Head of Communications

23andMe

$190K — $275K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 10+ years of experience in communications with a focus on tech and nonprofit sectors.
  • Established relationships with key media platforms.
  • Proven ability in storytelling, translating complex information into clear narratives.
  • Skilled in understanding audience dynamics and tailoring messaging accordingly.
  • Experience in brand building, media strategy, crisis management, and executive communications.

Responsibilities

  • Own and evolve the organization's brand narrative to reflect its mission and values.
  • Develop and execute a comprehensive communications strategy across media, digital, social, and executive channels.
  • Act as the chief storyteller, creating and guiding compelling content that connects research with public understanding.
  • Build, lead, and mentor a small, effective communications team.
  • Support internal communications to foster alignment and morale across the organization. Establish metrics for evaluating communications impact.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to work with a mission-driven organization focused on significant health advancements.
  • Possibility to lead high-impact projects that shape the company's public perception.
  • Collaborate with a diverse, inclusive team that values individual contributions.
  • Engagement in an innovative environment at a leading consumer genetics and research company.
Full Job Description
The Opportunity

We are looking for a Head of Communications who can craft narrative as strategy, build trust across diverse audiences, and elevate a new nonprofit brand that's quietly been doing some of the most important work out there.

This is not a maintenance role. It's a rebuild, a relaunch, and a reimagination.

As our Head of Comms, you will be the architect of our external voice and internal cohesion, responsible for shaping how the world sees us, hears us, and engages with us. From media relations to thought leadership, from crisis comms to content strategy, you'll lead a small, high-impact team and work cross-functionally to bring our mission to life in ways that resonate, inspire, and activate.

What You'll Do
  • Own and evolve our brand narrative, clarifying our mission, values, and voice as we emerge into our next chapter through progressive PR channels, not just traditional.
  • Build and lead the communications strategy across all external channels to execute the PR strategy with the organization and the CEO/Co-Founder.
  • Lead key PR relationships with partners and collaborators.
  • Bridge the gaps on understanding the new organization between kit memberships, research, philanthropy and public understanding.
  • Build, manage and mentor a small team of communications professionals and PR agency partners.
  • Support internal communications to ensure alignment, morale, and clarity across our 200-person org.
  • Establish clear metrics to evaluate the success and impact of communications efforts.


What You'll Bring
  • A seasoned communications leader (15+ years experience), with deep relationships across key media platforms, ideally with experience across both the tech and nonprofit or research sectors.
  • A natural storyteller who can distill complexity into clarity, and ambiguity into action.
  • Deeply attuned to the audience, able to shift tone, channel, and content depending on who needs to hear what.
  • A builder, not a maintainer, you're excited by change and unafraid of rolling up your sleeves.
  • Experienced in government affairs, media strategy, executive comms, and crisis management.
  • Mission-driven and values-aligned, you care deeply about impact and integrity.


About Us

23andMe, headquartered in California, is a leading consumer genetics and research company. The company's mission is to help people access, understand, and benefit from the human genome. 23andMe has pioneered direct access to genetic information as the only company with multiple FDA authorizations for genetic health risk reports. The company has created the world's largest crowdsourced platform for genetic research, with 80 percent of its customers electing to participate. 23andMe research participants consent to research conducted by 23andMe which is overseen by an independent third-party Institutional Review Board (IRB) regulated under the 'Common Rule' (45 CFR part 46). More information is available at www.23andme.com/research.

Pay Transparency
23andMe takes a market-based approach to pay, and amounts will vary depending on your geographic location. The salary range reflected here is for a candidate based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The successful candidate's starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future.

San Francisco Bay Area Base Pay Range

$190,000-$275,000 USD

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