Head of Communications and Development

Application Deadline: 7 June 2026

Department: Leadership

Employment Type: Flexible

Location: Remote

Compensation: $135,000 - $170,000 / year

Description

Key Responsibilities

• Set and optimize strategy across both communications and development, ensuring the two functions reinforce each other and are oriented toward where the most value can be added.
• Lead and manage the communications and development teams, refining their processes, and fostering collaboration across them and with program staff.
• Oversee fundraising strategy and execution, helping grow and maintain relationships with mainstream and specialized organizations, institutions, funders, and individuals working on projects relevant to RP's core mission
• Integrate communications planning into organizational decision-making from the earliest stages of major projects, shaping audience strategy, framing, and timing before outputs are produced.
• Develop and implement systems to monitor and measure the impact of our communications and development work, and draw strategic conclusions based on this data.
• Oversee and commission writing that is accessible to non-specialist audiences without sacrificing nuance and precision.
• Collaborate effectively with leadership, teammates, managees, and contractors.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• A genuine interest in RP’s mission and (at least some of) the cause areas in which we work (e.g., global health, animal welfare, artificial intelligence, cross-cause prioritization).
• A background from any of the following areas: journalism, PR, science communications, think tank or nonprofit communications, development experience managing funder relationships, closing major gifts, or leading grant portfolios.
• A track record reaching mainstream audiences, engaging nonprofit or policymaker stakeholders, or building an organizational public profile.
• Strong management and project management capabilities and demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities across a team.
• A point of view on modern content strategy, including how organizations should be optimizing for discoverability in AI-mediated search and short-form channels.
• Familiarity with the effective giving, effective altruism, AI policy, or effective animal advocacy organizational landscape (helpful, not required).
• Experience scaling projects or teams (a plus, not a requirement).
• Comfort making the case for what they see as the best approach and willingness to commit to decisions once made. 
• Ability to communicate complex research to non-specialist audiences without losing essential precision.
• Excitement about working in a mission-driven organization where the work genuinely matters.

• Up-to-date familiarity with key AI tools, which could be used to increase the quality or quantity of the team’s outputs.
• A clear point of view on modern content strategy and how organizations should be optimizing for discoverability in AI-mediated search and short-form channels.

Benefits

• We offer annual salary between the following ranges for a full-time position, prorated for part-time work:
  • $135,000 - $170,000 USD pre-tax
• The exact salary will be based on the candidate’s prior relevant experience and corresponding title level, and calculated using RP’s salary algorithm. 
• Compensation is not restricted to the currencies listed above. 
• To ensure fairness across the entire organization, RP does not negotiate salaries.

1. Remote-first environment, including flexible work hours and schedule
2. Comprehensive global benefits program, including statutory benefits, as required by local law, and supplemental benefits specific to a local country, as available (varies country by country)
3. Generous paid time off (PTO) and unpaid leave including:a
   • Unlimited vacation with a minimum number of required statutory days off
   • “Mandated” 3-weeks total mid- and end-year organization-wide breaks
   • Unlimited (within reason) personal and sick paid and unpaid leave
   • Parental leave - up to 4-9 months of a combination of paid and unpaid parental leave that can be taken prior and/or during the first 2 years after a child’s birth or adoption
   • Other paid and unpaid leave (e.g., bereavement)
4. Technology stipend of the equivalent of $2000 USD every 3 years that can be used to cover costs of purchasing work and office equipment
5. AI tools budget of the equivalent of $40 USD monthly
6. Learning opportunities, including workshops / training sessions and 10% of work time dedicated to professional and personal development 
7. Paid work trips, including one annual all staff Mega Team Retreat and relevant conferences
8. Virtual co-working spaces, including private Rethink Priorities Focusmate group
9. RP Peer Support Program for New Employees
10. Other benefits as allowed on discretion of the RP Leadership

• Extension requests: We will try to accommodate extension requests that are made before the deadline and are up to seven (7) days. We generally cannot accommodate extension requests made on or after the application deadline, or are longer than 7 days, and cannot accept late submissions to ensure fairness to other applicants.
• Language: Please submit all of your application materials in English and note that we require professional level English proficiency.
• Travel: A majority of our staff travel a few times per year for conferences, team and all-staff retreats, coworking, as well as other work-related purposes. Travel to each of the annual all-staff and directors’ retreat is required. Other travel to represent RP for particular high value fundraising or communications activities is highly desirable. Where possible, “virtual participation” option or other accommodations could  be offered.
• Accessibility: We’re committed to running an inclusive and accessible application process. We warmly invite you to reach out to [email protected] with any questions or accessibility requests such as chat box use during interviews.
• Inclusivity and fairness:  RP is committed to building an inclusive, equitable, and supportive community for you to thrive and do your best work. We’re committed to finding the best people for our team, so please don’t hesitate to apply for a role regardless of your age, gender identity/expression, political identity, personal preferences, physical abilities, veteran status, neurodiversity or any other background. We provide reasonable accommodations and benefits, including, for example, flexible work schedules and locations, mental health coverage in medical benefits (as available), as well as  technology budgets and professional development time that can be used, for example, to purchase assistive technology or engage in job coaching. 
• Other: Visit our Career Opportunities webpage if you’d like to know more about our hiring process, culture, and what working at RP is like.

1. A consultancy doing commissioned work in response to demands from organizations doing high-impact work 
2. A research institute driven by research agendas we set according to our own priorities.
3. A think tank aiming to inform public policy to improve the world.
4. An accelerator, incubator, and base for priority projects.

• Bringing attention to neglected issues, such as lead exposure, fungal diseases, and shrimp welfare. 
• Increasing the collective impact of advocates across each field in which we work through strategic coordination.
• Investigating potential interventions and identifying the most cost-effective options. In 2025, our research influenced tens of millions of dollars in foundation grants. 
• Creating practical tools for philanthropists to compare resource allocations across different species and cause areas and to build giving portfolios despite uncertainties.
• Providing organizations with data to inform their decisions. For example, we have conducted surveys on perceptions of existential risks, AI, effective giving, and other topics. 
• Providing fiscal sponsorship and operational support to ensure that high-impact initiatives in areas like AI safety and animal welfare can launch and grow effectively.