Director of Communications

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION

The Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice is the only philanthropic organization working exclusively to advance LGBTQI human rights around the globe. We support brilliant and brave grantee partners in the U.S. and internationally who challenge oppression and seed change. We work for racial economic social and gender justice because we all deserve to live freely without fear and with dignity.

Astraea is the first grantmaker to hundreds of organizations; Astraea plays a catalytic role for LGBTQI groups worldwide notably those led by lesbian bisexual and queer women trans and gendernonconforming folks intersex people and people of color. Our grantmaking capacity building media and communications and philanthropic advocacy programs support their work to build powerful justice movements. Astraea has granted over $49 million to LGBTQI activists and artists in our 45year history a proud public foundation and one of the worlds first queer feminist funds.

POSITION DESCRIPTION Full Time 35 hrs/wk with benefits)

The Director Communications provides strategic leadership for all aspects of Astraeas communications. This person brings a passion for Astraeas mission and values with deep communications expertise and knowledge of the issues facing the national and global LGBTQI movements to build a communications team that supports our organizations goals.

The Director Communications establishes and implements clear and effective strategies; manages and supports a team of communications specialists and content creators; cultivates relationships with supporters grantee partners and peers; and builds our organizations overall capacity to communicate consistently and powerfully. This position works closely with the Executive Director development and program teams.

Communications Team Purpose: The communications team is responsible for communicating about Astraea (what we do how we work whom we work with what makes us unique etc. to our key audiences across our many communications channels. Our communications content and campaigns build familiarity and excitement with Astraea reinforce our role as a philanthropic thought leader amplify grantees stories and inspire action to shift resources towards LGBTQI movement building and activism worldwide.

This position may be based remotely anywhere in the U.S. and work authorization is required.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership (Communications)

• Work closely with the VP of Strategic Engagement to establish and implement the strategy and vision for the communications team.
• Create comprehensive goalbased strategic audiencespecific and mediaaware communications plans to expand public awareness of Astraea our mission and grantee partners and generate increased support for the organization.
• Lead editorial direction design production implementation and distribution for all media including print electronic and film/video.

Responsibilities include:

• Lead and direct communications and engagement strategies including editorial standards brand guidelines and online style guides supporting Astraeas strategic goals and mission.
• Manage external visual and verbal messaging to ensure all communications including print electronic and film/video are consistent and effective in promoting Astraeas mission and vision and have a consistent aesthetic design style and message.
• Oversee creation of communications materials including donor and funder communications; speeches articles publications website content promotional messaging press releases and outreach materials; concept papers briefing materials internal memos online content annual reports white papers and print and digital promotions.
• Oversee the entire production process for all film and video working with the communications video editor to create audiovisual work that is impactful engaging and rooted in LGBTQI movement building.
• Oversee strategic media and press outreach and public relations for print broadcast and online media; develop press strategies; cultivate relationships with target reporters and bloggers. Serve as the primary media contact for the organization along with the communications writer.

• Lead the creative development of Astraea visual language and supervise design and development for all digital platforms including style and content of the website and video content.

Resource Mobilization and Philanthropic Advocacy

• Lead public engagement and advocacy across all digital touchpoints including web blog email and social media.
• Represent Astraea at conferences and speaking opportunities author opeds and blog posts for print and online media in collaboration with the Executive team
• Act as communications lead for organizationwide initiatives to engage and influence philanthropic actors including through the development and/or amplification of research and analyses highlighting we support affecting LGBTQI communities in the U.S. as well as around the globe.
• Work closely with the development team to create and implement fundraising strategies that involve communications platforms in collaboration with the development team.
• Oversee the communications teams collaboration with the program team to develop communications campaigns and report launch strategies within Astraeas programmatic focus areas.

Leadership and Management

• Hire structure and cultivate a strong team
• Supervise coach and mentor direct reports through consistent feedback channels and engage in the organizations Reflection and Growth process.
• Participate in ongoing management team meetings as a representative of the communications team.
• Manage the communications annual budget and proactively suggest ways to cut costs or increase spending in areas of need in collaboration with the VP of Finance.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum:

• Bachelors degree or equivalent certifications in communications fundraising or a related discipline or equivalent work experience
• A minimum of seven 7 years of experience in fulltime handson work in communications media and marketing
• A minimum of five 5 years of experience working in a leadership position with responsibility for managing and building comprehensive strategic communications programs and teams
• Excellent management skills grounded in collaboration and team cohesion and a leadership style that prioritizes the expertise of team members to achieve goals
• Demonstrated excellence in crafting language and strategy that reflects a commitment to justice and equity and an understanding of visual activism
• Exceptional written and verbal skills with the ability to communicate about identities such as race ethnicity sexual orientation sex characteristics class ability or gender in plain specific terms
• Ability to bring and communicate to executive leadership a strong analysis of the implications for Astraeas communications strategy
• Experience working within an integrated communications and development function at a nonprofit and ability to cultivate and sustain strong collaboration between internal teams
• Familiarity with technology digital and social media including ongoing engagement with new and emerging technologies
• Excellent organizational analytical and problemsolving skills with demonstrated ability to manage and meet multiple deadlines and develop creative solutions
• Excellent understanding of feminist and queer movements and the issues facing the domestic and global LGBTQI feminist and racial economic and gender justice movements
• Passion for Astraeas mission as a public foundation and queer feminist fund
• Understanding and acceptance of Astraeas core values and guiding principles as a social justice funder

Preferred:

• Substantial recent experience working within the LGBTQI social justice movement building space

COMPENSATION/BENEFITS

• The annual compensation range is $130000 $140608
• Astraea offers competitive benefits for this position:
• Medical (Employer subsidized)
• Vision (Employer paid)
• Life and Disability insurance (Employer paid)
• Dental (Employer paid)
• Optional enrollment in Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for pretax savings
• Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) (Employer paid)
• A 401k plan with employer matching contributions(up to 50 of the first 4 of your contributions)
• PTO up to 25 days
• 12 Sick days
• 2 Organizational Pauses (total 3 weeks annually)
• Resources for professional development
• Eligibility for sabbatical leave after 5 years with the organization

HOW TO APPLY

All applicantsmustprovide a resume/CVandcover letter which may be a combined document where necessary. The position will remain open until it is filled. Please no phone calls. Only applicants being considered for interviews will be contacted.

Astraea is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse (multigender crossclass and multiracial) collaborative and sustainable work environment. We select place train and promote the bestqualified individuals based on relevant factors such as work quality attitude and experience to provide equal opportunity for all of our employees without regard to nonworkrelated factors such as sexual orientation gender identity or expression race color religion national origin sex sex characteristics age marital status disability economic status personal appearance including height and weight family responsibility matriculation political affiliation or any other status. We strive to provide an inclusive interview experience for all including people with disabilities. We are happy to provide reasonable accommodations to candidates needing individualized support during the hiring process. Please express that with your cover letter and resume submission.

For more information visit www.astraeafoundation.