What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Advisor / Head of Executive Communications position at Inter-American Development Bank?
Location
Post of duty: Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
We improve lives
The IDB Group is a community of diverse, versatile, and passionate people who come together on a journey to improve lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our people find purpose and do what they love in an inclusive, collaborative, agile, and rewarding environment.
About This Position
The Communications Division (DCC) is currently looking for a highly experienced strategic professional to serve as Senior Advisor / Head of Executive Communications within the Communications Division of the External Affairs and Communications Department (EXC). The position will support the President of the IDB Group and sit at the center of the institution’s strategic communications function, shaping how economic, financial, development, and geopolitical priorities are framed and understood by global audiences.
The role will serve as a key communications advisor to the President, translating complex policy and economic issues into clear, credible, and influential narratives for policymakers, investors, shareholders, media, partners, and broader stakeholders. The position requires strong economic acumen, sound judgment, editorial discipline, political awareness, and the ability to operate effectively under pressure and across fast-moving global developments.
DCC serves the entire IDB Group, comprised of the IDB, which works with the region’s public sector and enables the private sector; IDB Invest, which directly supports private companies and projects; and IDB Lab, which spurs entrepreneurial innovation. DCC leads the Group’s corporate and executive communications, engaging internal and external audiences across multiple platforms. DCC designs and delivers communications strategies, across all platforms, that support institutional priorities, strengthen visibility, and enhance impact, working closely with teams across the Group to ensure clear, consistent, and high-quality messaging.
The role operates under the strategic direction of the Communications Division Chief and works in close coordination with corporate communications teams across the IDB, IDB Invest, and IDB Lab to ensure institutional coherence, messaging alignment, and consistent executive positioning across the Group.
The Senior Advisor / Head of Executive Communications will lead a dynamic team responsible for supporting the communications of the Office of the President and the IDB’s Executive Team.
What You’ll Do
The IDB group provides benefits that respond to the different needs and moments of an employee’s life. These benefits include:
At the IDB Group, we work so everyone brings their best and authentic selves to work while finding their purpose. Our people consistently strive for excellence, and we recognize and celebrate the impact of their contributions.
In our efforts to drive innovation, we intentionally include all voices, cultivate a sense of belonging and champion fairness. We welcome individuals from underrepresented groups to join us and share their unique perspectives.
We ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to participate in the job interview process. If you require an accommodation to complete this application, please email us at accommodations@iadb.org.
Post of duty: Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
We improve lives
The IDB Group is a community of diverse, versatile, and passionate people who come together on a journey to improve lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our people find purpose and do what they love in an inclusive, collaborative, agile, and rewarding environment.
About This Position
The Communications Division (DCC) is currently looking for a highly experienced strategic professional to serve as Senior Advisor / Head of Executive Communications within the Communications Division of the External Affairs and Communications Department (EXC). The position will support the President of the IDB Group and sit at the center of the institution’s strategic communications function, shaping how economic, financial, development, and geopolitical priorities are framed and understood by global audiences.
The role will serve as a key communications advisor to the President, translating complex policy and economic issues into clear, credible, and influential narratives for policymakers, investors, shareholders, media, partners, and broader stakeholders. The position requires strong economic acumen, sound judgment, editorial discipline, political awareness, and the ability to operate effectively under pressure and across fast-moving global developments.
DCC serves the entire IDB Group, comprised of the IDB, which works with the region’s public sector and enables the private sector; IDB Invest, which directly supports private companies and projects; and IDB Lab, which spurs entrepreneurial innovation. DCC leads the Group’s corporate and executive communications, engaging internal and external audiences across multiple platforms. DCC designs and delivers communications strategies, across all platforms, that support institutional priorities, strengthen visibility, and enhance impact, working closely with teams across the Group to ensure clear, consistent, and high-quality messaging.
The role operates under the strategic direction of the Communications Division Chief and works in close coordination with corporate communications teams across the IDB, IDB Invest, and IDB Lab to ensure institutional coherence, messaging alignment, and consistent executive positioning across the Group.
The Senior Advisor / Head of Executive Communications will lead a dynamic team responsible for supporting the communications of the Office of the President and the IDB’s Executive Team.
What You’ll Do
- Strategic Advisory to the President
- Serve as a principal advisor to the President on strategic communications, institutional positioning, and external engagement, particularly on economic and development issues.
- Provide guidance on reputational risks, stakeholder dynamics, and political-economy considerations that may affect the President or the institution.
