Apply to be UNRWA USA’s next Senior Communications Manager

Posted: June 18, 2025

Are you obsessed with social media? Do you light up when you get the narrative just right? Are you energized by being out in the world, representing a mission that matters? Do you thrive in fast-paced, high-stakes environments—and love being in the mix, pitching bold ideas, and making them happen?

UNRWA USA is looking for a Senior Communications Manager who’s not just skilled—but on fire—someone who can be a steady hand in a crisis, a spark for fresh ideas, and a trusted face of our mission. You should be just as comfortable drafting a tweet under pressure as you are leading a comms plan for a major campaign.

This isn’t a “stay behind the curtain” role. We need someone who takes full ownership of our digital platforms, grows our community, and leads with conviction when the stakes are high and the narrative matters most.

This role will increasingly become the point person for day-to-day strategic communications, with room to grow. If that sounds like you — we want to hear from you.

Position Summary:

As a communications professional deeply committed to advocating for Palestinian refugees, you will lead and implement strategies that elevate the public profile of UNRWA USA, UNRWA, and our vital work. The Senior Communications Manager plays a key role in advancing the organization’s mission—amplifying the voices, experiences, and humanity of Palestine refugees to build American support for the resources every human being deserves. This work continues until a just and lasting resolution to the plight of Palestine refugees is realized.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Strategic Communications and working closely with the Executive Director and Senior Director of Philanthropy and the Communications team, you will work collaboratively to create messaging, advance the and grow social media reach, and ensure the organization’s messaging is consistent with our mission and style.

Content Creation, Storytelling, & Narrative Transformation

  • Strategically oversee the development and execution of high-impact written and visual content across all digital and print platforms, including but not limited to graphics, copywriting, email campaigns, social media, digital ads, blogs, and website content. Ensure alignment with organizational goals and audience engagement best practices.

  • Lead quality assurance for public-facing content, in coordination with the Senior Director of Communications. Uphold brand and style guide standards across all communications, in coordination with the Brand Strategy Manager.

  • Collaborate with designers and the video lead to create visually compelling and emotionally resonant content.

  • Provide editorial leadership for key communications, including the Palestine Grapevine newsletter, advocacy emails, event announcements.

  • Own the editorial calendar and serve as lead writer/editor for the Voices of UNRWA blog, coordinating guest contributors and ensuring timely, impactful storytelling.

  • Produce the quarterly Let’s Talk UNRWA speaker series, handling guest outreach, scripting, run-of-show planning, registration, promotional assets, and live engagement.

  • Shape communications strategy for flagship initiatives such as the Gaza 5K, speaking tours, and UURAC convenings.

  • Serve as Director of the UNRWA USA Refugee Advisory Council (UURAC), working with Alumni Council members to grow membership and deepen engagement.

  • Monitor all media-related content—including fact-checking, proofreading, and coordination of press releases, op-eds, and advisories—in collaboration with the Senior Director of Communications and PR partners.

  • Lead the development and production of UNRWA USA’s Annual Report in partnership with the Executive Director and department leads.

Social Media Strategy & Engagement

  • Own and execute a dynamic, overall social media strategy that includes platform-specific cadence and measurable KPIs. Collaborating across departments to integrate fundraising, advocacy, and campaign goals, serving as the organization’s lead social media strategist.

  • Manage daily posting, performance tracking, and engagement across all core channels: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, Threads, and LinkedIn (Video Manager takes care of TikTok and YouTube).

  • Execute influencer campaigns and manage outreach logistics, including for Ramadan, the Gaza 5K, or other advocacy pushes.

  • Draft, design, and distribute digital toolkits that help share key messaging and creative, branded assets.

  • Stay ahead of platform trends and adapt in real time to maximize engagement.

Why you’ll love us:

Our team is passionate, progressive, and dedicated to showing Palestine refugees that Americans care. We move fast, dream big, and love what we do—even in hard times. We believe storytelling can change hearts—and we use every tool available to make that happen. You’ll join a collaborative, heart-forward culture where you can take big swings, grow your voice, and see your impact. In this capacity, you will be required to travel both domestically and potentially to the Middle East.

We offer competitive salaries and an exceptional benefits package, including: 

  • Starting salary range: $75,000 - $90,000

  • Fully paid health, vision, and dental insurance

  • Generous paid time off (PTO), including paid holidays

  • Ability to work remotely with a required monthly in-person meeting in Washington DC

  • Convenient office location at Thomas Circle, Washington DC, in a collaborative workspace with great amenities (lounge areas, brainstorming rooms, bike storage, gym)

Why we’ll love you: 

  • You are a whiz with words and have seven (7) or more years in strategic communications, digital strategy, storytelling, social media, or a related field

  • You are a clear, confident communicator with excellent writing and project management chops

  • You love social media, writing, and content creation—and you live for telling stories that move people

  • You thrive under pressure and are calm, creative, and thoughtful in a crisis

  • You’re energized by community work and know how to meet the moment online

  • You are fluent in tools like Adobe Creative Cloud, Canva, Squarespace (or a similar web builder), Pardot (or another similar email marketing tool), and Salesforce

  • You lead with values and bring a strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism

Bonus if you:

  • Understand UNRWA’s work and the plight of/realities facing Palestine refugees

  • Have experience working with the Arab American community or across diasporas

Please note that UNRWA USA will not sponsor work visas or work permits for this role.

Application Instructions:

If you’re available to start as early as July or August 2025 and you're ready to bring your full creative self to this role, please send us the following as a single PDF:

  • Your one-page resume

  • A brief cover letter (or short video) telling us why you’re the one

  • Contact info for at least two professional references

Email to:

Laila Mokhiber, Senior Director of Communications
talent@unrwausa.org
Subject line: Senior Communications Manager - [Your Full Name]

The application deadline is July 1, 2025, but don’t wait! We’re reviewing applications as they come in and may move forward before the deadline.

We kindly ask that all inquiries go through the formal application process. Incomplete applications or unsolicited outreach may disqualify candidates from consideration.

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. No phone inquiries will be accepted.

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.