Senior Director of Communications

About Achievement First

Achievement First (AF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization supporting 39 public charter schools across New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. For more than 25 years, AF has been recognized as one of the top tuition-free public charter school networks in the country. We are committed to creating schools of academic excellence within nurturing environments — schools that prepare students to be college-ready and to pursue and succeed in whatever paths they choose in life.

The majority of AF students are Black and Latinx children from low-income families, many of whom will be the first in their families to graduate from college. Across our network, we employ more than 2,200 staff members — 64% of whom identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color — who collectively educate nearly 15,000 students in Brooklyn and Queens, NY; New Haven, Bridgeport, and Hartford, CT; and Providence and Cranston, RI.

Our mission is to prepare every student to excel in college, career, and life; deepen their understanding of self and community; and lead lives of purpose. We believe in the limitless potential within our students and their power to shape a more just society. That belief drives our deep commitment to student achievement: we aim to set a high bar for learning and create warm, demanding classrooms where rigorous instruction is paired with the care, encouragement, and consistency every student deserves.

Each of our schools is a vibrant learning community shaped by its local context yet guided by a shared set of values: leading for racial equity, striving for excellence, embracing challenge, caring for the whole person, choosing joy, and going further together. These values guide our work across the organization and reflect both who we are and who we aspire to be.

At Achievement First, we are strengthened by being one network — united by shared values, a common mission, and a deep belief in what’s possible for our students. At the same time, we know that education is a deeply local endeavor, which is why we work in close partnership with families and local communities to ensure each school has the resources and support it needs to thrive.

Together, we’re building a future where every student receives an excellent education grounded in the strengths of their community, and where the impact of our collective work endures for generations.

Your Impact

The Senior Director of Communications sets the vision and standard of excellence for communications and storytelling at Achievement First. This leader is responsible for shaping and continuously evolving an organization-wide communications strategy that reflects and reinforces our mission, values, and brand. A core priority of this role is to use internal communications as a strategic lever to strengthen employee engagement, cultivate a deep sense of belonging, and build a vibrant, connected AF community.

In close partnership with the Associate Chief of Public Affairs, the Senior Director plays a critical role in shaping organizational culture. They lead strategic initiatives that elevate our collective voice—both internally and externally—and position our staff as ambassadors of the AF brand across the broader education landscape.

This role oversees editorial direction and messaging coherence, ensuring thoughtful, consistent, and compelling communications for all internal audiences—including educators, school and network leaders, and internal-adjacent stakeholders such as board members, funders, and families. The Senior Director is also responsible for ensuring communications are tailored to the complex needs of diverse internal stakeholders across geographies and roles.

To support clear, transparent, and timely information flow across the organization, the Senior Director will leverage a range of communications channels—including our intranet (Homeroom), newsletters, email campaigns, and live touchpoints. They will ensure each channel is used strategically, with content that is accessible, actionable, and aligned to broader organizational priorities. In addition, they will partner closely with marketing and brand team members to ensure that all communications — internal and external — meet our standard of excellence, reflect a consistent and compelling voice and identity, and are strategically aligned and emotionally resonant.

By building high-impact, audience-centered systems and messages, the Senior Director ensures that AF’s communications are cohesive, inclusive, and trusted, fostering connection, alignment, and shared purpose across the organization.

Reporting directly to the Associate Chief of Public Affairs, you will be responsible for:

Communications Strategy & Execution

• Lead the development and execution of enterprise-wide and regional communications, including newsletters, intranet content, and campaigns, to inform, inspire, and activate key audiences.
• Partner with Network Support (NS) teams to drive alignment and amplify key initiatives, ensuring communications are timely, audience-centered, and strategically sequenced.
• Engage a wide range of stakeholders to gather insights, surface concerns, and build trust, using feedback to inform communication strategy and strengthen connection.
• Build authentic relationships with school-based and regional staff to uncover and elevate high-impact, mission-aligned stories that celebrate student and staff experiences.
• Define and uphold a gold standard for internal and external communications, ensuring all content reflects AF’s voice, values, and strategic priorities.
• Deliver expert-level writing, editing, and content development — from change management-related communications to campaign copy — to drive clarity, consistency, and engagement.
• Implement and optimize systems, workflows, and technologies that increase efficiency, consistency, and impact across all communications channels.
• Deeply understand and reflect AF’s organizational culture and community context to craft messaging that resonates and reinforces shared purpose.
• Use data, analytics, and audience feedback to assess communications effectiveness, guide content decisions, and continuously improve strategy and reach.
  
  

Advising on Internal-Adjacent and External Communication Strategy

• Collaborate with NS teams to improve communications for families, board members, and external stakeholders
• Provide expert writing and editing support as needed
• Assist with crisis communications and risk management strategy and execution
  
  

Public Affairs Team Collaboration & Cohesion

• Oversee and continuously improve systems for story mining across all regions, ensuring a steady pipeline of compelling, community-rooted stories that power external communications, media relations, fundraising, and public engagement.
• Partner closely with the marketing and brand team members to ensure all stories and content are aligned to AF’s messaging and visual identity, and are effectively leveraged across channels for maximum reach and impact.
• Provide strategic project management support to drive high-quality, on-time execution of key cross-functional initiatives, ensuring clarity of roles, timelines, and deliverables across the Public Affairs team.
• Partner closely with the Associate Chief to manage and monitor the team’s budget, aligning spending with strategic priorities, forecasting needs, and ensuring fiscal responsibility.
• Design and lead professional learning, collaboration structures, and culture-building efforts that foster a high-performing, mission-driven team where individuals feel connected, supported, and aligned to shared goals.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, or a related field required
• Master’s degree or relevant certifications preferred
  
  

Experience

• At least 10 years of experience leading complex communications initiatives across functions and teams
• Demonstrated success implementing end-to-end communications strategies in organizations with 1,000+ employees
• Proven track record of producing high-impact communications and campaigns across multiple formats (e.g., storytelling, business-driven, longform, and shortform content)
• Experience supporting fundraising communications and grant writing to advance organizational goals
• Expertise in developing equitable communications systems that ensure broad access to information
• Strong background in digital marketing, content creation, and communications operations
• Experience leading professional learning or training related to communications and equity
  
  

Knowledge and Skills

• Mastery of written and verbal communication, including copyediting and content strategy
• Skilled in project management and cross-functional collaboration
• Strong understanding of brand development, stakeholder engagement, and change management
• Fluency with communications technologies and platforms such as Slack, Trello, and email marketing tools
• Ability to collect and use metrics and feedback to assess communications effectiveness
  
  

Travel Requirements

• This role requires in-person presence at an Achievement First network office (New York) at least once per week
• Occasional travel across AF’s three regions may be required

Compensation

Achievement First sets salaries through a lens of equity, and based on the requisite skills, education, and experience relevant to the role. Salary for this role is $130,842. In order to uphold our commitment to equity, Achievement First does not negotiate pay. Achievement First offers to all regular, full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid time off, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, a 403(b) retirement benefit package with match, and paid Family Leave.

Achievement First is an equal opportunity employer and an organization that values diversity. People from all diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. Spanish language proficiency is a plus. You can learn more about diversity at Achievement First here: http://achievementfirst.org/about-us/diversity/