American Forests · 14 hours ago
Vice President, Communications
United States
Full-time
Remote
Director/Executive
$150K/yr - $190K/yr
10+ years expAmerican Forests is a national nonprofit conservation organization focused on restoring forests to address climate change and strengthen communities. They are seeking a bold, visionary Vice President, Communications to lead and elevate the organization’s voice and influence, overseeing media relations, storytelling, and brand engagement while building a high-performing communications team.
ConsultingForestryLandscapingNon ProfitWildlife Conservation
Responsibilities
Develop and lead an integrated, multi-year communications strategy that positions American Forests as the leading voice on forest restoration, wildfire/climate resilience, and urban forestry
Partner closely with the COO, CEO, and senior leadership to align communications with organizational strategy, growth objectives, and operational priorities
Serve as a strategic advisor across the organization, shaping narratives that support fundraising, partnerships, policy impact, and program expansion
Anticipate emerging issues and opportunities, ensuring American Forests is proactive, relevant, and influential in a rapidly evolving media, corporate, and philanthropic landscape
Collaborate closely with senior leaders across all departments to develop and deliver clear, consistent internal communications that align teams, support organizational priorities, and strengthen employee engagement
Oversee a sophisticated media relations function that drives national, regional, and trade coverage across print, broadcast, and digital outlets. This includes supervising a Director, Media Relations, and external consultants
Cultivate strong relationships with top-tier journalists, editors, and thought leaders
Lead crisis and issues communications, ensuring clarity, credibility, and disciplined messaging in high-stakes moments
Prepare and support organizational leaders as compelling, effective spokespeople
Prepare speeches, talking points, memos, and other collateral in support of CEO and senior leader events and interviews
Set the vision for compelling, audience-centered storytelling that brings American Forests’ mission, science, partnerships, and on-the-ground impact to life
Oversee the creation of high-quality content across formats, including written, visual, multimedia, and long-form narratives– i.e., tell the story of the incredible work of our Resilient Forests, Urban & Community Forestry, and Data & Innovation teams
Ensure content advances organizational priorities while remaining accessible, inspiring, and rooted in human and community impact
In partnership with the Philanthropy Team, develop and execute cause marketing and integrated campaign strategies that engage corporate partners and foundations, elevate shared value, and support revenue and partnership goals
Steward and evolve the American Forests brand, ensuring consistency, creativity, and resonance across all channels and audiences
Lead digital strategy across web, email, and social platforms to expand reach, deepen engagement, and drive action
Collaborate with development, partnerships, and program teams to align brand and communications efforts with corporate and philanthropic initiatives
Use data, insights, and performance metrics to continuously refine messaging, campaigns, and audience targeting
Build, mentor, and manage a growing communications team across all three verticals, fostering a culture of excellence, creativity, and collaboration
Strategically engage and manage an array of contractors, agencies, and consultants to provide specialized expertise and additional capacity
Establish clear goals, workflows, and performance metrics to ensure alignment, accountability, and continuous improvement
Qualification
Required
10+ years of experience in corporate communications, public relations, or journalism, with at least 5–7 years in a senior leadership role with a proven track record spanning media relations, storytelling, brand, and digital engagement
Demonstrated experience working with companies and foundations, including supporting corporate partnerships, philanthropic initiatives, and integrated campaigns
Ability to set vision and execute complex, cross-functional communications strategies
Exceptional editorial judgment and storytelling instincts
Experience building and leading high-performing teams, as well as managing external partners and agencies
Comfort operating in high-visibility, fast-moving environments and navigating sensitive or complex issues
Passion for mission-driven work
Benefits
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage
Wellness resources
Disability insurance
Life and AD&D protection
Generous paid time off
Holidays
Leave programs, including parental bonding, bereavement, and military leave
401(k) plan that includes an employer match
Flexible spending accounts
Technology stipend
Company
American Forests
American Forests restores threatened forest ecosystems.
51-200 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageTotal Funding
$1MKey Investors
Life Time FoundationTakedaSalesforce
2024-05-17Grant· $1M
2023-04-03Grant
2022-04-12Grant
Leadership Team
Hilary Franz
President and CEO
Recent News
2025-10-25
2025-10-09
Company data provided by crunchbase