JSI is dedicated to improving people’s lives around the world through greater health, education, and socioeconomic equity for individuals and communities, and to providing an environment where people of passion can pursue this cause.

The Internal Communications Director is responsible for developing and implementing an internal employee communications strategy and infrastructure, creating content, and contributing to programs that actively engage internal audiences on a global, organization-wide basis. The successful candidate will work with the management team to ensure JSI employees globally are kept informed and motivated by developing a strategy using communications tools including but not limited to: the JSI intranet, social media, in-person engagements, global staff meetings, video content of the CEO and other leaders, newsletters, etc.

They will oversee and manage internal communications involving organizational change and responses to industry landscape developments, staying on top of best practices in the sector. They will develop an understanding of different internal stakeholders and advise senior management on responses to current events. They will ensure that internal communications are fully integrated into JSI’s overall communications strategy and processes, leverage and deploy the CEO and other senior leaders, and ensure consistency of messaging across media and across teams and geographies. They will translate business strategies into key messages, develop appropriate internal communications initiatives to support those strategies, and execute communications that create excitement, drive engagement, align teams, and shape culture. This includes attending senior meetings and effectively translating decisions into comprehensive communications plans for the various divisions and offices around the world, anticipating responses and questions. They will work with the Communications Division to formulate JSI’s internal response to crisis PR situations.

The ideal candidate will have a proven ability to create and execute communications plans, to leverage and coach principals, strong writing skills, an understanding of change management communications, and a natural ability to think strategically while problem-solving and delivering tactical results: employee engagement and retention, creation of employee advocates, and functional structures to cascade information. The successful candidate will be trusted to understand the concerns of staff and develop content that speaks to these concerns. They will understand the complex culture of a global organization, have exceptional sensitivity to diverse backgrounds and experiences, and understand the necessity of promoting equity and inclusion for a diverse staff when developing strategies. This role works with management and internal teams (including but not limited to the executive team, HR, and Finance) to communicate new information and promote JSI’s unique value proposition.

• Establish and execute a high-quality, effective internal communications strategy/plan in collaboration with senior managers, including developing, defining, monitoring, and measuring key indicators of success
• Develop and organize an internal communications infrastructure, which includes evaluating existing internal communications mechanisms, establishing new communication channels, using multimedia, leveraging global staff meetings, developing an internal editorial calendar, and ensuring processes and infrastructure are globally accessible and accommodating
• Develop mechanisms for collecting suggestions and anonymous feedback from staff and responding and adjusting content accordingly while also understanding the key moments and messaging for internal communications
• Closely collaborate with and advise various teams to ensure strategic alignment and move messaging forward, including working with the CEO on messaging, ensuring appropriate senior leaders are cascading information
• Support the development policy landscape analysis
• Ensure organizational initiatives and internal priorities are successfully communicated to employees and stakeholders to cultivate a strong culture, bolster engagement, and foster employee connection to the organization’s mission, purpose, and values
• Plan, edit and write content for a variety of internal communications media, including drafting messages or scripts from senior executives for presentation to staff
• Ensure internal communications messaging is consistent across all media and for the various departments and divisions, in addition to ensuring that internal and external communication messaging is consistent
• Represent internal communications at the weekly Communications Editorial Meetings
• Apply best practices to manage any internal communication response in a crisis that may affect the perception and reputation of JSI
• Manage the company’s internal communication tools, ensuring they are up-to-date, user-friendly, and aligned with the company’s goals and values
• Advise senior executives of developments throughout the organization, either face-to-face or through regular written communication
• Carry out other duties as assigned

Key Skills

• Writing skills: Excellent writing, editing, speechwriting, and proofreading skills; journalistic ability to source stories from employees and prioritize importance
• Speaking skills: Strong speaking skills to give presentations to staff preferred Exceptional sensitivity to JSI goals and values and the ability to relay them to employees
• Interpersonal skills: Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, as well as empathy, and trust-building skills to work with and motivate employees to support and contribute to internal communications; confidence to advise and coach senior executives
• Strategic Creative skills: Creative ability to devise communication strategies; familiarity with information technology, especially digital and video means of communication
• Strong understanding of the sector and ability to communicate the nuanced and complicated transformation in the sector

• A Master’s degree in journalism, communications, public relations, human resources, marketing, or related field. A combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of a Master’s degree
• 10+ years in a communications and/or marketing role, either in-house or at an agency
• 5+ years of experience leading internal communications function for a large, multilingual, global non-profit organization and/or in public health
• Direct experience managing internal communications in a multilingual, global non-profit organization preferred
• Experience creating and executing change management communications strategies
• Experience writing for a variety of different audiences is also desired. General journalistic or marketing experience is beneficial
• An understanding of the technology required to deliver communications to staff using a wide variety of technologies and communications channels
• Strong performance accountability and ability to follow through on commitments, maintain confidentiality, and meet deadlines in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment
• Ability to manage multiple, complex projects, advising senior management and executives with strong attention to detail, a high level of responsiveness, and the ability to adapt and be flexible