Julie Masson, CCO for Nonprofits
You know you need communications help.
You're just not sure what kind.
Maybe your longtime comms leader just left and you're not sure what the role should look like now. Maybe you've never had a senior communications hire and don't know where to start. Or maybe you've made this hire before and it didn't work out, and you're not sure why.
Most nonprofit leaders aren't communications experts. That's not a criticism. It's the whole reason the role exists. But it means that when it's time to hire, you're writing job descriptions based on what you've seen at other organizations, interviewing candidates you can't fully evaluate, and hoping the person you pick figures it out.
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That's how you end up with the wrong person in the seat. Not because they're bad at their job, but because the role was never clearly defined in the first place.
I'm not a recruiter.
I'm the person who makes sure you hire right.
WHAT I DO
Diagnose before I prescribe.
Before we talk about candidates, I assess your team, your goals, and the current state of your communications. Sometimes the answer is a new hire. Sometimes it's restructuring what you already have.
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Define the role you actually need.
Not a copy-paste job description from another org chart. A role built around your organization's real priorities, capacity, and budget.
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Write a job description that attracts the right people.
Clear, compelling, jargon-free. One that speaks directly to the kind of communicator your organization needs and stands out in a competitive market.
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Put your role in front of the right audience.
I have a network of over 2,300 nonprofit communicators through my email list along, plus a larger professional community of communicators. When you hire with me, your role gets promoted directly to people who are already doing this work, not passive job board browsers.
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Guide your interviews with comms expertise.
I help you ask the right questions, spot red flags, and evaluate candidates based on what the role actually requires, not just who interviews well.
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Set your new hire up to win.
Every hire gets access to the Nonprofit Comms Club for training, peer support, and ongoing coaching for an entire year. I don't just place someone and walk away.
WHAT I DON'T DO
I don't skip the diagnosis.
Search firms jump straight to sourcing because that's how they make money. I start by making sure you actually know what you need. That one step can save you from a $70,000 mistake.
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I don't charge a percentage of salary.
Traditional search firms charge 25-33% of first-year compensation. For a comms director, that's $18,000 to $30,000. My fees are flat and transparent, and a fraction of what a traditional search firm charges.
I don't maintain a candidate database.
I'm not recycling the same pool of people across clients. Every search is built around what your organization needs, not who I have on file.
I don't disappear after placement.
Most recruiters move on after the offer letter is signed. I stay connected through professional development support for your new hire, because a good placement only matters if the person sticks and grows.
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I'm not a generalist.
I don't place worship pastors on Monday and development directors on Wednesday. I specialize in one function: nonprofit communications. I know what good looks like because I've been the person in the seat.
A smarter way to make your next comms hire
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Figure Out What You Actually Need
4-8 weeks · Starts at $2,000
Before we post a job or review a single resume, we get clear on what your organization actually needs. That might mean assessing your current team, evaluating your communications infrastructure, or rethinking the role entirely.
You'll walk away with a clear recommendation: the right role defined, revised or new job descriptions, and a confident path forward. Sometimes the answer is "hire externally." Sometimes it's "restructure what you have." Either way, you'll know.
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Find & Hire the Right Person
6-8 weeks · Starts at $1,500
If Phase 1 determines you need to hire, I'll guide or lead the search depending on the level of support you need. That can range from coaching you through the process to running the entire search myself, from posting the role through presenting finalists.
Every hire gets a complimentary seat in the Nonprofit Comms Club with access to the Think Like a CCO course and a peer community of nonprofit communicators. Finding the right person is only half the job. Setting them up to succeed is the other half.
Engagements typically range from $3,000 to $12,000
depending on scope and level of support. Exact cost is determined after an initial conversation. No percentage-of-salary fees. No surprise invoices.
Why this isn't like hiring a recruiter
Search firms do great work placing senior leaders. But for a communications hire, you need someone who actually understands the function.
Search Firms
Julie Masson
Starting Point
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Comms Expertise
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Pricing
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Post-hire support
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Best for
"Who should we hire?"​
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​Generalist recruiters
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25-33% of salary ($15K-$30K+)
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​Placement guarantee​
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Senior leadership hires (EDs, CEOs, pastors, C-suite)
"What do you actually need?"​
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​18 years as a nonprofit comms professional & leader
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Flat fee, a fraction of the cost​
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​Professional development + peer community
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Communications leadership hires at nonprofits and churches
This is for leaders who want to get this hire right, not just get it done
Executive Directors and COOs
You know you need communications help but aren't sure whether you need a coordinator, a manager, or a director. You want clarity before you commit.
First-Time Comms Leadership Hirers
This is your organization's first senior communications role and you want an expert guide, not just a job board and a prayer.
Organizations That Have Been Burned
The last hire didn't work out. The role was never clearly defined. The person left after eight months. You don't want to repeat that.
Mission-Driven Organizations of All Kinds
Whether you're a social services nonprofit, a policy org, a church, or a community-based organization, you need a comms leader who can think strategically and connect people to your mission.
18 years in nonprofit comms
2300+ nonprofit comms professionals get my weekly email
40+ organizations served
Julie Masson,
CCO for Nonprofits
I've spent 18 years in the seat your next hire will fill.​
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I've served as the senior communications leader at multiple nonprofit organizations. I've built teams from scratch, led strategic communications planning, managed capital campaign messaging, and navigated all the internal politics that come with being the comms person at a mission-driven organization.
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I launched this hiring service after years of being asked the same question: "Do you know anyone good for this comms role?" I realized most organizations don't just need a name. They need someone to help them figure out what they're looking for, and then make sure the person they hire can actually do it.
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I also run the Nonprofit Comms Club, a professional development community for in-house nonprofit communicators, and I reach over 2,300 nonprofit communications professionals through my newsletter and network. When I help with hiring, I'm not searching cold. I'm tapping into a community of practitioners I'm already connected to.