Executive Director, EaR Strategy – Alignment, Public Affairs

The College Board

Policy communications strategist at College Board shaping campaigns and strategies for legislative agendas. Collaborating with teams to advance policy and research initiatives for mission-driven impact.

Posted 7/2/2026full-time🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $152,000 - $230,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in Public Affairs and Strategic Communications, with a strong focus on developing and executing integrated campaigns that align messaging and stakeholder engagement. Proven ability to lead cross-organizational strategies and manage complex initiatives while effectively communicating with senior leadership.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Public Affairs StrategyIntegrated Campaign DevelopmentCrisis CommunicationsStakeholder EngagementLegislative Communications

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Communications StrategyProject ManagementData AnalysisNarrative DevelopmentMedia Relations

Soft Skills

Exceptional Writing SkillsInfluence Without AuthorityTrust BuildingAdaptabilityExecutive Presence

Industry Keywords

Policy CommunicationsRegulatory InitiativesStakeholder SequencingRapid Response StrategiesResearch Collaboration

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Serve as the Single-Threaded EaR Leader for Public Affairs
Own coordinated strategy and measurable outcomes across Public Affairs disciplines, while discipline leaders retain execution ownership within their respective domains
Act as the primary day-to-day EaR contact for GPER, L&A, HMA, and other policy-adjacent teams
Operate as a senior embedded partner within divisional leadership teams
Provide strategic counsel on communications approach, sequencing, and risk
Escalate conflicts or alignment gaps as needed and ensure timely resolution
Lead Integrated Policy and Research Communications Strategy
Translate legislative agendas, regulatory developments, research roadmaps, and stakeholder priorities into coordinated communications campaigns
Develop structured campaign plans that align messaging, media strategy, executive positioning, stakeholder sequencing, and risk mitigation
Identify opportunities to proactively shape policy and research narratives in priority markets and moments
Align communications strategy in support of priority partnerships, endorsements, and sponsorships that advance policy, research, or stakeholder objectives
Ensure communications strategies evolve as policy, regulatory, research, or partnership dynamics shift
Lead special initiatives ranging from program launches to enterprise pilots
Orchestrate the EaR Studio Model
Define business needs and align them to a flexible bench of EaR domain experts functioning as a Studio, including media relations, messaging and editorial, insights and intelligence, digital amplification, creative, and copyediting resources
Ensure the right expertise is engaged at the right time based on program priorities
Ensure efficient internal communications and knowledge sharing within and across Studios
Maintain momentum as policy, research, or stakeholder priorities evolve and ensure changes are reflected across EaR workstreams
Integrate policy landscape analysis, media intelligence, stakeholder insights, and narrative tracking into campaign planning
Anticipate emerging risks or moments of heightened scrutiny and coordinate proactive or rapid-response strategies
Provide divisional leaders with clear insight into external dynamics and communications implications
Provide high-level project management across initiatives to keep work on pace
Establish clear goals, metrics, and reporting tied to business and EaR outcomes
Own impact reporting; Monitor performance and recommend adjustments to improve results
Develop and implement effective processes, tools, and systems to support efficient, consistent, and high-impact execution for all priority initiatives and projects.
Communicate progress, risks, and outcomes to divisional and EaR leadership

Requirements

What you’ll need

10+ years of experience in public affairs, policy communications, or strategic communications
Experience supporting state or federal legislative or regulatory initiatives through communications strategy
Strong communications strategy background, including experience designing and executing integrated campaigns that marshal media, messaging, and stakeholder sequencing across policy and research initiatives
Proven ability to lead cross-program or cross-organizational strategy in complex, matrixed settings, building trust and influence without direct authority and working through ambiguity
Exceptional writing skills, with demonstrated ability to translate complex policy or research content into clear, compelling narratives
Experience collaborating with research or subject matter experts to align publication releases with strategic messaging and media engagement
Proven ability to assess external landscapes, anticipate risks and opportunities, and recommend effective engagement strategies
Strong rapid response and crisis communications experience in politically or publicly sensitive environments
A goal- and metric-oriented mindset with experience using data and insights to guide strategy and measure impact
Executive presence, including the ability to represent EaR credibly with senior program leaders, navigate complex conversations, influence decision-making, and communicate clearly and confidently
Ability to manage multiple initiatives, priorities, and stakeholders simultaneously
Ability to travel 4 to 7 times per year to College Board offices or on behalf of College Board business

Benefits

Comp & perks

Annual bonuses and opportunities for merit-based raises and promotions
A mission-driven workplace where your impact matters
A team that invests in your development and success