Communications Lead

CLASSIFICATION: Exempt 

HOURS AND WORK SCHEDULE: Full-Time. Hours are typically Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Occasional evening and weekend hours. 

LOCATION: Hybrid. Work is split between remote and in-person at shared offices in Greensboro or High Point, NC. 

REPORTS TO: CEO 

SALARY RANGE: $65,000 to $74,750. Compensation will be based on experience and education. 

SUPERVISES: None 

BENEFITS: Ready for School, Ready for Life (Ready Ready) is a Family Forward Certified Workplace by North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation (NCECF) and meets the standards outlined by the Family Forward NC initiative by offering policies and practices that support the health and well-being of North Carolina’s children and families. The benefits package includes health, dental, vision, group life insurance, a 4% 401(k) contribution, paid parental leave after 12 months, a generous holiday schedule, paid time off, a remote work stipend, and a flexible work schedule. A computer, monitor, docking station, keyboard, mouse, webcam, and printer will be provided. Ready Ready values professional development and offers opportunities for staff to strengthen and further develop their individual skill set. 

ABOUT READY FOR SCHOOL, READY FOR LIFE 

Ready Ready is committed to building a connected, innovative system of care that ensures every child in Guilford County is set up for lifelong learning and success. As a backbone organization, Ready Ready is not a direct service provider, but instead provides strategic and programmatic support to more than 300 community-based organizations, including educators, healthcare providers and social service agencies, serving our youngest children and their families from prenatal through age 8. 

Ready Ready was born in 2007 from a community effort focused on reducing poverty in Guilford County. In 2018, The Duke Endowment and Blue Meridian Partners joined this effort to promote economic and social mobility. Together, we are creating a long-term, comprehensive, evidence-based approach for systemic change that builds the capacity of community partners and fundamentally improves the lives of children in Guilford County. We are strengthening the collective system that connects families to the right services at the right time, using data to inform decisions, and measuring outcomes to ensure lasting impact. 

We are excited to expand our team with mission-driven individuals who want to take this work to the next level and contribute to meaningful change for families and young children across Guilford County. 

WHAT WE DO 

Ready Ready works to ensure that all Guilford County children enter school with the skills, supports and opportunities they need to thrive in life. For parents, families and caregivers, we streamline the process for accessing support services so that their children have the foundation to start school strong and developmentally on track.    

Specifically, we support partner organizations and public agencies providing direct service with the following:  

• Expansion and integration of evidence-informed and evidence-based programs.  

• Design and execution of an integrated data system. 

• Design and execution of a family-friendly navigation system. 

• Implementation of capacity building practices among service providers. 

• Rigorous evaluation of implementation and impact.  

Ready Ready enhances this direct service through its collective impact backbone (intermediary) role in guiding vision and strategy, supporting aligned activities, establishing shared measurement practices, building public will, advancing policy, and mobilizing funding. 

Please note that while we are deeply committed to supporting young children and their families, our work does not involve direct interaction with children with the exception of a few roles. Instead, we focus on equipping our partners with the tools and resources they need to make a lasting impact in the community. That includes state agencies, medical home providers, education systems, and community-based organizations. 

POSITION SUMMARY 

The Communications Lead plays a key role in elevating Ready Ready’s mission by supporting both the strategic and day-to-day execution of the organization’s communications efforts. The ideal candidate serves as the frontline representative and spokesperson for the organization and is equally as comfortable working behind the scenes. They will be a trusted storyteller who can thoughtfully and powerfully share the message of what is being built in Guilford County with children and families at the center. This role works closely with our contracted communications firm to implement cohesive, high-quality messaging across internal and external channels that strengthens Ready Ready’s visibility and engagement. 

RESPONSIBILITIES 

Strategy & Collaboration 

• Translate the CEO’s voice into enterprise-wide clarity. Synthesize vision, strategy, and priorities into language that is clear, compelling, and actionable across audiences. 

• Serve as a trusted narrative partner to the CEO. Shape messaging, framing, and positioning for key moments including board engagement, media, partner convenings, and internal milestones. 

• Act as a frontline spokesperson when required. Represent the organization with authority and alignment, ensuring message fidelity and tone consistency in high-visibility settings. 

• Architect and steward the organizational narrative. Define and evolve the story that connects mission, strategy, impact, and future direction. 

• Position the organization as a field-shaping thought leader. Proactively develop perspectives, commentary, and platforms that influence sector dialogue and elevate institutional credibility. 

• Ensure message coherence across all channels. Align internal, external, digital, and stakeholder communications to reinforce strategic priorities and brand identity. 

• Translate complex strategy into accessible language. Distill nuanced operational, financial, and policy concepts into communications that resonate with diverse audiences. 

• Prepare leadership for high-stakes moments. Develop talking points, briefings, and scenario messaging for public appearances, media inquiries, and critical organizational updates. 

• Monitor external narratives and manage reputation risk. Anticipate issues, guide response strategy, and protect organizational trust. 

• Cultivate media and strategic relationships. Build relationships with journalists, partners, and influencers that expand reach and reinforce authority. 

• Lead proactive visibility strategy. Identify opportunities for amplification, partnerships, publications, and platforms that extend influence. 

• Model calm, credible leadership under pressure. Serve as a steady communications presence during periods of growth, transition, or crisis. 

Content Creation & Platform Management 

• Develop, edit, and distribute clear, consistent messaging across internal and external channels. 

• Manage and grow Ready Ready’s digital presence, including social media platforms, website content, and e-newsletters (e.g., MailChimp). 

• Support media relations, including drafting press materials and coordinating media outreach when appropriate. 

• Create and curate written content such as blog posts, press releases, talking points, and promotional materials. 

• Ensure brand consistency in all organizational communications and materials. 

Monitoring & Engagement 

• Monitor analytics and engagement across digital platforms to inform content strategy and optimize communications. 

• Provide communications support for events, campaigns, and community engagement activities. 

General 

• Document, synthetize, and analyze job-related data to use for learning and improvement, to track progress, and to report to funders and other stakeholders.  

• Provide regular reports on progress to Ready Ready leadership team and liaise across other partners/consultants.  

• Perform other duties as assigned by the CEO and/or supervisor.  

QUALIFICATIONS 

This is an outstanding opportunity to play a critical role in building a system of care for Guilford County’s youngest children and their families. Therefore, first and foremost, the Communications Lead must be committed to the mission of Ready Ready. Additionally, the successful candidate will be able to demonstrate: 

Required 

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, marketing, journalism, or a related field; or equivalent experience. 

• 3–5 years of professional experience in communications, preferably in a nonprofit, public sector, or mission-driven organization. 

• Demonstrated ability to develop and manage content across digital platforms (social media, websites, e-newsletters, etc.). 

• Strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills with the ability to tailor messaging to diverse audiences. 

• Experience with communications tools and platforms (e.g., MailChimp, Canva, WordPress, social media management tools). 

• Basic understanding of media relations, including drafting press materials and engaging with journalists or outlets. 

• Ability to analyze communications metrics and translate insights into strategy adjustments. 

• Strong project management and organizational skills; able to juggle multiple priorities and deadlines. 

• Collaborative and flexible mindset; comfortable working with both internal teams and external partners/consultants. 

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines. 

• Flexibility and the ability to work autonomously as well as take direction as needed. 

• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills. 

• Knowledge of the early childhood, education, and/or healthcare systems.  

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and comfort with digital collaboration tools (e.g., Teams, Zoom, shared drives). 

• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and Ready Ready’s mission of improving outcomes for children and families. 

Desired 

• Experience with photography, videography, or basic video editing. 

Salary : $65,000 - $74,750