- Anticipate emerging economic, financial, and geopolitical trends and propose communication strategies and positioning frameworks.
- Development of Executive Communications
- Lead the preparation of speeches, talking points, briefing notes, op-eds, interviews, and correspondence for the President.
- Ensure that all materials integrate strong economic content, analytical rigor, and clear policy positioning.
- Economic Framing and Policy Translation
- Translate complex economic analysis, policy content, and institutional priorities into clear, compelling, and influential narratives.
- Identify and shape key messages around macroeconomic trends, development challenges, and reform priorities.
- Institutional Narrative and Positioning
- Shape and maintain the President’s institutional voice, ensuring consistency across communications products.
- Contribute to the development of strategic narratives aligned with the IDB Group’s priorities.
- Identify opportunities to position the President and the institution in high-impact policy and media moments.
- Coordination across the IDB Group
- Coordinate closely with communications teams across the IDB, IDB Invest, and IDB Lab to ensure alignment and coherence of messaging.
- Ensure that executive communications reflect a unified institutional position, while preserving strategic nuance where required.
- Stakeholder Engagement and High-Level Support
- Prepare briefing materials for engagements with Heads of State, Ministers, investors, multilateral institutions, and international partners.
- Support the President during missions and high-level engagements, providing real-time advice and message calibration.
- Rapid Response and Strategic Communications
- Support the development of rapid-response materials for emerging issues.
- Exercise sound judgment in addressing sensitive or high-stakes situations, ensuring consistency with institutional priorities and policies.
- Education: Advanced degree in economics, international relations, public policy, journalism, communications, or related fields relevant to the responsibilities of the role.
- Experience: Significant experience in strategic communications, economic policy, international institutions, government, journalism, or advisory roles.
- Exceptional writing, editing, and editorial judgment skills in several languages under tight timelines.
- Proven ability to translate complex technical material into clear and influential communications for diverse audiences.
- Strong understanding of macroeconomic, financial, development, and geopolitical issues affecting Latin America and the Caribbean and the global economy.
- Willingness and ability to travel frequently internationally and support senior leadership engagements on short notice.
- Demonstrated experience advising senior leadership in complex political, economic, or institutional environments.
- Demonstrated experience managing high-profile executive communications, reputational risk, and rapid-response communications.
- Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment and make communications decisions in high-pressure and rapidly evolving environments.
- Ability to operate effectively across institutional boundaries and coordinate communications strategies across multiple stakeholders and business units.
- Language: Proficiency in written and spoken English is required. Portuguese and Spanish are also highly desirable in both written and spoken. French are a plus.
- Citizenship: You are a citizen of one of our 48-member countries. We may offer assistance with relocation and visa applications for you and your eligible dependents.
- Consanguinity: You have no family members (up to the fourth degree of consanguinity and second degree of affinity, including spouse) working at the IDB, IDB Invest, or IDB Lab.
- International: International staff contract, 36 months initially, renewable upon mutual agreement.
The IDB group provides benefits that respond to the different needs and moments of an employee’s life. These benefits include:
- A competitive compensation package, including an annual base salary expressed on a net-of-tax basis.
- Leaves and vacations: 24 days of paid time off 8 personal days sick leave gender-neutral parental leave.
- Health Insurance: IDB Group provides employees and eligible dependents with a robust medical benefits program that covers medical, dental, vision, preventive care, and prescription drugs.
- Pension plan: defined benefit pension plan that provides financial security and support employees in planning for their future.
- We offer assistance with relocation and visa applications for you and your family when it applies.
- On-site position with the occasional flexibility of teleworking.
- Health and well-being: Access to our Health Services Center that provides preventive care and health education for employees.
- Development support: We offer tools to boost your professional profile, such as mentoring, 1:1 professional counseling, training and learning opportunities, language classes, mobility options, among others.
- Other office amenities (as available): Lactation Room, Daycare Center, Gym, Bike Racks, Parking, spouse career support, and others.
At the IDB Group, we work so everyone brings their best and authentic selves to work while finding their purpose. Our people consistently strive for excellence, and we recognize and celebrate the impact of their contributions.
In our efforts to drive innovation, we intentionally include all voices, cultivate a sense of belonging and champion fairness. We welcome individuals from underrepresented groups to join us and share their unique perspectives.
We ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to participate in the job interview process. If you require an accommodation to complete this application, please email us at accommodations@iadb.org.