Director, Communications, Knowledge & Impact

BACKGROUND

The Mayors Migration Council

The Mayors Migration Council (MMC) is a mayor-led coalition that accelerates ambitious global action on migration and displacement. With most of the world’s migrants and displaced people living in cities, our mission is to use the power of city leadership, diplomacy, and practice to create a world where urban migrants, displaced people, and receiving communities can thrive.

To achieve our mission, we provide mayors with advocacy, coordination, and communications support to influence policy decisions at the national and international level, and connect city governments to the knowledge, technical, and financial resources they need to accelerate and scale local solutions.

Created by mayors for mayors, we are a nimble team of political advisors and urban practitioners guided by a Leadership Board of global mayors.  We are managed as a sponsored project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and operate with the support of philanthropic and government donors.

To learn more visit www.mayorsmigrationcouncil.org.

THE POSITION

The MMC’s Director, Communications, Knowledge & Impact will build and execute a global communications and public affairs strategy that positions mayors as influential leaders on migration and displacement. Acting as a trusted advisor to mayors and senior city officials, this role will help leaders navigate complex, politically sensitive issues—shaping narratives, managing risk, and delivering high-impact campaigns that elevate local leadership on the global stage.

While communications and public affairs are the core focus, the role also provides strategic oversight of the MMC’s knowledge and impact work, ensuring that research, data, and evaluation findings are translated into clear, persuasive storytelling that strengthens the MMC’s influence and fundraising—without losing political relevance or momentum.

Reporting to the Executive Director, the role combines senior strategic leadership with hands-on execution. They will lead a small, high-performing team—including a Communications Manager and a Knowledge & Impact Manager—supported by specialist PR, research, and creative consultants, and will remain personally engaged in writing, editing, leader briefings, and rapid response during high-stakes moments.

The ideal candidate is a confident, politically astute communicator with strong judgment and range—someone who can move seamlessly from designing a global narrative campaign, to preparing a mayor for live media, to turning evidence into compelling messages and visuals. They bring experience advising senior leaders on political risk, crisis communications, and proactive narrative-building; exceptional writing and editorial skills; a strong grasp of global current affairs; and a deep interest in cities and the global migration and displacement landscape.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Communications & Public Affairs

• Develop and implement the MMC’s global communications and public affairs strategy, aligned with organizational priorities and geopolitical context.

• Lead narrative development, campaign design, and media engagement to position mayors as credible, pragmatic leaders on migration and displacement.

• Serve as a senior advisor to mayors and MMC leadership, providing strategic messaging guidance, political risk assessments, and preparation for high-profile engagements, including speeches, talking points, op-eds, briefing notes, and media training.

• Lead proactive and reactive media strategies, including press outreach, pitching, journalist relationship management, and coordination of press moments and events.

• Oversee MMC’s brand, voice, and messaging architecture, ensuring consistency, quality, and credibility across platforms and products.

• Lead crisis and reputational communications in close coordination with the Executive Director and Board, including rapid response and emergency communications as needed.

• Oversee the MMC’s digital presence, including website, newsletters, social media, and multimedia content, ensuring regular, high-quality output.

• Monitor communications performance and use insights to continuously refine strategy, tactics, and resource allocation.

 Knowledge & Impact

• Provide strategic oversight of the MMC’s knowledge, research, and impact agenda, ensuring alignment with communications, advocacy, and fundraising priorities.

• Guide the production of flagship knowledge products, including reports, thematic briefs, impact stories, board materials, and donor-facing content.

• Ensure the MMC’s Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) framework is implemented effectively and translated into accessible, compelling narratives.

• Oversee coordination with external research partners and evaluators, ensuring findings are timely, credible, and strategically used.

• Translate evidence and data into persuasive storytelling that supports MMC’s influence.

Management

• Lead, mentor, and support a small team, setting clear priorities, providing strategic direction, and maintaining high standards of quality and delivery.

• Manage external consultants and vendors across PR, research, design, and multimedia production.

• Oversee the communications and knowledge budget, ensuring resources are deployed effectively and efficiently.

• Work closely with MMC program leads, city partners, and institutional funders to ensure communications support organizational goals and partnerships.

Requirements

• Significant senior experience in communications, public affairs, journalism, international policy, or a related field.

• Proven track record advising senior leaders or elected officials on strategic communications, political risk, and reputational management; experience working with or advising city governments preferred.

• Exceptional writing, editing, and analytical skills, including demonstrated experience with speeches, op-eds, executive briefs, and high-stakes communications.

• Strong media experience, including pitching to and working with national and international outlets; established journalist relationships are a strong asset.

• Experience leading communications or advocacy campaigns with measurable impact.

• Ability to translate complex policy, research, and data into clear, compelling messages for diverse audiences.

• Demonstrated experience managing teams and external consultants in fast-paced, dynamic environments.

• Strong digital and multimedia literacy across web, social, and visual platforms; familiarity with design and production workflows required (hands-on skills a plus).

• Excellent judgment, discretion, and ability to operate calmly and decisively under pressure.

• Strong interpersonal and intercultural skills, with a collaborative, solutions-oriented working style.

• Deep interest in cities, global affairs, and migration, and strong alignment with the MMC’s mission and values.

• Willingness to travel internationally as required.

• Fluency in languages other than English is an asset.

• Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without visa sponsorship.

Benefits

Pay range (New York City): USD $130,000-150,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. The range listed is one component of the total compensation package for employees.

We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package including health coverage, retirement benefits, paid sick leave, vacation and holidays, and access to professional development resources.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applicants should submit a resume and cover letter outlining relevant experience and interest via the MMC’s Careers page. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors is an equal opportunity employer.

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors celebrates the uniqueness of our staff, our partners, and the communities we serve. We are committed to inclusion with the goal of cultivating a culture of belonging and acceptance. We strive to embed this value in our philanthropic work to advance a more just, equitable and sustainable world.