Communications Director

Position: COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
Introduction The Maryland Department of Aging helps establish Maryland as an attractive location for all older adults through vibrant communities and supportive services that offer the opportunity to live healthy and meaningful lives. Through action, investment, leadership, and reform, the Department will create a society in which all older Marylanders can lead lives that are healthy, financially secure, socially connected, and purposeful throughout their full lifespan.

The Maryland Department of Aging is seeking a Communications Director.
*** This is a political special appointment position which serves at the pleasure of the appointing authority
*** GRADESTD
0020

LOCATION OF POSITION
36 S. Charles Street Baltimore, Maryland  21201

POSITION DUTIES This position will serve as the Communications Director for the Maryland Department of Aging (MDOA). The Communications Director is an agency leadership-level role that will be both a strategist and an operator. This role is responsible for developing and implementing a proactive, policy-driven strategic communications plan and refining of the agency’s voice and positioning to advance MDOA’s mission and Longevity Ready Maryland.

This involves developing an engagement strategy, detailing plans to use a longevity lens to guide and influence our federal, state, local, philanthropic, private sector, aging network, and internal partners. The Communications Director will oversee and guide a communications team who will implement the communications strategy by producing high-quality content, ensuring that our visual design, content strategy, accessibility, outreach activities, and information architecture are aligned with our mission, design, brand, and agency policy goals.

A central function of this role is high-level leadership support and media engagement as the lead writer for the agency, creating compelling press releases, strategic talking points, presentation materials, and speeches for leadership. Furthermore, the Communications Director manages public relations efforts and serves as the primary communications liaison to the Governor’s Office.

Strategic Communications and Policy Alignment Develop and implement a comprehensive communications strategy to promote the Department’s policy initiatives and activities in alignment with Longevity Ready Maryland, the Secretary’s goals, the Governor’s goals, and other major initiatives.

Work closely with MDOA’s leadership, policy, planning, and legislative teams to translate complex policies and goals into a communications architecture that influences federal, state, local, philanthropic, private sector, aging network, and internal partners. Analyze the effectiveness of outreach campaigns and digital analytics to ensure strategic messaging goals are consistently met.

Develop, with the Secretary and Chief Financial Officer, a budget related to the Department’s general communications activities that align with leadership priorities and initiatives.

Public Relations, Media Engagement, and Executive Writing Serve as the primary communications liaison to the Governor’s Office Communications team, ensuring seamless coordination, alignment of messaging, and prompt responses to Governor’s office requests. Write and edit high-level executive communications, including crafting all talking points and speeches, presentation visuals, and briefing materials for the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and Governor’s Office. Direct proactive media relations and public relations activities, including writing and distributing press releases, public services announcements and articles, responding to media and Public Information Act (PIA) requests, and creating thought-leadership content to promote the work of the Department.

Manage…