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Director of Strategic Communications
Full-time position

Please follow detailed submission instructions at the bottom of this post.

PLEASE NOTE: Applications must be submitted as a single PDF to talent@unrwausa.org using the following subject line: LastName_FirstName_DirectorStrategicCommunications

Status: Full-time, Exempt
Location: Washington, DC–preferred; Remote considered
Starting Salary Range: $110,000 - $130,000
Application Deadline: December 1, 2025
Reports to: Executive Director
Supervises: Strategic Communications team, contractors, and vendors

Overview

The Director of Strategic Communications is a key member of UNRWA USA’s leadership team, responsible for shaping and amplifying the organization’s narrative, brand, and public positioning. This role leads the integration of communications across advocacy, fundraising, and partnerships, ensuring a unified voice that uplifts the stories of Palestine refugees and strengthens public understanding of UNRWA’s mission.

The Director serves as both architect and spokesperson of UNRWA USA’s communications strategy—setting the vision for narrative transformation, overseeing all external messaging, managing high-level media relationships, and guiding the organization through periods of both opportunity and crisis.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Narrative Transformation

Lead the organization’s narrative and positioning strategy, ensuring UNRWA USA communicates with clarity, integrity, and impact across all platforms.
Serve as the narrative transformation strategy and implementation lead, developing and executing initiatives that reframe and elevate the stories of Palestine refugees.
Set the vision and lead the organization-wide communications strategy, aligning it with UNRWA USA’s advocacy, fundraising, and partnership goals.
Oversee all external messaging, ensuring alignment, accuracy, and resonance across audiences.
Partner with the Executive Director and senior team to ensure narrative alignment across departments and initiatives.

Public Engagement & Representation

Serve as a principal spokesperson for UNRWA USA in high-profile media, policy, and public settings.
Represent the organization at key events, panels, and convenings with high-level partners and stakeholders.
Lead crisis communications and rapid-response messaging, ensuring timely, coordinated, and values-driven responses to unfolding events.
Cultivate and maintain top-tier media and influencer relationships, guiding strategic partnerships that advance organizational reach and reputation.
Provide media training for staff and key spokespeople, with support from external vendors.

Content & Campaigns Oversight

Provide strategic oversight of flagship storytelling and content products, including:

Let’s Talk UNRWA (quarterly live show)
Palestine Grapevine newsletter
Hakawati storytelling program
Voices of UNRWA blog (editorial approval and guidance)

Approve and shape editorial direction to ensure content aligns with organizational strategy and centers Palestinian voices.
Provide strategic oversight of high-priority campaigns and events, including narrative transformation initiatives and donor engagement campaigns.
Develop and lead narrative transformation keystone events that embody and advance the organization’s storytelling and public education goals.

Digital Presence & Website Transformation

Set the vision for the organization’s website transformation, serving as project manager and liaison with external vendors.
Oversee all website content, architecture, and storytelling alignment to ensure the site reflects UNRWA USA’s evolving narrative and engagement strategy.
Guide integration of digital communications tools to improve storytelling, donor experience, and audience engagement.

Team Leadership & Collaboration

Supervise and mentor communications staff and consultants, building a high-performing and mission-driven team.
Foster deep collaboration between the communications, advocacy, and fundraising teams to ensure unified messaging and strategic alignment.
Build systems and processes that strengthen coordination and amplify organizational impact.

Performance & Impact

Define clear communications success metrics, including reach, engagement, media visibility, and message alignment. Report outcomes to leadership.
Continuously refine communications approaches based on data, audience insights, and organizational learning.

Qualifications

Deep commitment to the lifting up the voices, experiences, and humanity of Palestine refugees and to secure American support for Palestinian refugees.
Minimum 15 years of progressively responsible experience in strategic communications, media relations, or public affairs, ideally within a mission-driven or advocacy-focused organization.
Proven record of leading integrated communications efforts that elevate brand, influence narrative, and mobilize support.
Strong public presence and experience serving as a media spokesperson or public representative.
Expertise in crisis communications and managing complex or sensitive issues with integrity and precision.
Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
Demonstrated success managing teams and cross-departmental collaboration.
Deep understanding of the Palestinian experience, Middle East affairs, humanitarian communications, or global justice issues preferred.
Experience overseeing digital transformation or website projects a strong plus.

Who you are:

You are a bold storyteller and thoughtful strategist who believes that words, images, and stories can shift hearts and change systems. You thrive at the intersection of media, advocacy, and philanthropy—where communications drives both impact and empathy.

You have a steady voice under pressure and a sharp instinct for when to lead, when to listen, and when to reframe the narrative entirely. You’re equally comfortable crafting a national media pitch as you are coaching a colleague to speak from their own truth.

You are motivated by justice, community, and dignity, and you understand the power and responsibility that come with telling stories from places of crisis and resilience. You advocate with compassion and integrity, balancing moral clarity with a commitment to neutrality and accuracy that reflects UNRWA USA’s humanitarian mission and UN affiliation.

You see communications as both a craft and a calling, and you bring creativity, strategy, and humanity to every aspect of your work.

About UNRWA USA:

UNRWA USA is an American 501c3 nonprofit that lifts up the voices, experiences, and humanity of Palestine refugees to secure American support for resources essential to every human being, for the promise of a better life. UNRWA USA’s organizational culture is based on these four core values: shared purpose, integrity, growth mindset, and gratitude. UNRWA USA's core values inform everything we do, from our ongoing relationships with donors and partners to our daily interactions with colleagues across UNRWA USA and UNRWA. It’s what we look for in potential staff members, board members, and volunteers, and part of what staff is evaluated on in addition to their performance.

UNRWA USA embraces diversity and is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. The more inclusive we are, the better our work (and world) will be. UNRWA USA provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment regardless of a person's actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, national origin, place of birth, sex, age, religion, creed, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, weight, or height.

Submission Details

Deadline: December 1, 2025
Submit to: talent@unrwausa.org
Format: Single PDF, labeled LastName_FirstName_DirectorStrategicCommunications, including a cover letter, resume, and two to three work-related references.
Please note that only complete proposals will be reviewed.

Please Do Not Contact Staff Directly

To ensure a fair and efficient review process, applicants are asked to refrain from contacting UNRWA USA staff directly regarding this opportunity. Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to respond to individual outreach. All inquiries should be submitted through the designated application channel, and applicants are kindly asked to allow the process to run its course.

Applicants are welcome to follow UNRWA USA on LinkedIn for updates about our work and future opportunities.