Chief Public Affairs Officer

Chief Public Affairs Officer

RESOLVE: The National Infertility and Family Building Association

Full-Time Remote. Candidates based in the Washington, DC area strongly preferred.

About RESOLVE

RESOLVE: The National Infertility and Family Building Association is the nation's leading patient advocacy organization representing the 1 in 6 Americans facing infertility. RESOLVE empowers people navigating their fertility journey through trusted information, community support, and grassroots advocacy that make family building options accessible to everyone. RESOLVE has expanded insurance coverage for fertility care for 65 million Americans, serves 2,000 people each month through our support group network, and mobilizes over 40,000 advocates to take action in their communities.

About the Role

The Chief Public Affairs Officer (CPAO) is a strategic, senior leader who serves as the steward of RESOLVE’s brand and the architect of its external voice. This newly expanded role unifies marketing, communications, and government affairs under one leader, ensuring that how RESOLVE shows up publicly is coherent, compelling, and strategically aligned across all external audiences.

The CPAO is ultimately accountable for growing RESOLVE’s brand, aligning its voice across channels, and driving execution across the team. Reporting directly to the CEO, this role sets the vision and strategy for how RESOLVE communicates, advocates, and engages. The CPAO leads a team of dedicated RESOLVE staff and outside consultants who bring that vision to life, and will have the opportunity to re-envision the systems and structures needed to enable RESOLVE’s strategic plan. 

This role is ideal for someone who can operate at the level of brand strategy and organizational positioning while also knowing when to roll up their sleeves and work alongside their team, whether that’s shaping a rapid-response press statement or ensuring RESOLVE’s messaging is landing consistently across advocacy, media, and community channels.

Key Responsibilities

Brand & External Affairs Strategy (30%)

• Own RESOLVE’s brand strategy, defining and evolving the organization’s external identity, voice, and positioning to grow recognition, credibility, and trust among patients, policymakers, partners, and the public

• Develop and implement an integrated public affairs strategy spanning communications and government relations with clear goals and measurable outcomes

• Lead National Infertility Awareness Week programming and planning, setting the vision and strategy and partnering with internal and external stakeholders for execution

• Serve as the CEO’s strategic partner on all matters related to RESOLVE’s external presence and positioning

• Drive cross-team alignment on messaging, ensuring RESOLVE speaks with one voice across advocacy, media, digital, and community channels

• Identify opportunities to increase visibility, deepen partnerships, and grow revenue through a stronger public profile

• Monitor and evaluate brand awareness and organizational credibility; use data to inform strategy

Government Affairs & Policy Advocacy (20%)

• In partnership with the RESOLVE Access to Care team, define RESOLVE’s federal and state government affairs strategy and oversee the Director of Government Affairs, who leads day-to-day legislative relationships and advocacy execution

• Partner with the Director of Government Affairs and CEO to advance RESOLVE’s legislative and regulatory priorities, including IVF access, insurance coverage mandates, and inclusive family building policy

• Provide strategic direction for RESOLVE’s annual Hill Day and Month of Action; ensure advocacy campaigns are well-integrated with broader communications and brand strategy

• Ensure RESOLVE’s policy positions and advocacy voice are consistent with organizational messaging across all external channels

• Stay current on the federal and state policy landscape; partner with the Access to Care team to develop rapid-response communications as issues emerge

• Represent RESOLVE in high-level coalition meetings, policy forums, and with senior stakeholders when appropriate

Communications & Storytelling (20%)

• Oversee Director of Communications/Sr. Marketing Manager (new role to be hired) and agency partners as they execute external communications including media, website, e-newsletters, and social media

• Serve as an organizational spokesperson when appropriate; handle or direct incoming media requests

• Lead development of high-impact content including press statements, campaign messaging, donor communications, and impact reports

• Oversee communications for the fundraising gala and National Infertility Awareness Week® (NIAW), bringing storytelling and brand cohesion to both

• Identify strategic opportunities to lift up the voices of RESOLVE’s community, and translate complex policy and clinical topics into accessible, compelling narratives for diverse audiences

Partnerships & Community Engagement (15%)

• Build and maintain relationships with nonprofit partners, corporate partners, healthcare stakeholders, and patient community leaders

• Identify and develop strategic partnerships that expand RESOLVE’s reach, program impact, and revenue

• Represent the organization at external events, conferences, and meetings

• Support corporate council engagement and physician/professional stakeholder relationships in coordination with staff

Team Leadership & Operations (15%)

• Lead and develop the public affairs team; foster a culture of accountability, creativity, and mission focus

• Manage budgets for communications, government affairs, and outreach functions

• Contribute as a collaborative and trusted member of a small senior leadership team, often pitching in across functions

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

• 10+ years of experience in communications, government affairs, external affairs, or brand strategy, with demonstrated leadership across more than one of these disciplines

• Proven experience owning an organization’s brand or external voice, setting strategy, aligning teams, and driving execution

• Deep familiarity with the federal and/or state legislative process; experience engaging with Congress or executive agencies

• Proven track record managing complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives from strategy through execution

• Strong writing skills across multiple formats: policy documents, press materials, donor communications, digital content

• Experience managing and developing staff and external agency partners

• Commitment to RESOLVE's mission and passion for ensuring that everyone has the resources they need for family building and infertility care 

Strongly Preferred:

• Experience in healthcare, women's health, or advocacy organizations

• Established relationships from external partners across media, government affairs, or fertility

• Familiarity with nonprofit fundraising communications and donor engagement

• Experience with grassroots advocacy campaigns and community mobilization

• Skilled in leveraging AI tools and digital platforms to increase communications effectiveness

Who You Are

• Brand builder: You have a strong instinct for what makes an organization’s voice distinctive and know how to translate that into strategy, content, and team direction

• Mission-driven and values-centered: You’re energized by increasing access to fertility care and want your work to create meaningful, lasting impact

• Integrated thinker: You see communications, policy, and partnerships as deeply interconnected and know how to leverage each to amplify the others

• Strategic yet hands-on: You set direction and can also write the press release, prep the advocate for their Hill meeting, and ensure the website reflects the brand you’re building

• Relationship builder: You cultivate trust with partners, policymakers, media, and community members alike

• Adaptable and calm under pressure: You thrive in fast-moving environments—including shifting policy landscapes—and help others navigate change

• Collaborative team leader: You develop the people around you and lead with generosity in a small-staff culture where everyone contributes across functions

Compensation & Benefits

Salary range: $102,000 - $135,000, commensurate with experience and varies by location.

Comprehensive benefits including health insurance, fertility benefits, retirement plan with employer match, PTO.