Job Description

National Park Foundation | Vice President of Strategic Communications

Washington DC

ABOUT NPF
The National Park Foundation (NPF) is a leader and catalyst in safeguarding America’s 430+ national parks and ensuring they are accessible and welcoming for everyone – forever. In 1967, NPF was chartered by Congress as the official nonprofit partner to the National Park Service (NPS) to leverage private and public funding to preserve and fortify America's most beloved and iconic places: from Yellowstone National Park to the Statue of Liberty National Monument. NPF raises this financial support through a national community of donors and partners, whose passion for these natural and cultural sites allow us to advance our mission. Today, NPF's work is led by over 130 staff members and raised $287M+ in FY24.

While NPF is the national nonprofit of NPS, the organization works closely with over 470 local park partners across the country to further protect these cherished places. Like NPF, park partners support individual parks through philanthropic giving, management of programs and services, engagement of volunteers, support of staff and operations, and much more.

We are pleased to share this unique leadership opportunity to participate in a once-in-a- lifetime role to be part of an organization that will bring the national park experience to all Americans and preserve the spirit and story of this nation for future generations.

A NEWLY CREATED POSITION – AN OPPORTUNITY AT A PIVOTAL MOMENT
This is a pivotal and newly established role at a transformative moment for the National Park Foundation. Under the leadership of a recently appointed President and CEO, formerly a senior official at the National Park Service, NPF is entering a new chapter, one that demands clarity of voice, bold storytelling, and a unified communications vision that aligns with its strategic priorities. The Vice President of Strategic Communications will serve as the architect of this enterprise-wide communications function, shaping how NPF engages the public, inspires philanthropy, partners with the National Park Service, and cultivates its internal culture.

This leader will be tasked with building and implementing a comprehensive strategic communications plan that serves the full scope of the organization: externally, internally, and at the executive level. They will be responsible for elevating the visibility and credibility of NPF as a trusted national brand and steward of private support for America’s national parks. The role encompasses media relations, brand and reputation management, executive visibility, internal communications, crisis response, and stakeholder engagement, all while strengthening alignment with the National Park Service and the broader parks community. With a lean but capable team, this individual will need to be hands-on, resourceful, and able to inspire through both strategy and execution.

NPF’s evolution comes during a time of deep transition, not only within the organization, but across the broader landscape of public lands and philanthropy. The Vice President will play a key role in defining NPF’s voice amidst shifting federal priorities, growing expectations from donors and partners, and the lead-up to America’s 250th anniversary. They will also help bridge internal silos, ensuring staff at all levels are connected by clear, timely, and mission-aligned communication. Stakeholders are looking for someone who can help chart a forward path, even amidst ambiguity, and who brings equal parts creativity, decisiveness, and collaboration.

This is an ideal opportunity for a seasoned communications leader who thrives in complex, cross-sector environments, particularly those that interface with government, philanthropy, and mission-driven stakeholders. The successful candidate will bring both the rigor of a strategic operator and the vision of a storyteller, grounded in a deep respect for partnerships and a shared commitment to the public good. With the opportunity to help shape an iconic brand at a historic moment, the Vice President will leave a lasting imprint on one of America’s most cherished institutions.

POSITION OVERVIEW
The Vice President, Strategic Communications leads and directs the Foundation’s enterprise-wide external, internal and executive communications advancing the National Park Foundation’s revenue and impact goals, protect and enhance its brand reputation as well as drive its ambition to become a national trusted brand and employer of choice.

The Vice President, Strategic Communications leads, develops and implements a comprehensive strategic communications plan for NPF in close collaboration with leadership across the organization to drive the current and emerging communication needs for the organization for all stakeholders. The portfolio includes media relations, internal communication, executive visibility, crisis communications, public relations, public affairs, reputation management, brand and content strategy. The position requires close partnership and collaboration with the Executive Leadership Team, colleagues in External Affairs leadership and on the Senior Leadership Team to ensure connectivity and alignment with strategic priorities of the division and the organization. The Vice President, Strategic Communications is responsible for proactive and responsive problem solving, driving new ideas and creating opportunities to elevate the awareness the National Park Foundation brand. The Vice President, Strategic Communications must develop a strong partnership with colleagues at the National Park Service as well as park partners across the country to ensure messaging alignment and to identify and execute opportunities for joint messaging. The position reports directly to the Chief External Affairs Officer and currently manages one staff member, contractors, agency and vendor relationships.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive strategic communications plan advancing organizational goals and priorities.
• Build best in class team of staff, contractors and agencies to drive organizational messaging and develop creative solutions to meet the moment and strategic priorities.
• Foresee communication opportunities and risks and ready team to respond in alignment with the National Park Service and other partnerships.
• Elevate the organization’s reputation through strategic and proactive thought leadership opportunities, executive preparedness, high quality media placements, and other stakeholder engagement.
• Report progress and results of communication initiatives to executive team, senior leadership team and as part of board messaging.
• Plan and manage the annual department budget to ensure strong oversight and management of expenses, timely submission of invoices, and reporting to Finance as needed.
• Write and edit communication materials as needed.
• Keep abreast of current news, trends, and topics that are relevant to the Foundation and the communications landscape.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Excellent leadership skills and proven track record of strategic communication success.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills.
• Strong network with reporters and media platforms
• Strategic thought-partner, collaborator and relationship builder
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks and work within tight deadlines
• Strong attention to detail and creative problem solver.
• Ability to travel, as required
• Affinity for national parks and the Foundation’s mission.

Qualifications :

• 10+ years of progressive experience in communications, including experience leading strategy and execution across media, internal comms, and executive communications.
• College degree required preferably in communication, public relations, or related field
• Proven experience navigating complex, multi-stakeholder environments, preferably in nonprofit, federal/public, or mission-driven institutions.
• Deep understanding of brand building, reputation management, and storytelling across diverse platforms and audiences.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.
• Experience leading and mentoring small, agile teams and managing vendors and creative partners.
• A collaborative leadership style, with high emotional intelligence, humility, and a track record of working across silos.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-change environment; comfort with ambiguity and shifting priorities.
• Commitment to the mission of the National Park Foundation and an appreciation for the power of public lands and storytelling to inspire impact.

Desired Start Date
Fall 2025

Location:
For this position, being based in the greater Washington DC area is required. Relocation assistance is available for compelling candidates

For More Information & To Apply:
The National Park Foundation has retained Kay Linder, Partner within ThinkingAhead Executive Search’s Nonprofit Division to serve as our recruitment partner. If you are interested and qualified, please apply here on the ThinkingAhead website.

Questions can be directed to:
Kay Linder
Partner, Nonprofit Division
ThinkingAhead Executive Search
klinder@thinkingahead.com

Reach out to learn more or nominate a qualified candidate.

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