Chief External Affairs Officer

CAMELBACK VENTURES

Camelback Ventures (Camelback) increases access to opportunity for entrepreneurs from under-invested communities by providing early capital for their ventures and supporting their leadership development while advocating for fairness in their funding. Camelback’s flagship program is the Camelback Fellowship. Since 2015, Camelback has raised over $50M and supported 200+ social entrepreneurs – 95% identified as people of color and 60% as women.

Our Fellows have raised over $365M, have been named as Forbes 30 under 30, and have made an impact nationwide in communities from Eastern North Carolina to Seattle.

THE ROLE

As we scale our work and impact, we are seeking a strategic and creative Chief External Affairs Officer (CEAO) to shape and steward our brand, elevate our public voice, and expand our influence. The (
CEAO
) is a senior executive who will lead Camelback’s policy agenda, brand, communications, marketing, and public presence strategy. This person will be the primary architect of Camelback’s external voice, responsible for crafting compelling narratives, driving digital and media engagement, positioning the CEO and organization as national thought leaders in social impact investing, and expanding Camelback’s visibility across sectors.

Reporting to the CEO and in partnership with the Chief Development Officer
, the CEAO will ensure that Camelback’s storytelling is strategic, values-aligned, and supportive of fundraising and partnerships—but will not lead direct fundraising efforts.

The CEAO will play a central role in positioning Camelback as a policy driver
, shaping public discourse and advocating for equity in access to capital for entrepreneurs of color and women. They will also collaborate with the VP of Marketing and Communications and the Communications and Digital Marketing and Communications Manager to build and implement strategy for all external team members including the CEO, leadership, and Program Partners.

The CERO manages a dynamic team of full-time staff, including the VP of Marketing and Communications and Digital Marketing and Communications Manager and contractors to execute campaigns and initiatives to drive engagement and meet strategic goals.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Executive Leadership & Team Management

• Serve as a key member of the Leadership Team, collaborating on long-term strategy and organization-wide priorities.

• Oversee, mentor, and inspire a high-performing marketing and communications team, fostering a culture of excellence, agility, enthusiasm, and alignment with organizational values.

• Provide strong leadership, clear direction, and professional development opportunities for the marketing and communications team.

• Align external vendors and cross-functional collaboration to ensure seamless execution of campaigns and strategic initiatives.

Brand, Marketing & Communications Strategy

• Guide the development and implementation of a cohesive brand and communications strategy to elevate Camelback’s visibility, influence, and mission alignment.

• Oversee Camelback’s social media strategy to drive engagement and grow the community to 100K followers (minimum 25K on one platform).

• Cultivate relationships with media to secure positive coverage for Camelback, its leaders and community.

Public Affairs & Policy Communications

• Lead a government relations and public affairs strategy that positions Camelback as a policy voice for equitable access to capital.

• Monitor relevant policy trends and craft strategic messaging, op-eds, and advocacy materials.

• Build relationships with civic leaders, media, and policy-aligned partners to advance organizational goals.

• Drive public discourse on critical topics within the entrepreneurial landscape.

• Lead a proactive policy function that generates, studies, socializes, and promotes policies.

Storytelling & Campaigns

• Oversee the narrative strategy to spotlight the stories of Camelback fellows, alumni, and community members, including

  • Creation of campaigns and institutional messaging that inform, inspire, and mobilize audiences.

  • Cross-departmental alignment in storytelling and coeducational intent development.

  • Positioning the CEO and senior leaders as…