advance program goals.

• Participate in strategy development and assessment processes, including helping to: identify key target audiences within strategies and sub-strategies; assess communications challenges and mitigation tactics; identify specific communications objectives implicit in relevant logic models and theories of change; and recommend communications-related metrics that can serve as indicators of progress.
• Support program staff in understanding, and addressing when needed, communications-related capacity constraints and needs within fields of focus, or specific grantees and potential grantee organizations. Advise program officers on communications-related grant proposals, leveraging field knowledge and communications expertise.
• Assist in identifying and managing external communications support for grantee cohorts (e.g. for media relations support or training) or field-supporting opportunities (e.g., narrative research, media partnerships, or visual storytelling tools), including developing RFPs, coordinating with partners at grantee organizations, and managing vendors.

Knowledge & Requirements

The ideal candidate will have:

• A. degree in communications, journalism or similar field.
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience, including proven track record of managing strategic communications and working with multiple programs or organizations concurrently (managing divergent needs and expectations along the way).
• Experience cultivating strong relationships with media, coalition partners, and stakeholders in education and/or philanthropy required; Washington, D.C., and/or agency experience is a plus.
• Superb written and oral communications skills. Knowledge of AP Style strongly preferred. Knowledge of Microsoft Office products required.
• Intellectual curiosity and strong appetite for news and information; ability to stay attuned to narratives, trends, and developments in communications, philanthropy, and issue areas.
• Experience managing external consultants, such as p.r. agencies and freelance writers.
• Thorough understanding of changing communications landscape, including strong facility and proven knowledge of media research tools and digital platforms for publishing, listening, engaging and analyzing (e.g. social media platforms and tools such as LinkedIn, CRMs such as Salesforce; and media databases and monitoring tools such as MuckRack).
• High EQ, diplomacy, and the ability to work across diverse internal and external constituents, building credibility and constructive professional relationships. Demonstrated facility in cultivating relationships, fostering inclusive ways of working, and operating through trust-building and influence rather than being directive.
• Demonstrated ability to manage projects and competing priorities, react nimbly when required, and set priorities without direct supervision. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Proven ability to think creatively and constructively to solve problems, and to work collaboratively with other communicators toward a shared goal.
• Strong judgment and ability to deal with sensitive issues, escalating to Chief Communications Officer when appropriate and timely.

Physical Demands/Work Environment

The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The position is based in Menlo Park, California. Staff are working in a hybrid environment and currently expected to work from the Hewlett Foundation office at least 2-3 times per week (Tuesdays and Wednesdays are required). While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to spend extended periods of time at a computer.

Compensation and Benefits

The Hewlett Foundation is committed to providing compensation that is competitive within the philanthropic sector. We offer a generous total compensation package that emphasizes both base salary and comprehensive benefits. The salary range for this role starts at $165,000-$205,000. Offers are based on the candidate's years of experience and our practice of maintaining salary equity within the foundation.

To Apply

Interested candidates should apply through the Chaloner application form. Chaloner will review all applicants and, upon qualification, contact you to determine next steps.

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation embraces the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion, both internally in our hiring process and organizational culture, and externally, in our grantmaking and related practices. We are an equal opportunity employer, and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, cultures, and experiences.