Application Guide
How to Apply for Communications Manager, Start Early WA
at Start Early
🏢 About Start Early
Start Early Washington (SEWA) is a mission-driven organization with two decades of expertise in home visiting and early childhood systems, dedicated to ensuring all children prenatal-to-five have access to high-quality services. Employees join a collaborative, values-driven culture that prioritizes appreciation, empowerment, diversity, excellence, learning, and communication. This role offers the chance to make a tangible impact on Washington's youngest residents and their families while working remotely within the state.
About This Role
The Communications Manager will drive internal and external communications and marketing for SEWA, amplifying the thought leadership of team members and engaging supporters and early childhood professionals. This role involves creating original content, collaborating across Policy and Advocacy, Development, and Operations teams, and coordinating with national Start Early marketing and communications. It is pivotal in building awareness of SEWA's work and advancing its mission through strategic messaging.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve drafting a blog post about a new home visiting initiative, meeting with the Policy and Advocacy team to align messaging on upcoming legislation, and coordinating with the national marketing team on a social media campaign. You might also interview a team member for a thought leadership piece, review analytics on recent communications, and plan content for an upcoming event. The role balances creative content development with strategic collaboration across departments.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Start Early Is Looking For
- Has 3-5+ years of communications experience, preferably in early childhood, education, or nonprofit sectors, with a portfolio of original content (e.g., articles, social media campaigns, newsletters).
- Demonstrates strong cross-functional collaboration skills, having worked with policy, development, and operations teams to align messaging and support organizational goals.
- Is a skilled storyteller who can translate complex early childhood systems and home visiting concepts into accessible, compelling narratives for diverse audiences.
- Resides in Washington state and is willing to occasionally work evenings and weekends to support events or urgent communications needs.
📝 Tips for Applying to Start Early
Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight experience in early childhood, home visiting, or family support communications, explicitly referencing SEWA's focus areas like prenatal-to-five and culturally responsive practices.
Showcase your ability to create original content by including links to published articles, social media campaigns, or newsletters that demonstrate your writing and storytelling skills.
Emphasize any experience working with policy and advocacy teams, as the role requires close collaboration with SEWA's Policy and Advocacy team to amplify thought leadership.
Mention your Washington state residency and willingness to work occasional evenings/weekends, as this is a requirement and shows alignment with the role's demands.
Research Start Early's national communications and marketing strategies, and suggest how you might adapt them for SEWA's statewide audience in your application materials.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Your passion for early childhood education and how it aligns with SEWA's mission and values, using specific examples from your past work.", 'Concrete achievements in developing and executing communications strategies that engaged diverse audiences, particularly in nonprofit or advocacy settings.', 'Your experience collaborating across departments (e.g., policy, development, operations) to ensure consistent messaging and support organizational goals.', "Your familiarity with Washington state's early childhood landscape and your ability to create culturally responsive content for local communities."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Explore Start Early's national website, especially their research, policy initiatives, and communications materials, to understand their voice and priorities.
- → Research Start Early Washington's specific programs, such as home visiting and early childhood systems work, and familiarize yourself with their recent reports or news mentions.
- → Learn about Washington state's early childhood landscape, including key policies, funding streams, and organizations, to speak knowledgeably about the context.
- → Review the LinkedIn profiles of current SEWA staff, particularly the Director of Development & Communication, to understand team structure and recent achievements.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting generic application materials that don't mention early childhood, home visiting, or SEWA's specific mission—this shows a lack of genuine interest.
- Failing to provide writing samples or a portfolio, as this role heavily emphasizes original content creation and storytelling.
- Ignoring the Washington state residency requirement or expressing reluctance to work occasional evenings/weekends, which are non-negotiable for this position.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!