Director Communications

Director Communications

Recruiting until filled. Screening will begin immediately.
Location: Hybrid (Raleigh NC)
Department: Communications
FLSA Status: Exempt
Reports to: Director Gifts
Union Status: NonUnion

Overview

The Communications Director is responsible for the development of communication infrastructure for the NC Justice Center; partnering with NC Justice Center staff to develop and articulate a strong message for progressive social change across the organizations issue areas; and elevating the organizations profile among its key audiences. The Director developments and maintains the organizations digital and legacy media strategies which includes its website email communications and list building social media channels publication creation and release style and branding guides press outreach and media monitoring. The Director also leads and manages the organizations editorial calendar to ensure timely and coordinated communications efforts.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership:

• Creates and drives a multichannel communications strategy with the goal of developing the organizations voice brand and integrity.
• Coordinates the work of the central communications team. project communications staff development staff and engagement staff to ensure strategic alignment.
• Collaborates with central communications staff to create and assess individual and team work plans.
• Supervises the communications and graphic design staff.
• Leads in the development implementation and evaluation of an annual communications plan in collaboration with the team.
• Regularly updates communications processes and ensures that all staff are trained as needed.
• Writes applications for grants and supports reporting requirements.
• Oversees the professional development of the team including identifying training needs/opportunities assessing the skills and deficits of staff under their supervision and conducting annual performance evaluations for those staff.

Digital Media

• Ensures that the NC Justice Center website serves as an effective tool for advocacy education and fundraising integrating seamlessly with email social media and other digital platforms. In collaboration with communications specialists update and maintain the NC Justice Centers website content ensure search engine optimization and oversee regular Google Analytics reporting.
• Oversees the creation and maintenance of digital ads such as Google Ads for Nonprofits paid Google Ads and Meta ads.

Regularly update communications processes and tutorials based on best practices and digital safety and security needs and ensure all staff are trained as needed.

• Collaborates with staff on the production and editing of all publicfacing content such as publications briefings blog posts onepagers videos and infographics.
• Collaborates with the fundraising and advocacy teams to create digital campaigns that drive action support and awareness. Support projects in developing launching and tracking digital advocacy/lobbying campaigns (petitions and action alerts) in EveryAction customer relationship management system (CRM).
• Builds and/or supervises the building of emails and email campaigns in EveryAction CRM ensuring style and design parameters are followed.
• Works with Director of Information Technology and other staff to develop and maintain distribution lists and distribution process for all NC Justice Center publications and emails in EveryAction CRM.
• Develops writes and hosts the NC Justice Centers quarterly podcast Carolina Changemakers.
• Provides regular updates of templates headers letterheads and other designs.
• Implements comprehensive social media strategy for the NC Justice Centers existing channels (LinkedIn Facebook Instagram X); monitor current trends and analytics reporting and create style and usage guidelines for posts.

Legacy Media

• Serves as a spokesperson for the NC Justice Center in coordination with NC Justice Center staff by fielding and directing responses to media inquiries.
• Actively cultivates media relationships using Prowly and oversee and maintain a current list of media contacts. Pitch stories and appearances to reporters columnists editorial writers broadcast producers reporters hosts etc.
• Leads in the preparation and circulation of news releases advisories opeds and letters to the editor.
• Identifies external events and other speaking opportunities for the Executive Director and staff.
• Creates remarks for organizational public appearances as needed (interviews briefings awards etc..
• Monitors staff appearances in the media through Prowly; analyze trend data.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in communications journalism or marketing.
• Five years of responsible work experience in communications marketing or journalism.
• Website management experience on WordPress or comparable CSM platform.
• Experience working at the state level on issues that impact communities with low incomes.
• Two years of supervisory experience.
• Two years of supervisory experience.
• Ability to successfully work in a fastpaced highly collaborative work environment.
• Advanced level Microsoft 365 Office Suite skills.
• Knowledge of basic graphic design principles with Adobe Creative Suite and/or Canva. Experience audio/video editing is a plus.
• Strong attention to detail ability to meet deadlines work with diverse populations work independently and work collaboratively across teams.
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice and commitment to issues impacting North Carolinians with low incomes.
• Strong commitment to diversity equity inclusion and deep understanding of racial justice issues.
• Availability on some nights and weekends particularly during legislative sessions.

Preferred Qualifications

Masters degree in relevant field

Nonprofit communications work history is strongly preferred

• Experience in providing communications support for the NC Justice Centers suite of issues: public education housing education energy transportation criminal justice workers rights health care.

Skills and Competencies

Project management experience

• Exceptional oral and written communication skills and the ability to lead the creation of a variety of content types (media releases opeds blogs social media copy etc..

Physical Requirements

The employee should have the ability to maintain focus and productivity while performing sedentary tasks at a workstation for prolonged periods including working on a computer managing documents or engaging in virtual meetings.

Work Environment

Home corporate offices and other offsite meeting spaces as required. Weekend and evening work may be required.

Benefits

NCJC offers an extraordinary benefits package including affordable health insurance a retirement plan professional development opportunities and six weeks of personal time off.

NCJC is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Employer

NCJC is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race color creed sex religion age national origin sexual orientation gender identity political affiliation physical or mental disability pregnancy personal appearance marital or family status citizenship past current or prospective service in the uniformed services genetic information natural hair styles or other status as protected by State and Federal laws. It is our intention to promote the full realization of equality in opportunity and employment. We are a Fair Chance Employer and work to reduce barriers to employment for individuals with criminal records. It is our intention to promote the full realization of equality in opportunity and employment services genetic information natural hair styles or other status as protected by State and Federal laws. It is our intention to promote the full realization of equality in opportunity and employment.