Chaloner has partnered with Pivotal Ventures on their search for a Vice President, Communications & Public Affairs.

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Founded in 2015 by Melinda French Gates, Pivotal expands opportunity and equality for all people through high-impact investments, philanthropy, and advocacy. We accelerate social progress by removing barriers that hold people back. Our impatience with the status quo is fueled by an optimism that progress is always possible.

Inspired by our founder, we reach across communities and sectors to bring together changemakers who can scale up proven ideas and catalyze new ones. We learn from their experiences, amplify their resources, then step back so they can lead. We strive to be creative and innovative in our work and flexible in the approach we take to solving problems.

ROLE DESCRIPTION                          

The Vice President, Communications & Public Affairs works across multiple entities within the Pivotal ecosystem and leads the voice, media relations, and reputation strategy for the Pivotal ecosystem. This role is responsible for all external written content, crisis response, and risk management. This position manages communications strategies for Pivotal and its Principals and is responsible for the Principal’s digital channels. This individual leads a team of in-house professionals and oversees agency partner(s) across these disciplines, serving as accountable for all facets of this work. This individual collaborates closely with internal teams across multiple entities and external partners. This individual cultivates a direct, trusted advisory relationship with the Principal, guiding communications, media relations, and digital strategy across a range of engagements.

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Communications Leadership

• Set direction and be responsible for the execution of the Principal’s communications strategy, guiding teams responsible for:
• Core narrative and key message development.
• Speechwriting, op-eds, social content, and interview preparation.
• Media interview and event management.
• Staffing and prepping for events and travel.
• Journalist and media relationship development.
• Editorial planning across digital platforms and paid media.
• Audience insights, measurement, and analytics.
• Lead strategy for telling the story of the full Pivotal ecosystem.
• Enable short-, medium-, and long-term communications goals in collaboration with the Communications & Public Affairs team.
• Engage internal and external partners to learn, envision, and co-create communications opportunities across the Principal and Pivotal ecosystem.
• Build strong cross-functional and external relationships, navigating a sophisticated partner landscape.
• Serve as an internal and external ambassador of Pivotal’s mission, culture, and values.

Principal Communications & Risk Advisory

• Serve as a trusted senior advisor to the Principal.
• Lead risk and crisis communications for the Principal and Pivotal, including real-time response to breaking news, platform shifts, and reputation management.
• Develop strategies to capitalize on emerging communications opportunities, incorporating analytics and measurement.
• Coach, staff, and manage the Principal’s high profile media engagements, and mentor other team members supporting the Principal.

Team Leadership & Management

• Oversee, train, and mentor direct and indirect report(s), providing direction through clear expectations and regularly conducting check-ins and providing performance feedback while supporting individual development.
• Interview, hire and onboard new team members.
• Lead a team of communications professionals across speechwriting, earned media, messaging, rapid response, digital, content, thought leadership, research, measurement, and operations.
• Ensure cross-functional alignment across the Pivotal ecosystem, including coordination between Principal, internal teams, and organizational goals.
• Partner with the Vice President, Impact Communications & Creative Strategy to align shared services (e.g., Writing/Media housed in Communications & Public Affairs; Creative Studio in Impact Communications) toward unified goals.
• Manage an annual budget and team planning, ensuring resources align with capabilities, outcomes, and recruitment.
• Model and support equity and belonging as core values of the team, consistent with organizational values and legal requirements.
• Position the function as a strategic, collaborative partner across the organization.
• Foster a culture of inclusivity and accountability across the Communications & Public Affairs team and its partners.

Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

CORE COMPETENCIES

To perform this role successfully, individuals must demonstrate the skills and behaviors aligned with our Pivotal Principles that define what success looks like across all roles. These competencies reflect the expectations for how we work together, lead, grow, and deliver impact for all employees regardless of function or level.

Build and Maintain Trust

Act with integrity and foster an inclusive and collaborative work environment.

•  Is Inclusive – Advance a culture of equity and belonging.

•  Act with Integrity – Tell the truth, take responsibility for your actions, meet your commitments, and act ethically.

•  Collaborate – Build trusting relationships and treat people with dignity and respect.

Drive Impact

Deliver high-quality work that is aligned with Pivotal Strategic Initiatives.

•  Solve Problems – Identify issues and seek diverse perspectives to develop potential solutions.

•  Propel Work Forward – Take initiative, prioritize work appropriately, and complete work on time.

•  Center Stewardship – Use resources responsibly, consider and manage risk, and follow Pivotal policies and procedures.

Learn and Grow

Demonstrate a commitment to continuous individual and organizational development.

•  Contribute Constructively – Participate in advancing individual, team, and organization-wide well-being and resilience.

•  Occupy Growth-Mindset – Embrace challenges, learn from mistakes, and focus on improvement.

•  Share Knowledge – Document work appropriately, assess outcomes, and share explicit and tacit learning.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Minimum 15 years of experience in the Communications field (public or private sector) or a related subject area, or an equivalent combination of advanced training and experience.
• Minimum 10 years leading others, with demonstrated commitment to staff development and experience fostering equity and belonging within a team.
• Demonstrated leadership managing diverse communications teams and overseeing external agencies and creative talent.
• Experience working with high-profile and influential public figures.
• Proven ability to speak candidly and persuasively, always with empathy for the Principal’s needs and perspectives.
• Experience in reputation management and in developing and implementing successful multi-media communications strategies.
• Systems thinker who can identify connections between strategies, projects, and opportunities.
• Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex information succinctly for diverse audiences.
• Ability to present ideas with brevity, clarity, and conviction.
• Deep understanding of how to leverage the full range of communications tools to drive impact at scale.
• Proficiency using Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and SharePoint).
• Fluency in use of systems necessary to role (e.g., Salesforce, Workday).
• Willingness and ability to travel as needed.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Ability to draw connections across disparate data points and opportunities, provide leadership in vision development, and implement multiple strategies to realize that vision.
• Knowledge of the broader eco-system of philanthropy and the gender community, including up-to-date awareness of platforms, thought leaders, peers, and communities.
• Experience and comfort with public speaking and engaging a wide range of audiences.

EMPLOYMENT DETAILS

This is a full-time position based in Pivotal’s Seattle, WA or Kirkland, WA office. The Salary range for this position is $304,854 - $325,534.

Benefits for full-time employees currently include medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and long-term care insurance, fertility benefit, caregiving support, 144 hours of vacation, 96 hours of sick leave, 401k, HSA, FSA, an opportunity to earn a discretionary annual target performance bonus and more. Eligibility for and the amount of benefits provided are governed by the terms of the applicable plan documents. 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, in Pivotal’s discretion, with or without notice.

Pivotal values diversity and is strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all employees and all applicants seeking employment. All employment decisions at Pivotal are based on the candidate’s or employee’s capabilities and qualifications without regard to race (including traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles such as afros, braids, locks, and twists), color, creed, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship or immigration status, caste, veteran or military status, marital, parental, or familial status, disability (including sensory, physical, or mental disability), medical condition, genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristics, domestic violence victim status, political ideology, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable law. Pivotal complies with federal, state, and local equal opportunity and disability laws and makes reasonable accommodation consistent with those laws for applicants and employees with disabilities. Please contact peopleandculture@pivotalventures.org for assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process.

Applications may be submitted via www.chaloner.com.