Vice President of Marketing and Communications Location: Valley Forge, PA (Founding Forward, 1601 Valley Forge Road, Phoenixville, PA 19460) - Remote Flexibility
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Position Type: Full-Time, Salaried with Benefits
Travel: Occasional travel to Downtown Philadelphia and other event locations
Schedule: Standard business hours with some evening and weekend work required to support programs (compensated time off provided when required)
Compensation: Competitive salary benefits
Position Summary We are seeking an experienced marketing and communications leader to strengthen Founding Forward's institutional voice, expand awareness of its work, and develop strategies that advance program participation, community engagement, and philanthropic support. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Vice President of Marketing and Communications develops and leads an integrated marketing and communications strategy that strengthens Founding Forward's reputation and supports organizational growth. The role builds upon existing brand work, clarifies institutional positioning and priority audiences, and directs public relations, digital communications, publications, and marketing campaigns. Working closely with Advancement, Engagement, and Programs, the Vice President translates organizational priorities into coordinated plans with clear objectives, budgets, and measures of success.
Beyond directing day-to-day communications and marketing, this leader serves as a trusted advisor to the CEO and senior leadership - helping shape how Founding Forward tells its story, reaches its audiences, builds its reputation, and communicates its impact as a national civic education organization.
Primary Responsibilities Brand Positioning and Marketing Strategy- Assess and build upon Founding Forward's existing brand work, clarifying institutional positioning, differentiators, priority audiences, and messaging to support its mission and growth.
- Lead a comprehensive brand positioning exercise that clarifies Founding Forward's identity, differentiators, audiences, and institutional voice in service of its mission, vision, and values.
- Translate the outcomes of that work into an integrated marketing strategy that supports organizational growth, strengthens reputation, and expands regional and national reach.
- Serve as a strategic advisor to the CEO and executive leadership on communications, messaging, institutional positioning, and brand risk.
- Develop and manage an annual marketing and communications plan, including campaign priorities, resource allocation, budget, and measurable objectives; report progress to executive leadership and adjust strategies based on results.
Brand Management, Messaging and Public Relations - Steward the Founding Forward brand to ensure consistency in messaging, voice, and visual identity across the organization and all channels.
- Guide institutional messaging and storytelling so the organization's mission, values, work, and impact are communicated clearly to donors, educators, program participants, Union League members, volunteers, community partners, media, and the public.
- Lead public relations and media strategy, identifying opportunities to strengthen Founding Forward's visibility and reputation as a leader in immersive, non-partisan civic education.
- Lead executive and institutional communications, including announcements, leadership remarks, and organizational messages; advise the CEO on crisis communications and emerging issues.
- Partner with Education staff and executive leadership to develop thought leadership opportunities, including expert commentary, articles, interviews, and speaking engagements that strengthen Founding Forward's standing in civic education.
Digital and Print Media, Collateral and Social Media - Own ongoing marketing and communications activity across digital media, print media, collateral, publications, campaign materials, and social media.
- Provide strategic oversight of Founding Forward's digital communications and audience strategy, ensuring the website, email, social media, video, and other digital channels work together to advance organizational priorities.
- Oversee the development of marketing collateral and other print and digital assets that support Advancement, Engagement, Programs, and enterprise initiatives.
- Use audience insights and performance data to evaluate and refine marketing efforts and expand Founding Forward's reach.
- Guide digital priorities and performance while empowering staff to manage day-to-day execution and optimization.
Shared Services Support to Advancement, Engagement and Programs - Design and implement a plan that provides reliable, proactive marketing services to Advancement, Engagement, and Program as part of Founding Forward's Shared Services Model.
- Partner with division leaders to develop communications and marketing strategies that support program recruitment and enrollment, member and volunteer participation, community partnerships, and philanthropic support, while maintaining one consistent institutional voice.
- Support Advancement with donor communications, campaign materials, impact storytelling, and other philanthropic communications.
- Work closely with The Union League's Marketing team to collaborate, coordinate, and amplify Founding Forward's work and messaging
Team Leadership - Lead, mentor, and develop the Marketing and Communications team, initially with one direct report responsible for digital marketing, by establishing priorities, providing coaching, delegating responsibility, and fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Build the team over time as organizational needs and resources allow, and manage external creative, agency, print, and marketing partners.
What success looks like The Vice President of Marketing and Communications is successful when:
- Founding Forward operates from a clear institutional positioning and an integrated annual marketing and communications plan with defined audiences, priorities, budgets, and measurable objectives.
- The organization communicates with one clear, compelling, and consistent voice.
- Marketing and communications demonstrate measurable contributions to program recruitment, community participation, philanthropic engagement, and institutional visibility, using objectives established with the relevant division leaders.
- Advancement, Engagement, and Programs receive timely, high-quality marketing support through a defined Shared Services plan.
- Digital, print, collateral, and social media activity is coordinated, on-brand, and measured.
- The Marketing and Communications function is collaborative, creative, accountable, and empowered to execute.
- Leadership relies on the Vice President as a trusted communications and marketing advisor.
Leadership Expectations This leader is expected to:
- Think strategically while remaining connected to organizational priorities and execution.
- Develop, mentor, and empower staff, including a small team that will grow over time.
- Build strong, collaborative relationships across divisions and with The Union League.
- Balance creativity with operational discipline and measurable results.
- Demonstrate excellent communication, judgment, and project management.
- Represent Founding Forward with professionalism, credibility, and integrity.
- Serve as a thoughtful steward of the organization's mission, reputation, and brand.
Qualifications Required - Bachelor's degree in communications, marketing, journalism, public relations, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in marketing and communications, including leadership of brand, strategy, and staff.
- Demonstrated experience leading a brand positioning or brand strategy process and converting it into an executable marketing plan.
- Proven ability to develop and execute integrated communications and marketing strategies across digital, print, media, social, and other channels.
- Exceptional writing, editing, messaging, and storytelling skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with varied audiences.
- Strong understanding of brand management, audience development, digital marketing, public relations, content strategy, and social media.
- Experience designing or leading marketing support for multiple internal clients or divisions, ideally within a shared services, matrix, or enterprise model.
- Demonstrated results translating organizational priorities into marketing and communications strategies that increase awareness, attract and engage priority audiences, and support participation or revenue growth.
- Strong leadership and project management skills, with the ability to establish priorities, manage multiple initiatives, and empower a team to execute effectively.
- Collaborative approach and demonstrated ability to work effectively with a CEO, executive leadership, and colleagues across departments.
- Sound judgment, professionalism, and the ability to represent Founding Forward credibly with donors, educators, partners, media, and other internal and external stakeholders.
- Genuine interest in Founding Forward's mission and the ability to communicate effectively about American history, civic education, and engaged citizenship.
- Experience managing departmental budgets and directing external agencies, creative partners, and vendors to deliver effective work with available resources.
Preferred - Experience in a nonprofit, educational, cultural, membership, hospitality, agency, or mission-driven organization.
- Familiarity with CRM, email marketing, analytics, content management, and digital marketing platforms.
- Experience supporting fundraising, program enrollment, or audience growth through integrated marketing.
Benefits Founding Forward offers a competitive salary and a benefits package commensurate with a full-time salaried role. Compensated time off is provided when evening or weekend work is required to support programs. Specific benefit details will be shared with qualified candidates during the interview process.
- Competitive salary with discretionary bonus potential
- Comprehensive benefits package
- Opportunity to play a pivotal coordination role in a growing 501(c)(3)
- Compensated time off for required evening/weekend program support
- Collaborative work environment with direct access to executive leadership
