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.
Which 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.
That’s how you end up with the wrong person in the seat. It’s natural to hire for the work you can see, like posting on social media or making videos, and those skills are worth having.
But the person leading your communications needs to sit with your leadership team and help decide how your organization tells its story to the people you most need to reach.
That’s a strategic partner, and that’s who belongs in the seat.
“Julie’s communications experience, professional engagement, administrative detail, and optimistic outlook made our hiring experience not only effective, but joyful. In a very reasonable time frame, we landed on an experienced communications leader who is the perfect fit for our team. The search was strengthened by Julie’s encouragement, advice, and assistance throughout the process.”
Tony Wolfe, Executive Director
What You'll Walk Away With
The Right Role
You’ll know what your organization needs from its communications leader before the job is posted, and your leadership team will agree on it.
A Leader at the Table
The person you hire will be someone your executive team turns to when big decisions are being made.
A Decision You Trust
When it’s time to make an offer, you’ll feel sure about the person you’ve chosen and the salary you’re offering.
A Hire Who Grows
Your new comms leader will keep developing after their first day, so you won’t be starting the search over in a year.
A smarter way to make your next comms hire
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Figure Out What You Actually Need
4-8 weeks · Starts at $2,500
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
8-12 weeks · Starts at $3,000
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.
Already know you're ready to hire and don't need Phase 1? We can start with Phase 2!
Engagements typically range from $3,500 to $16,000
depending on scope and level of support. Exact cost is determined after an initial conversation. There is no percentage-of-salary fees and 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
Comms Expertise
Pricing
Post-hire support
Best for
"Who should we hire?"
Generalist recruiters
25-33% of salary ($18K-$30K+)
Placement guarantee
Senior leadership hires (EDs, CEOs, pastors, C-suite)
"What do you actually need?"
18 years as a nonprofit comms professional & leader
Flat fee, a fraction of the cost
Professional development + peer community
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
2500+ nonprofit comms professionals get my weekly email
45+ organizations served
Julie Masson,
CCO for Nonprofits
I've spent 18 years in the seat your next hire will fill.
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.
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.
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.