VP, Communications

XPRIZE Overview XPRIZE is an established global leader in designing and executing large-scale competitions to solve humanity’s greatest challenges. As a 501(c)3, our unique model democratizes innovation by incentivizing crowd-sourced, scientifically viable solutions to create a more equitable and abundant future for all. Since our founding in 1994, we’ve launched $519 million in prize competitions that are driving more than $31 billion in social and economic impact — a 60x return on philanthropic investment. These competitions not only de-risk early-stage breakthrough ideas but also mobilize capital, talent, and momentum to accelerate solutions from concept to real-world scale.We operate across 5 areas of impact,including:Deep Tech + ExplorationEnergy + Climate + NatureFood + Water + WasteHealthLearning + SocietyJoin XPRIZE to help create meaningful impact as we strive to empower humanity to achieve breakthroughs and architect a more equitable and abundant future for all.The OpportunityXPRIZE is at an extraordinary moment. For over 30 years we have been engineering breakthroughs that others thought impossible — transforming bold ideas into scalable solutions that reshape industries and shift entire systems for the benefit of humanity.The world is grappling with its hardest problems, and XPRIZE exists to solve them. To continue doing that work and attracting the funders, partners, and innovators who make it possible — the world needs to know we exist.The Vice President, Communications is a senior, strategic leader with deep media relationships, a bias toward action, and the experience to know how to get XPRIZE into the rooms and conversations that matter. Reporting to the Chief Marketing Officer and working in close partnership with the Vice President, Content, this executive owns how XPRIZE's story reaches the world — through earned media, external narrative, and donor-facing communications — and makes sure it reaches the right people at the right time. What Success Looks LikeXPRIZE is consistently present in the media conversations that matter to its donors, sponsors, and scientific communityPrize milestones — launches, finalist announcements, winner reveals — land with coordinated, high-impact earned media coveragePhilanthropic investors understand the stakes and impact of XPRIZE's work with clarity and urgencyThe communications function runs with its own systems, relationships, and standards — not dependent on agency support for strategic directionKey ResponsibilitiesEarned Media and External NarrativeOwn global media strategy and cultivate relationships with journalists, editors, and producers across science, technology, business, and philanthropyPosition XPRIZE executives and domain leads as credible, authoritative voices through media, speaking, and editorial opportunitiesBuild and maintain an always-on communications presence that keeps XPRIZE visible between prize milestonesManage the existing PR agency and establish the long-term agency partnership modelPrize Lifecycle CommunicationsLead communications strategy across the full prize lifecycle — from pre-launch positioning through winner announcement and impact storytellingEnsure every major prize milestone has a coordinated earned media plan that integrates with owned content strategyTranslate complex scientific and technical subject matter for two distinct audiences simultaneously: domain experts who already understand the science, and philanthropic donors and sponsors who need to feel the urgency and stakesAdvancement and Donor-Facing NarrativePartner closely with Advancement leadership to align communications strategy with fundraising priorities and donor engagement goalsShape the narrative strategy that connects XPRIZE's scientific breakthroughs to philanthropic investment decisionsDevelop high-impact communications assets — impact reports, donor materials, executive messaging, and campaign narratives — that serve Advancement's outreach and deepen donor relationshipsPosition communications as a strategic driver of institutional credibility and philanthropic growthExecutive and Organizational CommunicationsServe as communications advisor to the CMO on messaging strategy, stakeholder engagement, and reputationOversee executive communications, including speeches, keynote content, op-eds, and thought leadershipLead crisis communications and reputation management, establishing protocols and leading response in coordination with executive and legal leadershipOwned-to-Earned IntegrationWork in close partnership with the VP, Content, to ensure owned content strategy and earned media strategy are integrated rather than siloedProvide the narrative foundation — messaging frameworks, story angles, briefing materials — that enables the owned content function to produce work that earns media attentionEnsure major prize milestones are supported by a unified content and communications approachTeam and Operational LeadershipBuild the communications function fr