Director of External Affairs

Location: Remote
Salary Range: $110,000 - $150,000
Reports to: Vice President, Partnerships & Engagement
FLSA Status: Exempt
Organization Overview
NPWH is the professional community for Women's Health Nurse Practitioners, students, and other advanced practice registered nurses who provide women's and gender-related healthcare. We set a standard of excellence by generating, translating, and promoting the latest research and evidence-based clinical guidance, providing high-quality continuing education, and advocating for patients, providers, and the WHNP profession.
Our mission includes protecting and promoting a woman and all individuals' rights to make their own choices regarding their health and well-being within the context of their lived experience and their personal, religious, cultural, and family beliefs.
We envision a world where WHNP-BCs and all APRNs who provide women’s and gender related healthcare are esteemed pioneers in fostering a just, healthy, and equitable society.
Position Overview
NPWH seeks a strategic and collaborative Director of External Affairs to strengthen the organization’s national visibility, influence, and public voice. This new position will report to the Vice President of Partnerships & Engagement and play a central role in advancing NPWH’s 2026–2030 Strategic Plan, particularly the organization’s goal of elevating the WHNP profession, transforming public perception of the WHNP role, and positioning NPWH as the leading national voice for WHNP practice and women’s health nurse practitioner leadership.
Key Responsibilities
External Affairs Strategy & Visibility
• Develop and implement a communications strategy that advances NPWH’s goals of elevating the WHNP profession and increasing national understanding of the WHNP role, scope of practice, and value.
• Identify opportunities for NPWH to lead, contribute to, or shape national conversations related to women’s health, WHNP practice, and related policy priorities.
• Develop strategies that help NPWH move from a reactive communications posture to a proactive, agenda-setting external leadership profile.
Policy Communications
• Work collaboratively with the Director of Policy to translate policy priorities into clear,
compelling public messages, educational materials, talking points, and advocacy tools.
• Develop materials that help members understand, communicate, and advocate for the
WHNP profession in their own institutions, communities, and professional networks.
• Support coalition-building and partner engagement by developing messaging,
background materials, and communications resources for external audiences.
• Monitor emerging policy, workforce, media, and healthcare trends and recommend
timely public affairs responses or proactive positioning opportunities.
Thought Leadership
• Create and maintain systems to identify, prepare, and position NPWH members and
WHNP experts for speaking opportunities, including expert panels, media interviews,
national coalitions, and partner initiatives.
• Support the development of thought leadership products such as issue briefs, op-eds,
statements, talking points, commentaries, presentation materials, and partner-facing
resources.
• Develop and disseminate communications tools and campaign materials that members
can use to promote the WHNP profession and communicate the value of WHNP care.
Membership
• Provide strategic leadership for NPWH’s membership growth, engagement, and
retention efforts, working collaboratively with the Membership & Engagement Manager
to establish goals, priorities, and measurable outcomes
• Develop and oversee strategies to attract new members, strengthen engagement
throughout the member lifecycle, increase retention, and clearly communicate the value
of NPWH membership
• Collaborate across departments to integrate membership growth, engagement, and
retention strategies into NPWH’s education, events, publications, advocacy,
partnerships, and other organizational initiatives.
• Establish and monitor membership goals and key performance indicators and regularly
report on membership trends, progress, and opportunities to senior leadership.
Marketing & Communications
• Provide strategic leadership for NPWH’s organizational marketing and communications
efforts, overseeing the promotion of NPWH membership, conferences and events,
educational programs, resources, and other organizational initiatives.
• Ensure NPWH maintains a consistent, professional, and compelling brand identity and
voice across organizational communications and marketing channels.
• Use marketing analytics, audience behavior, campaign performance, and other data to
evaluate effectiveness, identify opportunities, and continuously refine marketing
strategies.
• Collaborate across departments to ensure marketing priorities and campaigns support
NPWH’s broader strategic, membership, educational, public affairs, and revenue goals.
Measuring, Reporting, and Continuous Improvement
• Develop and track measurable external affairs outcomes aligned with NPWH’s strategic
plan.
• Create dashboards or reporting tools to monitor progress in areas such as audience
reach, media visibility, expert placements, coalition participation, and engagement with
campaigns.
• Regularly report progress, trends, opportunities, and risks to senior leadership, staff
colleagues, and, as appropriate, the Board of Directors.
• Establish clear goals, priorities, performance expectations, and measures of success for
the membership, communications, and marketing functions.
• Monitor membership trends, demographics, engagement, retention, and member
feedback to identify opportunities for growth and organizational priorities.
Team/Organizational Leadership
• Provide leadership, supervision, coaching, and professional development for the
Membership & Engagement Manager, Communications & Policy Manager, and
Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
• Foster a collaborative, integrated approach across public affairs, membership,
communications, and marketing to ensure consistent messaging, efficient use of
resources, and alignment with NPWH’s strategic priorities.
• Manage competing priorities and departmental workloads, ensuring appropriate
coordination, accountability, and execution across the team.
• Represent the communications and membership functions on NPWH’s Directors Team,
ensuring senior leadership is informed of departmental priorities, activities, and needs
while facilitating information sharing, coordination, and collaboration across
departments to advance organizational priorities.
Qualifications
Required
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public affairs, public policy, journalism, public health, or a related field.
• At least seven years of progressively responsible experience in public affairs, communications, advocacy communications, policy communications, healthcare communications, association leadership, government relations, or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex policy, healthcare, workforce, or professional issues into clear and compelling messages for diverse audiences.
• Experience developing communications strategies that build visibility, influence, credibility, and stakeholder engagement.
• Strong writing, editing, and message-development skills, including the ability to create talking points, briefs, statements, web content, campaign materials, presentations, and stakeholder resources.
• Experience working cross-functionally with advocacy, marketing, membership, communications, executive leadership, or volunteer leaders.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, relationships, and priorities in a fast-moving environment.
Preferred
• Master’s degree in public relations, public affairs or communications management.
• APR credential
• Experience in a national public health or women’s health organization.
• Experience working with membership organizations, boards, committees, volunteers, or subject matter experts.
Compensation and Benefits
NPWH offers a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits package, professional development opportunities, and a collaborative, mission-driven, fully remote work environment. The salary range for this position, commensurate with experience is $110,000 – 150,000.
How to Apply
Email your resume and cover letter as one PDF attachment to info@npwh.org. In the subject line of the email state "Director of External Affairs". Applications will be accepted until October 30, 2026.
NPWH is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace.

Work arrangement
Yes