Director of Communications Strategy

Description

About Locus:

At Locus, we know communities thrive when they have equitable access to capital. We collaborate with stakeholders across the community development ecosystem to invest in communities with strong aspirations, while addressing challenges like a shortage of affordable housing, limited access to fresh food, a lack of quality jobs, and clean energy innovation. We believe a capital system that centers community input and impact is essential to ensure that everyone, no matter their background, location, or economic status, can live in healthy, thriving places. 

Locus is the parent organization for a family of community development enterprises, which includes a nonprofit CDFI loan fund, a CDFI bank, a fund management practice, and a national guarantee program. With offices in Christiansburg and Richmond, Virginia, Locus offers innovative and flexible financing tools and strategic consulting services to individuals and organizations in underestimated and excluded communities, most of which are low-to-moderate income. Alongside our many partners, Locus has generated over $2 billion dollars in total impact.  

Locus is a nonprofit holding company regulated by the Federal Reserve. Locus Bank is an FDIC-insured, certified bank and B Corp offering products tailored to socially conscious investors. Locus Bank is a majority-owned subsidiary of Locus. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. Learn more at www.locusimpact.org.

Position Overview:

The Director of Communications Strategy will report to the Chief External Affairs Officer and work closely with the CEO and other senior leaders to translate Locus’s strategy, impact, and point of view into clear, compelling communications.  The role will also support internal communications, select events, and cross-functional initiatives requiring strong messaging, careful stakeholder management, and disciplined execution. This is a hands-on role for an experienced communications professional who is equally comfortable developing strategy, writing executive-ready content, preparing a leader for a high-stakes engagement, and coordinating the details required to deliver effectively.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

External Communications and Reputation:

• Develop and execute external communications strategies that advance Locus’s mission, business priorities, reputation, and stakeholder relationships.
• Translate organizational strategy, products, partnerships, impact, and market insights into clear narratives for external audiences.
• Own and maintain Locus’s website content, ensuring it is current, accurate, accessible, and aligned with organizational messaging.
• Manage Locus’s social media strategy and channels, including content planning, publishing, engagement, and performance monitoring.
• Ensure alignment of Locus brand, marketing and communications strategies with Locus mission, vision, values and strategic goals.
• Steward of Locus Brand
• Draft and edit press releases, statements, talking points, opinion pieces, articles, presentations, briefing materials, stakeholder communications, and other public-facing content.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen Locus’s visibility and position its leaders as credible voices on community finance, economic development, banking, public policy, and related issues.
• Support media engagement, including developing story angles, preparing spokespeople, responding to inquiries, and coordinating with external partners as needed.
• Monitor relevant news, policy developments, public conversations, and reputational issues and recommend communications responses.
• Support issues and crisis communications, including rapid message development, stakeholder coordination, and executive preparation.

CEO and Executive Communications:

• Serve as a trusted communications partner to the CEO and other senior leaders.
• Draft speeches, remarks, presentations, opinion pieces, letters, external emails, social content, and other executive communications.
• Prepare concise briefing materials for interviews, panels, conferences, government meetings, partner conversations, and other external engagements.
• Develop talking points, anticipated questions, audience context, stakeholder background, and recommended messages for high-priority meetings.
• Help maintain a consistent executive voice while adapting messages appropriately for different audiences and settings.
• Work with the CEO and leadership team to identify themes and opportunities for thought leadership.

Government Affairs and Stakeholder Communications:

• Support communications related to government affairs, public policy, elected officials, regulators, public agencies, and other civic stakeholders.
• Develop briefing materials, policy-oriented talking points, letters, testimony, meeting preparation, and follow-up communications.
• Coordinate with internal subject-matter experts and external government affairs partners to ensure messaging is accurate, timely, and aligned with organizational priorities.
• Help maintain a clear view of priority government and external stakeholders, relevant issues, and upcoming engagement opportunities.
• Support coalition, association, and partner communications when Locus is participating in a broader policy or advocacy effort.

Internal Communications:

• Support internal communications on organizational priorities, leadership updates, strategic initiatives, and significant external developments.
• Help ensure employees understand major organizational decisions, external announcements, and how Locus is positioning its work.
• Draft leadership messages, employee updates, FAQs, manager talking points, and meeting materials.
• Partner with Human Capital and senior leaders on sensitive organizational communications when needed.
• Promote consistency between what Locus communicates externally and what employees hear internally.

Events and External Engagements:

• Support planning and execution for select executive, stakeholder, policy, media, and thought-leadership events.
• Help shape event objectives, audiences, agendas, speakers, messages, invitations, briefing materials, and follow-up.
• Coordinate with internal teams, external partners, venues, and vendors on light event logistics.
• Prepare executives and other participants to represent Locus effectively.
• Evaluate whether events and speaking opportunities advance Locus’s strategic priorities and recommend where leaders should invest their time.

Communications Planning and Execution:

• Maintain an integrated communications calendar covering announcements, executive engagements, events, policy moments, thought leadership, and internal communications.
• Manage communications projects from initial concept through drafting, review, approval, and distribution.
• Coordinate input from subject-matter experts while maintaining clear ownership of the final message and timeline.
• Establish practical review and approval processes that support accuracy without slowing execution unnecessarily.
• Maintain Locus’s standard communications and presentation templates to ensure consistent branding, messaging, and quality.
• Track communications outcomes and use available data and stakeholder feedback to improve future efforts.
• Support management of external communications consultants, agencies, designers, or other vendors as needed.

Management Responsibilities:

• Determine and develop resources for practice area (people, technology, etc.)
• Recruits, interviews, hires, and trains staff in the department.
• As a member of the management committee, ensure adherence to the organization’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategic plan.
• Provides constructive and timely performance feedback and evaluations.
• Handles discipline and termination of employees in accordance with company policy.

Requirements

Experience/Education/Certifications:

• Approximately 8 or more years of progressively responsible experience in communications, public affairs, executive communications, journalism, government, financial services, economic development, or a related field.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills, with the ability to produce clear, persuasive, executive-level content under tight timelines.
• Demonstrated experience supporting senior executives and preparing leaders for external engagements.
• Experience developing external communications strategies and translating complex subject matter for varied audiences.
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public affairs, public policy, marketing, or a related field preferred, or equivalent professional experience.
• Familiarity with government affairs, public policy, regulated industries, financial services, community development, or mission-driven organizations is strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting media relations, issues management, public events, or thought-leadership initiatives.
• Strong judgment and discretion when handling confidential, sensitive, or reputationally important matters.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, coordinate across functions, and move work forward in an environment where information may be incomplete or evolving.
• Comfortable operating both strategically and tactically, from shaping a narrative to finalizing a briefing document or event run of show.

Computer/Technology:

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) and Adobe is mandatory.
• Strong technical experience with Salesforce or other CRM tools
• Demonstrated web research skills
• Ability and willingness to learn new software applications and technologies is required.
• Must be able to work independently in a stable remote environment

Compensation and Benefits:

• $130,000 - $145,000 annual salary, depending on skills and experience 
• Annual bonus opportunity 
• 18-days of PTO per year
• 13-paid holidays per year 
• Medical, dental, vision, short- and long-term disability insurance 
• Life Insurance 
• Paid Family Leave options 
• 401k savings plan with employer match 

Locus is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Locus does not discriminate in hiring or employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, marital or familial status, national origin, non-job-related disability, or status as a veteran.