Digital Communications Manager Jobs in Reston, VA

Washington, DC, US

2 days ago Requisition ID: 1064

Salary Range: $85,250.00 To $153,750.00 Annually

Position Title: Senior Manager, Web Strategy and Digital Communications Grade Level: Grade Level 6 - FLSA Exempt Reports to: Director of External Communications

About NED

The National Endowment for Democracy supports freedom around the world.

At NED, we deliver on the belief that freedom is a universal aspiration. Headquartered in Washington, DC, NED is a private, nonprofit foundation, mandated by Congress, dedicated to strengthening democratic institutions worldwide.

NED reflects an enduring American commitment to stand with those striving for dignity, justice, and opportunity. In 2025, NED made 1,552 grants totaling $271 million to support the work of nongovernmental organizations advancing democratic goals in more than 90 countries, including some of the world’s most challenging and repressive environments.

We seek talented, entrepreneurial professionals motivated by purpose and committed to excellence. At NED, you will join a dynamic team of experts who bring their skills, curiosity, and judgment to a consequential mission at a critical moment for democracy around the world. Our work is guided by our shared values: excellence, respect, empathy, accountability, and adaptability.

Position Summary

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is seeking a Senior Manager, Web Strategy and Digital Communications to lead the strategic overhaul of its website and strengthen NED’s digital presence. This role combines project leadership, digital content strategy, user experience, and hands‑on publishing, and is well suited for a communications professional with strong technical fluency, editorial judgment, and a user‑centered mindset.

As NED undertakes a major website redesign, this position will serve as the internal lead responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing the project in collaboration with external vendors and cross‑departmental stakeholders. Beyond the relaunch, the Officer will oversee web publishing operations, digital content quality, and site performance, helping ensure NED’s digital platforms effectively serve key audiences, including policymakers, media, grantees, and the broader public.

This is a hybrid position based in Washington, DC, and is part of the bargaining unit.

Primary Responsibilities

Website Strategy and Overhaul

• Serve as NED’s internal project lead for the website redesign , managing vendor relationships, timelines, deliverables, and internal coordination.
• Partner with design and development vendors to ensure site architecture, visual design, and content strategy align with NED’s institutional goals and audience needs.
• Translate organizational priorities into effective digital experiences by helping define page layouts, content types, metadata structures, and navigation systems.
• Lead cross‑departmental coordination during the redesign process, incorporating stakeholder input, driving alignment, and managing approvals.

Digital Publishing and Content Management

• Oversee day‑to‑day publishing operations for the NED website, including editorial workflows, content updates, and quality control. Manage urgent web updates in response to breaking developments, institutional announcements, or reputational issues.
• Help plan and execute major web content updates tied to institutional priorities, campaigns, events, reports, and leadership communications.
• Train and support staff on use of the website’s content management system (CMS) and maintain clear, consistent publishing standards across teams.
• Build and edit pages, update evergreen content, and manage time‑sensitive publishing needs, including press releases, events, and op‑eds.
• Maintain and organize digital assets, including images, PDFs, videos, and graphics, to support quality, consistency, and ease of use across the site.
• Establish and enforce web governance standards, including content ownership, review cycles, publishing permissions, and quality control processes.
• Advise internal stakeholders on how to structure, present, and prioritize digital content in ways that support institutional goals and audience needs.

Performance, Compliance, and Optimization

• Monitor site analytics, generate regular performance reports, and recommend improvements based on data and user behavior.
• Apply technical and content search engine optimization practices across the site.
• Serve as the primary day‑to‑day liaison with external web vendors and technical partners, helping manage scope, troubleshoot issues, and move projects forward.
• Coordinate with IT and other internal partners on platform needs, integrations, security‑related updates, and technical improvements affecting the website.
• Help ensure the website meets appropriate accessibility standards and follows digital best practices for usability, compliance, and inclusive design.
• Conduct regular content audits and quality assurance reviews to identify outdated, duplicative, broken, or underperforming content.
• Maintain standards for metadata, tagging, page structure, and asset management to support consistency, searchability, and performance.

User Experience Leadership

• Enact best practices in UX design and user‑centered content.
• Use research, analytics, and feedback to inform continuous improvements to content structure and user journeys.
• Develop and maintain page templates, web style guidance, and content governance standards.
• Ensure the site remains intuitive, mobile‑responsive, and optimized for search and accessibility.

Qualifications

• 8-10 years of relevant experience in digital communications, web content strategy, digital publishing, or UX‑focused roles.
• Experience leading or playing a significant role in a website redesign , preferably for a nonprofit, public‑interest, or mission‑driven organization.
• Experience with modern CMS platforms such as WordPress or Drupal, as well as web publishing best practices and basic HTML/CSS.
• Demonstrated experience managing digital content workflows and improving user experience across web platforms.
• Understanding of digital accessibility standards, mobile optimization, SEO, and core UX principles.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, work independently, and coordinate across teams.
• Strong editorial judgment and experience developing, reviewing, or editing public‑facing content.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, solve problems independently, and communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Interest in or familiarity with U.S. foreign policy, international affairs, democracy support, or related fields preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, digital media, web design, international relations, or a related field required.

Talent in Action

Consistent with NED’s talent statement and grounded in our values, the successful individual in this role will demonstrate the following competencies in the delivery of their work while supporting NED’s efforts to advance democratic change:

• Purpose‑Driven
• Reliable
• Expertise
• Results‑Oriented

NED Total Compensation

The anticipated compensation range for this position is 85,250 – 153,750 USD.

The salary for this position is determined based on a wide variety of factors, including but not limited to an individual’s professional experience, qualifications, education, and other business needs along with internal equity considerations. Employees are not typically hired at the top of the range for their role, and compensation decisions are based on the aforementioned circumstances .

NED also offers a generous benefits package that demonstrates its commitment to employee health and well‑being.