Communications Lead, Wikimedia Enterprise (Contract) - Wikimedia Foundation

Communications Lead, Wikimedia Enterprise (Contract)

The Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit behind Wikipedia and other free knowledge projects, is seeking an experienced Communications Lead for Wikimedia Enterprise. This role will serve as the primary communications partner to the Wikimedia Enterprise team, shaping external messaging, media relations, and thought leadership to drive organic demand for its services. You will ensure narrative and strategic alignment with the Foundation's broader communications priorities. This position reports to the Communications Manager, with a dotted line to the President of Wikimedia Enterprise. This is an initial 6-month contract, with potential to extend.

Wikimedia Enterprise is the Foundation's commercial product, providing large-scale reusers and distributors of Wikimedia content with improved, commercial-grade access. This initiative is crucial for a sustainable model for Wikimedia projects and the open knowledge ecosystem, especially as AI systems increasingly scrape Wikipedia at scale.

Responsibilities

• Develop and own the external communications strategy for Wikimedia Enterprise across media/trade press, speaking engagements, and other channels to build visibility and organic demand.
• Build relationships with reporters (mainstream and B2B tech trade press) and conference organizers to secure speaking opportunities and position Wikimedia Enterprise as the go-to product for commercial content reusers.
• Serve as a primary media liaison for Wikimedia Enterprise, managing daily press inquiries, prepping spokespeople, staffing interviews, and handling information/speaking engagement requests. This includes leading rapid response media efforts for sensitive situations.
• Partner with internal teams to develop narratives and thought leadership that strengthen Wikimedia Enterprise's brand relevance and positioning.
• Guide, produce, and review marketing and communications materials (press statements, blogs, pitch notes, briefing docs) to ensure consistent and clear messaging for public audiences.
• Coordinate the end-to-end communications workflow for major external launches and announcements with the Enterprise Growth team, from drafting through internal review, stakeholder approvals, and release.
• Ensure alignment between the Wikimedia Enterprise growth plan and the Foundation's annual communications calendar.
• Build relationships and lead cooperative efforts with internal and external stakeholders, including Wikimedia Foundation colleagues, volunteers, affiliates, and external partners.
• Manage relationships with external vendors (e.g., PR agencies) as directed.
• Use data and customer insights to refine messaging, content, and strategy for Wikimedia Enterprise across business audiences.
• Work with leadership to set goals and KPIs for Wikimedia Enterprise communications, track results, and share actionable insights.

Required Skills and Experience

• At least 8+ years of communications experience, including operating at a senior/lead level with minimal oversight in a tech and/or B2B tech environment or supporting a commercial product line.
• Proven experience bridging communications and marketing/growth functions, ideally translating between brand/editorial priorities and commercial or growth objectives.
• Experience developing and executing earned media strategy and thought leadership, building relationships with press, partners, and stakeholders to develop a pipeline of coverage.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, including influencing senior and executive stakeholders and working effectively across diverse teams.
• Sound judgment on reputational risk and sensitivity, balancing commercial messaging against mission-driven or community-facing considerations.
• Comfortable operating with ambiguity, with the ability to ramp up quickly and take ownership of a live workflow given the fixed-term nature of this role.
• Strong writing and editing skills, adaptable across various formats (press materials, marketing copy, internal briefing documents).
• Strong editorial judgment: demonstrable ability to review and shape marketing materials for voice, tone, and brand consistency.
• A track record of tying communications to business results: setting metrics, measuring impact (coverage quality, share of voice, inbound demand, pipeline influence), and adapting strategy based on data.
• Experience working in a matrixed organization, comfortable with dotted-line reporting and leading through influence and collaboration.
• Experience working remotely and across multiple time zones and emerging markets.
• Experience overseeing and managing relationships with external agencies.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience in a nonprofit, open-source, mission-driven, or community-governed organization, especially one with a commercial or earned-revenue arm.
• Real understanding of AI, how it works, data licensing, and content provenance debates.
• Familiarity with the Wikimedia movement, Wikipedia, or free-knowledge/open-content spaces.
• Background in tech, media, or platform companies navigating AI-related content, licensing, or data issues.

About the Wikimedia Foundation

The Wikimedia Foundation is the nonprofit organization that operates Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia free knowledge projects. Our vision is a world where every human can freely share in the sum of all knowledge. We host Wikipedia and the Wikimedia projects, build software experiences, support volunteer communities, and advocate for policies that enable free knowledge to thrive.

The Foundation is a charitable, not-for-profit organization relying on donations from millions of individuals globally, as well as institutional grants. We are a United States 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with offices in San Francisco, California, USA.

As an equal opportunity employer, the Wikimedia Foundation values a diverse workforce and strives for an inclusive and equitable workplace. We encourage people with a diverse range of backgrounds to apply and do not discriminate based on legally protected characteristics.

The Wikimedia Foundation is a remote-first organization with staff members and contractors based in over 40 countries.

Hiring Locations & Salary

The anticipated annual pay range for applicants based within the United States is US$118,361 to US$182,658. For applicants located outside of the US, the pay range will be adjusted to the country of hire. Compensation is based on skills, experience, and location.

We are currently able to hire in the following regions:

• US States: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
• Countries: Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. (Note: Non-US employees are hired through a local third-party Employer of Record and must have current work authorization in their location. For Kenya and Singapore, citizens/permanent residents only.)

Applicants can contact their recruiter for specific pay range details for their location during the interview process.

If you are a qualified applicant requiring assistance or an accommodation to complete any step of the application process due to a disability, you may contact us at recruiting@wikimedia.org or +1 (415) 839-6885.