THE ORGANIZATION:

For over 58 years, EDC has been dedicated to improving education, health, and economic opportunities for people of all ages. From its earliest roots in science education to its current portfolios of programs across the globe, EDC’s work has been united and grounded by a simple premise: Learning Transforms Lives. EDC is committed to promoting equity and much of EDC’s work aims to reduce disparities in education and health by providing access to high quality education and health services to promote equitable opportunities for all.  Today, EDC is a large, not-for-profit organization, working across the United States and in more than 25 countries. In collaboration with public, private, and community partners, EDC creates, implements, and evaluates innovations in programs and policies that address urgent issues and empower people to live healthy and productive lives. EDC staff is committed to creating and translating the best research and evidence into real-world practices that are effective, scalable, and sustainable.

Over the decades, EDC has consistently earned a national and international reputation for excellence in products, services, reach, and impact. Federal, state, and international agencies, foundations, schools, and health providers express confidence in EDC as a change partner, and look to EDC for thought leadership and sound program and fiscal management on projects large and small. EDC has 1,200 staff, including a substantial virtual workforce. With headquarters in Massachusetts, corporate offices in New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., and multiple regional and field offices, EDC has annual revenue of over $160 million, about 85% of which comes from federal agencies, with the balance coming from a variety of foundations, corporations, and other funders. Projects typically are secured by developing successful proposals that are awarded through competitive processes and through proactive outreach to funders and partners.

EDC’s varied project portfolio includes approximately 250 projects designed to:

• improve early learning opportunities and outcomes for children, pre-natal to eight years old
  
• develop effective teaching and learning approaches inside and outside the classroom
  
• prepare youth for 21st century livelihoods and employment
  
• develop computational thinking skills among students
  
• deepen understanding of science concepts and build data literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills
  
• promote individual, family, and community health and address disparities in areas such as suicide prevention, substance misuse, and sexual and reproductive health
  
• expand health equity and access to quality health services.
  

We do this by researching issues, creating tools and materials for professional development and continuing education programs, using technology to amplify reach and impact, implementing evidence-based strategies with local, regional, and national partners, and designing and conducting evaluations to determine what works and why.

For more information on our work, please visit www.edc.org

THE OPPORTUNITY:

EDC is in the midst of an organization-wide re-design to create “one EDC,” an effort that will enhance EDC’s reputation and external profile and foster the collaboration, innovation, and experimentation that will drive significant social impact. The SVP, External Affairs is a new position that will play a critical strategic role driving EDC’s externally focused efforts.

Reporting to the CEO and an important member of EDC’s senior leadership team, the SVP, External Affairs will create and drive forward a holistic communications and marketing strategy to raise awareness for and enhance the reputation of the organization. The SVP will join the senior and executive leadership of EDC to articulate goals, results, and value; define and implement the strategy; identify relevant opportunities for EDC to share perspective with audiences, including potential donors; and develop a cadre of EDC staff to deliver EDC’s mission and value proposition to key audiences. Working with and then building upon EDC’s current communications staff and resources, the SVP, External Affairs will look for initial opportunities to enhance and strengthen the organizational brand as well as build out a long-term plan which may include campaigns, new or enhanced tools, cross-collaboration opportunities, and thought leadership designed to meet those goals.

Key Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Become the leader for external affairs at EDC. Serve as single point of accountability for Communications, Marketing, and Public Affairs strategy and execution.
  
• Create a best-in-class communications and marketing function by developing a short-term, mid-term, and long-term roadmap for evolving existing communications programs, initiatives, approach, and measurement metrics.
  
• Serve as a key member of the senior leadership team responsible for EDC’s strategy and success.
  
• Work holistically across all of EDC to obtain relevant information and to disseminate communication expertise, tools, and content across multiple channels.
  

Requirements include:

• Senior communications professional with demonstrated results in public relations, corporate communications, social media, and executive communications
  
• A minimum of 15 years of directly relevant experience, including 10 years in a leadership capacity
  
• Excellent leadership and proven reputation as someone that colleagues and staff have confidence in. Proven experience inspiring, mentoring, and managing staff.
  
• Strong team player and ability to partner with colleagues who need to carry the messages for the organization.
  
• Will have experience positioning an organization in the context of multiple external funding sources and branding requirements.
  
• Demonstrated instinct for identifying newsworthy stories across a large organization for external audiences.
  
• Prior experience preparing communications and marketing materials for business development and fundraising purposes; experience working directly with donors is preferred.
  
• Proven “agent of change” who has inspired positive culture changes.
  
• Solid background in communications’ best practices, including emerging practices.
  
• Prior experience in non-profit, university, or a mission-driven environment preferred; prior experience or knowledge of key practice areas including education, public health, and international development is strongly preferred.
  
• Experience with government funders is strongly preferred.
  
• Experience working in a soft-money environment preferred.
  
• Ideally will understand the challenge of conveying the value-added of an organization that often works as an intermediary with other organizations.
  
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills with an ability to convey complex ideas concisely and compellingly to a range of external audiences
  
• Knowledge of media landscape and established relationships with relevant media organizations strongly preferred.
  
• Bachelor’s Degree required, advanced degree strongly preferred.
  

Qualified candidates should send a resume and cover letter to Amy Segelin (amy@chaloner.com)