Director of Communications (Volunteer)

Director of Communications (Volunteer)
PromiseVoice | Strategic Communications, Storytelling & Organizational Messaging
Organization: Mentor A Promise (MAP)
Location: Remote with NYC-based collaboration opportunities
Type: Senior Leadership Volunteer Role
Commitment Length: Minimum six (6) month commitment preferred
Reports To: Executive Leadership
Works Closely With: PromiseVoice, PromiseStories, PromiseStudios, PromisePublic, Program Leadership, Creative Teams, Community Partners
About Mentor A Promise
Mentor A Promise (MAP) is a New York City–based, volunteer-powered nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children and youth experiencing housing instability through mentorship, education, literacy, social-emotional learning, creative expression, and community-centered programming.
MAP was built through the collective effort of mentors, educators, creatives, advocates, technologists, community leaders, and mission-aligned volunteers who believe every child deserves stability, opportunity, dignity, belonging, and access to transformative support systems.
As a volunteer-driven organization, collaboration, accountability, communication, and shared responsibility are foundational to how we operate and grow. Our volunteers are not viewed as passive supporters; they are active contributors helping build programs, systems, public trust, and long-term community impact.
Our work is rooted in dignity, accessibility, safeguarding, trauma-informed practice, ethical storytelling, and public trust. Across education, communications, creative initiatives, civic engagement, and community partnerships, MAP develops people-centered systems designed to strengthen communities while protecting the voices and experiences of the young people and families we serve.
We believe communication is not simply promotional.
It is institutional trust-building.
It is operational leadership.
It is public responsibility in practice.
Every communication shapes how communities, families, students, volunteers, partners, and stakeholders experience the organization.
Role Overview
Mentor A Promise is seeking a strategic, emotionally intelligent, and highly collaborative Director of Communications to lead and strengthen organizational communications, storytelling strategy, messaging systems, and cross-functional communication efforts across the organization.
This senior leadership role is responsible for helping shape how MAP communicates internally and externally while supporting organizational visibility, operational coordination, institutional consistency, and mission-aligned growth.
The Director will oversee communication initiatives across multiple platforms and departments, helping ensure that messaging remains clear, accessible, organized, ethical, culturally responsive, and aligned with MAP’s safeguarding-centered values.
The ideal candidate understands that nonprofit communications require more than marketing expertise. They require emotional intelligence, operational discipline, community awareness, ethical leadership, and long-term trust stewardship.
This role is well-suited for a communications professional, nonprofit communications leader, journalist, storyteller, media strategist, editor, or organizational communications specialist interested in helping build mission-driven communication infrastructure within a growing nonprofit environment.
Key Responsibilities
Lead and oversee organizational communications strategy across internal and external platforms
Supervise and support communication coordinators, writers, storytellers, editors, and communications volunteers
Develop and maintain communication systems, workflows, calendars, standards, and operational processes
Oversee newsletters, announcements, campaigns, public-facing messaging, organizational updates, and institutional communications
Collaborate with executive leadership on strategic messaging, organizational visibility, and communication priorities
Support communication efforts connected to education programs, podcasts, campaigns, storytelling initiatives, partnerships, and organizational events
Ensure organizational messaging reflects accessibility standards, safeguarding principles, trauma-informed practice, and dignity-centered storytelling
Support ethical and consent-driven storytelling practices involving youth, families, volunteers, and community members
Help strengthen organizational visibility, consistency, responsiveness, and public trust
Coordinate cross-functional communication between creative, education, operational, and engagement teams
Review and edit written materials to maintain professionalism, clarity, tone consistency, and mission alignment
Assist with crisis-sensitive communication coordination and reputation-conscious messaging when necessary
Support volunteer communication systems, onboarding communication practices, and organizational messaging workflows
Maintain organized communication documentation, archives, templates, and shared resources
Collaborate with PromisePublic on aligned public engagement and external communications initiatives when appropriate
Preferred Qualifications
Strong leadership, communication, and organizational management abilities
Experience in nonprofit communications, journalism, media, public relations, storytelling, marketing, civic engagement, or related fields preferred
Experience managing communication workflows, contributors, or collaborative teams preferred
Exceptional writing, editing, proofreading, and interpersonal communication skills
Strong emotional intelligence and ability to navigate sensitive or community-centered communication responsibly
Ability to manage multiple communication priorities, deadlines, and initiatives effectively
Familiarity with communication platforms and systems including Google Workspace, Canva, Mailchimp, social media platforms, or similar tools preferred
Understanding of accessibility-conscious and culturally responsive communication practices preferred
Commitment to ethical storytelling, safeguarding, confidentiality, and public trust
Alignment with MAP’s mission, values, and community-centered approach
Impact of the Role
The Director of Communications plays a critical role in helping Mentor A Promise strengthen organizational trust, improve coordination, deepen community relationships, and responsibly expand awareness of the organization’s mission and impact.
This role helps shape how the organization is experienced internally and externally — ensuring that communication practices remain thoughtful, organized, accessible, ethical, and aligned with the dignity of the communities we serve.
What You’ll Gain
Senior-level nonprofit leadership and communications experience
Opportunity to help shape the voice, communication systems, and storytelling strategy of a growing mission-driven organization
Cross-functional collaboration with leadership, creative, education, technology, and community engagement teams
Portfolio-building leadership experience in communications strategy and organizational development
Experience helping build scalable communication infrastructure within a nonprofit environment
Flexible remote collaboration environment
Meaningful opportunity to contribute to youth-centered and community-centered impact initiatives
Commitment Expectations
Approximately 5–10 hours per week
Minimum six (6) month commitment strongly preferred to support organizational continuity and long-term communication initiatives
Attendance at one (1) weekly leadership or coordination meeting expected
Consistent communication, professionalism, responsiveness, and operational follow-through required
Additional meetings, campaign planning sessions, or organizational coordination calls may occur based on active projects and organizational priorities
Equal Opportunity, Accessibility & Safeguarding Statement
Mentor A Promise is committed to maintaining a respectful, inclusive, accessible, and trauma-informed environment for all volunteers, students, families, staff, and community members.
MAP maintains safeguarding-centered, consent-driven, and dignity-protective practices across all organizational activities, communications, and storytelling initiatives. We strongly encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.
Additional Information
Please note that due to the volume of applications received, only candidates selected for further consideration may be contacted. Mentor A Promise reserves the right to close, modify, pause, extend, or withdraw this opportunity at any time based on organizational needs, operational considerations, funding, or program priorities.
Submission of an application does not guarantee placement, onboarding, assignment of responsibilities, continued participation, leadership authority, or future opportunities. All volunteer opportunities are contingent upon organizational alignment, operational capacity, successful completion of onboarding requirements, adherence to organizational policies and safeguarding standards, and ongoing performance expectations.
How to Apply
Please submit:
Resume or CV
Brief cover letter or statement of interest
Optional portfolio, writing samples, communications campaigns, or relevant work examples
Applications may be submitted through Idealist or through Mentor A Promise’s recruitment process.