Fast Facts

The College Board is seeking a Director of Program Communications to drive strategic messaging and outreach for its key educational programs, primarily focusing on the SAT Suite. This fully remote role requires strong writing skills and the ability to develop compelling communications plans that engage various stakeholders.

Responsibilities: Develop and maintain core messaging for the SAT Suite, collaborate with internal teams on strategic communications, and support crisis communications and issues management.

Skills: Exceptional communication, strategic thinking, project management, expertise in content development, and crisis communications.

Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in a relevant field, 5+ years of experience in communications roles, expertise in strategic communications plans, and strong understanding of the education landscape.

Location: Remote - New York, United States of America

Compensation: $80000 - $130000 / Annually

Director, Program Communications

College Board – Engagement & Reach

Location: 1) This is a fully remote role. Candidates who live near CB offices have the option of being fully remote or hybrid (Tuesday and Wednesday in office). 

Type: This is a full-time position 

Writing Portfolio Required:

Please include a portfolio of 3-5 original writing samples that demonstrate range and depth across different formats. These should be your own work, created without the use of generative AI tools. Submissions may include internal memos, strategic communication plans, policy briefs, executive-ready talking points, or persuasive narratives tailored to specific audiences. If your samples were developed collaboratively, please note your specific contributions.

About the Team 

The Engagement and Reach (EaR) team at College Board drives the organization’s strategic priorities through compelling storytelling and outreach. Our team of 25+ communications professionals promotes our top programs—Advanced Placement (AP), the SAT Suite, and BigFuture—by engaging key audiences, including students, families, educators, policymakers, media, and member organizations. We thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment fueled by creativity, strategic thinking, and superior writing. 

Within EaR, the Program Communications team plays a pivotal role in cultivating and protecting College Board’s reputation. We build awareness, trust, and understanding of the organization’s mission by crafting and stewarding clear, consistent messaging for College Board’s programs and services. Partnering closely with colleagues across communications, policy, and program areas, we lead both proactive storytelling and rapid-response efforts that elevate College Board’s work and its commitment to expanding access to opportunity.

About the Opportunity  

You will serve as director for program communications, conceiving, writing, and perfecting compelling, foundational messaging for the organization and designing effective communications plans to reach all audiences. You will play a key role in protecting the College Board’s reputation and telling our story through timely, proactive strategic communications. 

You will report to the Executive Director of Program Communications and play an integral role on a team committed to broadening understanding of the College Board’s work, to highlighting its national leadership as a vibrant mission-driven non-profit, and to deepening public support for the organization’s various initiatives. 

In this role, you will: 

1. Own the development and maintenance of core messaging for the SAT Suite of Assessments. (50%)

• Lead efforts to develop clear, unified communications on SAT Suite program messaging and value propositions.
• Establish and maintain communications partnerships with program leadership that result in measurable improvements in message reach, alignment, and strategic integration.
• Work closely with internal teams to support messaging development, scenario planning and proactive communications strategy for the SAT Suite.
• Integrate compelling data, research, and evidence into persuasive messaging.
• Use storytelling and user experiences to make value propositions vivid.
• Lead timely distribution of new and updated messaging to internal staff.
• Collect and respond to feedback to best meet organizational needs.
• Provide regular messaging training for internal field teams.

2. Collaborate with a team of internal communications business partners who serve as subject matter experts and key communications points of contact for CRA. (40%)

• In partnership with External Communications and Media Relations, develop and execute comprehensive communications strategies tracked against timelines and lifecycles across audiences and channels.
• Seek regular feedback from program executives to ensure high value and continuous improvement.
• Support operational and change management communications for the SAT Suite.
• In partnership with External Communications and Media Relations, support crisis communications and issues management.

3. Support SAT Weekend administration capacity efforts. (10%)

• Collaborate with program communications colleagues and program team on creation and revisions of Weekend Capacity collateral (i.e. flyers, conversation guides, etc.).
• In partnership with communications team and CRA, assist with the development and maintenance of an SAT Weekend Coordinator and staff-specific value proposition document.
• Provide, as needed, escalation and crisis communications support related to SAT Weekend administrations and capacity issues.

About You 

You are

• An exceptional communicator, with strong writing, editing, and verbal skills that allow you to craft clear, compelling, and persuasive messages.
• A strategic thinker who can frame ideas, projects, and programs in ways that highlight their unique value and relevance.
• Highly organized and able to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment.
• Someone who thrives in team environments, collaborating effectively with internal stakeholders, subject matter experts, and cross-functional teams.
• Data-driven with the ability to use media monitoring tools and analytics to measure success and refine strategies.

To qualify for this role you must have:

• A bachelor's degree in English, journalism, communications, or related field.
• Excellent writing and editing skills with the proven ability to make the complex simple and the simple compelling.
• 5+ years’ experience in a Communications-based role in public relations, journalism, or a related field.
• Expertise in content development and distribution within complex organizations, with a passion for message discipline and accuracy.
• Experience in crisis communications and issues management. (5+ preferred)
• Experience developing and executing strategic communications plans for national, state, and local communications campaigns. (5+ preferred)
• Meticulous attention to detail.
• Excellent presentation skills and experience briefing executives of large organizations on sensitive and critical issues.
• A strong understanding of the education landscape, particularly college and career readiness topics, and a passion for helping students succeed.
• The ability to travel up to 25% to College Board offices or on behalf of College Board business.

All roles at College Board require: 

• A passion for expanding educational and career opportunities and mission-driven work
• Authorization to work in the United States for any employer
• Curiosity and enthusiasm for emerging technologies, with a willingness to experiment with and adopt new AI-driven solutions and a comfort learning and applying new digital tools independently and proactively. 
• Clear and concise communication skills, written and verbal
• A learner's mindset and a commitment to growth: welcoming diverse perspectives, giving and receiving timely, respectful feedback, and continuously improving through iterative learning and user input.
• A drive for impact and excellence: solving complex problems, making data-informed decisions, prioritizing what matters most, and continuously improving through learning, user input, and external benchmarking.
• A collaborative and empathetic approach: working across differences, fostering trust, and contributing to a culture of shared success.

About Our Process 

• Application review will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.
• While the hiring process may vary, it generally includes: resume and application submission, recruiter phone/video screen, hiring manager interview, performance exercise such as live coding, a panel interview, a conversation with leadership and reference checks.  

About Our Benefits and Compensation

What We Offer

At College Board, we offer more than just a paycheck—we provide a meaningful career, a supportive team, and a comprehensive package designed to help you thrive. We’re a self-sustaining nonprofit that believes in fair and competitive compensation, grounded in your qualifications, experience, impact, and the market. 

A Thoughtful Approach to Compensation

• The hiring range for this role is 80,000-130,000
• Your exact salary will depend on your location, experience, and how your background compares to others in similar roles at the College Board. 
• We aim to make our best offer upfront—rooted in fairness, transparency, and market data. 
• We adjust salaries by location to ensure fairness, no matter where you live. 

You’ll have open, transparent conversations about compensation, benefits, and what it’s like to work at College Board throughout your hiring process. Check out our careers page for more.

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