An education or nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC is seeking a consultant to provide comprehensive strategic communications and storytelling services. The consultant will play a key role in assessing the organization’s current marketing, communications, public relations, and event strategies, including the associated processes and outputs. This assessment will inform benchmarking efforts against comparable and leading organizations within the sector, focusing on digital presence, media footprint, and brand positioning.

Primary responsibilities include identifying priority media outlets, platforms, and key external stakeholders, as well as uncovering impactful, human-centered stories that align with the organization’s mission, academic outcomes, community impact, and long-term vision. The consultant will translate qualitative findings into compelling narrative themes, supporting proof points, and story angles suited for deployment across multiple channels and audiences.

The scope of work also encompasses identifying and refining strategic pillars such as brand, enrollment, advocacy, staff engagement, and fundraising, and clarifying the communications strategies that support each. The consultant will develop a messaging architecture with core and audience-specific messages, along with supporting proof points. Additionally, a comprehensive annual communications plan will be created, detailing messaging priorities, earned media strategies, digital content approaches, events, and community and family communications.