Chief External Affairs Officer

CAMELBACK VENTURES

Camelback Ventures ( Camelback ) increases access to opportunity for entrepreneurs from underinvested 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 thought leaders in equity, entrepreneurship, and launch Camelback Studios as a new outlet to share organization and fellow content and stories.

Strategic Partnerships & Development Alignment

Manage relationships that build on Camelback Ventures brand visibility, influence and power shaping our position in the larger ecosystem.

Support programmatic and fundraising goals through strategic marketing efforts, storytelling, and audience engagement.

Partner with the Development Team to align messaging for fundraising, donor engagement, and external relations.

Collaborate with program and operations teams to ensure mission-consistent messaging and shared campaign goals.

Team Culture & Leadership Development

Foster a program team culture characterized by enthusiasm, excellence, innovation, and deep commitment to racial equity.

Create an environment where team members feel empowered to take risks, learn from failure, and push boundaries in service of Fellows and Alumni.

Invest in the professional development of program staff through coaching, learning opportunities, and clear career pathways.

Model transparent communication, collaborative problem-solving, and the growth mindset that defines Camelback culture.

Build systems and practices that support team efficacy and efficiency, particularly around the complex programming timeline and calendar.

THE PERSON

We would be over-the-moon to work with someone who will add to our culture rooted in a belief in our mission; a desire for constant learning; being unafraid of failure; and focused on delivering excellence. The Chief External Affairs Officer will see themselves in the examples below :

You’re a Strategic Storyteller and Influencer . Whether in writing, speaking, or relationship-building, you craft compelling narratives that move hearts and drive action. You know how to rally the right people around a bold vision.

You’re a Visionary Operator. You think big and act with precision—balancing creativity with execution. You lead teams to deliver high-quality, on-time work that advances long-term strategy.

You Lead with Executive Presence. You bring credibility and clarity to donor meetings, public events, and internal collaborations. You know when to listen, when to ask, and when to lead.

You Build with Community. You center the voices of those you serve—listening deeply, engaging broadly, and amplifying shared impact. You don’t just represent the work; you are in relationship with it.

You Champion Equity and Racial Literacy. You lead with a strong equity lens, naming and navigating bias in messaging and strategy. You create space for others to do the same, especially in support of BIPOC and women entrepreneurs.

You Welcome Feedback and Growth. You seek out feedback, adapt with intention, and turn failures into fuel. You’re not afraid to evolve—and you encourage others to do the same.

Expectations :

15+ years of progressive experience in communications, marketing, brand strategy, public affairs, policy or a related field, with at least 10 years of demonstrated success building and managing teams

A strong commitment to Camelback’s mission and values, and a deep understanding of the social impact landscape.

Demonstrated success leading digital marketing campaigns that increase engagement, grow social media audiences, and elevate brand visibility.

Demonstrated success in growing social media engagement and digital community building.

Proven experience in, policy advocacy, public affairs communications, government relations and developing and implementing policy agendas.

Experience in the racial equity, education, entrepreneurship, or philanthropy sectors, preferred

Experience managing a brand or executive voice that is bold, equity-centered, and values-driven.

Experience ghostwriting or managing executive platforms, preferred

Outstanding writing and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling, mission-aligned narratives.

Clear understanding of SEO, SEM, email marketing, content marketing, and platform-specific social media strategies.

Strong knowledge of communications analytics, trends, and digital tools and platforms such as Google Analytics, Sprout Social, Mailchimp, Squarespace, WordPress, and StreamYard

Familiarity with (or a willingness to learn) AI marketing tools to enhance operations and strategy.

Knowledge of fundraising and donor engagement strategies is a plus.

Ability to travel up to 40% for strategic engagements, conferences, and media opportunities.

Impact & Success Metrics

Expand Camelback’s thought leadership approach to include policy and advocacy.

Develop a comprehensive policy strategy for Camelback by December 2026.

Oversee External Relations Team Impact & Success Metrics

Strengthen CBV’s national brand awareness

100,000 followers across social media sites

25,000 followers across all social media channels for CEO

100,000 subscribers to organization newsletter

45% open rate on organization newsletter

1,000,000 engagements on social media

100 external thought leadership contributions

By Q3 2026, launch Camelback Studios as a new outlet to share organization and fellow content and stories.

Oversee the creation of at least 3 engaging content series highlighting Camelback by December 2026.

Secure 25,000 followers with 25% engagement by December 2026.

THE TANGIBLE GOODS

HQ : New Orleans

Position Location : Flexible within the continental U.S.

Salary range : $180,000 - $220,000 (based upon experience and skill)

Benefits : Medical, Dental, Vision, 403b + Employer Match, and Generous PTO

Perks : Professional Development Stipend

Targeted Start date : January / February 2026

Priority Application Deadline : November 14, 2025 at 5 pm CT

Position FAQ : Before applying, review the Position FAQs.

APPLY HERE

https : / / camelbackventures.recruitee.com / o / chief-external-affairs-officer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the individual(s) assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required.  Management reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and to assign other duties as necessary.  In addition, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

Camelback Ventures provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.