Strategic Communications Lead

Work, Serve, Thrive. With the City of Durham 
 Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve.
 
Hiring Range: $71,302 – $85,562 Salaries are determined based upon your education and/or relevant certifications and work experience.

Workday/Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. Temporary with benefits, 40 hours per week.

*** Temporary Position, may become eligible for Full-time hire in July 2026.

In 2022, the Durham Community Safety Department (DCSD) launched four 911 crisis response programs—collectively known as HEART (Holistic Empathetic Assistance Response Teams). Please visit our website and dashboard, watch this CNN clip, listen to this NPR segment, or read this piece from The Assembly. In 2025, DCSD has added a new division focused on Stabilization Services. This expansion represents an exciting new phase in DCSD’s development—and a thrilling opportunity to pair alternative response programs with stabilization services that can better support Neighbors.

In 2025, DCSD’s scope of work grew to include several other dimensions of community safety. Importantly, DCSD became the lead agency of Durham’s Continuum of Care, and incorporated the City’s homelessness system team into its department. That team, now known as the HOPE Team (Housing Opportunities and Pathways Engagement Team), supports the local continuum of care, homelessness providers, and neighbors experiencing homelessness. Its purpose is to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring in Durham. In data terms: to reach functional zero across populations experiencing homelessness.

• Systemwide Strategic Communication. Develop a system-focused communications strategy that reinforces shared accountability and highlights how HOPE teams collaborate to reduce homelessness.
• Data-Informed Storytelling. Translate real-time, by-name data into clear stories, visuals, and insights that show progress, barriers, and system improvements.
• Community Engagement & Transparency. Serve as the main communicator with partners, residents, and stakeholders, providing transparent updates on HOPE’s work, decisions, and system performance.
• Human-Centered Narrative Development. Create ethical, trauma-informed stories that elevate lived experience and highlight successes, innovations, and system challenges.
• Internal Alignment & Communication Infrastructure. Build communication systems that keep HOPE teams aligned, informed, and coordinated in their shared system-change work.
• Strategic Advisory & Rapid Communication. Provide timely communication support during key milestones and advise leadership on messaging strategies, risks, and systemwide alignment.

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public administration, social sciences, journalism, or a related field
• Experience in strategic communications, ideally within government, systems change initiatives, homelessness response, or Built for Zero-aligned efforts. 
• Experience driving communications or campaigns aimed at creating measurable impact in shifting awareness, beliefs, or behaviors. 
• A commitment to and interest in the core mission of the HOPE team: to end homelessness in Durham by achieving Functional Zero for all subpopulations by 2031. 
• Strong ability to translate data and complex system processes into clear, compelling stories. 
• Exceptional writing, editing, and communications strategy skills. 
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments and sectors. 
• Strong project management capacity in fast-moving environments.

• Familiarity with Built for Zero methodology, community-wide reductions strategies, or continuous improvement frameworks. 
• Experience with homelessness response systems, affordable housing, or human services. 
• Skills in data visualization, design, or digital media. 
• Experience communicating on behalf of collaborative, cross-sector systems. 
• A commitment to, knowledge of, and affection for Durham and its communities, which could include living in Durham. 
• Advanced collaboration and interpersonal skills with the ability to build consensus and promote the exchange of information among team members and partners.