The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) Public Relations Director oversees external organizational communications and manages the overall public awareness communications strategy to ensure positive and favorable public opinion is maintained. The Public Awareness Director oversees the public awareness team including public relations team and social media team.
Areas of Responsibility:
- Provide strategic direction and leadership to the public awareness team members, overseeing team and individual performance to achieve organizational goals. Promote a supportive working environment where employees are encouraged to proactively address issues and solve problems.
- Collaborate with Programs and Resource Development team leadership to develop strategies to promote public awareness of WWP programs, events, and services.
- Lead the development and implementation of communications strategic plan including overall organizational messaging and institutional communications.
- Identify, recommend, and implement new, innovative concepts to positively place the WWP brand in the public eye using various communications platforms.
- Inform leadership of relevant news that may affect the organization.
- Collaborate with leadership to create, edit, and approve high priority press releases, statements, and executive and leadership communications.
- Manage the organization’s crisis communication process, and provide expert communications guidance to leadership, responding appropriately and timely to issues and crises.
- Manage responses to media and public relations inquiries and requests. Manage responses to requests for endorsements and information about WWP, its executives, experts, and warriors.
- Build relationships with corporate and community partners, local, national, and international media representatives, veteran services organizations (VSOs), and warriors.
- Lead projects and campaigns in support of the organization’s strategic goals and objectives.
- Research topics for incoming and outgoing campaigns and communications. Provide insight on best practices. Identify opportunities for improvements, including technology advances, to better support the team.
- Oversee annual media training for the organization.
- Participate in process improvement activities and serve on project teams.
- Identify and track the effectiveness of communications and messaging. Prepare reports with performance metrics for leadership to improve effectiveness of messaging and communications plans.
- Effectively communicate the WWP mission, vision, and values, and the importance of WWP programs in public forums, events, and public awareness campaigns.
- Participate in developing and managing the department budget.
- Other related duties as assigned.
Educational Background:
Bachelor’s degree in public relations, marketing, communication, journalism, or related field. Equivalent combination of education, experience, training, or certification may be considered in lieu of degree.
Skills/Experience:
- High energy level. Self-starter; willing to take initiative.
- Strong expertise and working knowledge of organizational communications strategies.
- Demonstrated success and expertise in managing organizational messaging and media communications. Demonstrated ability to manage crisis communications.
- Demonstrated ability to create content in the organization’s voice. Demonstrated working knowledge of communication principles including Associated Press (AP) style. Demonstrated expertise in creating and editing press releases, statements, and organizational communications.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
- Proficient using social media platforms, e.g., Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+. Demonstrated knowledge of social media management, e.g., Social Studio, Hootsuite, Buffer, Sprout Social.
- Demonstrated working knowledge of data analytics, performance metrics, and trends analysis.
- Exceptional interpersonal skills. Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain professional relationships, and interact effectively with diverse individuals to build effective working relationships. Demonstrated emotional intelligence. Ability to respond to sensitive matters with diplomacy and empathy.
- Demonstrated ability to establish credibility, be decisive, influence others, and influence change.
- Strong presentation skills. Confident communicator with demonstrated ability to present information effectively.
- Strong organizational and time management skills. Effectively complete assignments and meet deadlines.
- Strong project management skills. Demonstrated ability to effectively and efficiently manage multiple projects.
- Demonstrated understanding of budget management.
- Proficient using Microsoft Office, e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook.
- Unequivocal commitment to the highest standards of personal and business ethics and conduct.
- Mission-driven, guided by core values, and a pleasure to work with.
Work Environment/Physical Demands
- May require lifting/carrying items up to 50 pounds
Education & Experience Requirements
- Seven years of communications, public relations, or marketing experience.
- Seven years of experience managing organizational communications and messaging, and managing responses to crises, issues, and media requests.
- Three years of staff management experience.
Preferences
- Bachelor’s degree in public relations, marketing, or communication.
- Ten years of communications or public relations experience.
- Five years of staff management experience.
- Five years of experience working with a nonprofit organization.
Job Function:
Organization Info
Listing Stats
Post Date:
Sep 19 2018
Active Until:
Oct 19 2018
Hiring Organization:
Wounded Warrior Project, Inc.
industry:
Nonprofit