Senior Director of Communications and Marketing

About NYC Kids RISE 

The NYC Kids RISE Save for College Program is a universal, community-driven wealth-building platform that expands access to mainstream financial products, puts  financial assets in the hands of families and communities, provides financial education for families and students, and brings schools and neighborhoods together to support all of their children’s futures. NYC Kids RISE is about to start its fifth year of operations in the geographic area of School District 30 in Queens - one of the most diverse school districts in the country - more than 13,000 students (~95% of all First, Second, Third and Fourth Graders) have a NYC Scholarship Account with more than $6M accumulated to date. Based on the success of the pilot, the City recently announced that the Program will be expanding citywide in the Fall 2021.

Through the Program, every student enrolled in a participating NYC public elementary school, starting in kindergarten, automatically receives an NYC Scholarship Account invested in the NY 529 Direct Plan plan with a $100 seed deposit and up to $200 in early rewards. Their families can open and connect their own college savings account (separate from the scholarship account) and start saving their own money in the ways and amounts that make sense for them, building financial capability and stability. At the same time, communities can contribute to groups of these NYC Scholarship Accounts as both a targeted and universal platform for community-driven asset-building in every neighborhood. By combining seed scholarships, family savings, community investments, and funding streams from every level, the platform can build meaningful assets for public school students. These accounts, and the accompanying program supports, enable families, schools, local organizations, businesses, anchor institutions, financial institutions, philanthropy, and the public sector to work together to build assets in students’ accounts and strengthen social capital by supporting expectations of success across the neighborhood.

NYC Kids RISE manages the Save for College Program in partnership with the NYC Department of Education and the City of New York. 

Read more about NYC Kids RISE and the Save for College Program and listen to stories from partners who helped build the platform during the pilot phase. Also check out recent articles in Fast Company, the Wall Street Journal and the NYCHA Journal. Read more about NYC Kids RISE theory of change here in a recent report by the Urban Institute. 

Senior Director of Communications + Marketing

NYC Kids RISE seeks a strategic, creative, and outcome-driven communications and marketing professional to join our growing team. This is a managerial role with the opportunity to create and drive strategic and inclusive communication plans at a time of exciting growth and change for the organization. The Senior Director will play a key role in elevating the organization’s voice, brand, and platform, while helping to execute on a regular cadence of action-oriented communications to various audiences and stakeholders in the Save for College Program. 

Key Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Provide strategic direction for the organization’s broad, multi-stakeholder communications and marketing work
• Develop a comprehensive and inclusive communications plan with organizational leadership and relevant partners, including the City of New York and the NYC Department of Education
• Identify and execute key opportunities to amplify program messages, the work of the organization, and the work of key partners across local communities, the city, and the country
• Develop and implement earned media strategies, fielding inquiries, and pitching stories to local, citywide, and national media
• Train spokespeople for the program in local communities and across the city
• Edit and, as-necessary, create content, including: press releases, project profiles, thought-leadership narratives, partner communications, parent-facing newsletters, talking points for the Executive Director and/or Board members, and other communications and marketing collateral
• Manage a team of three staff, as well as the relationship and work products of public relations and communications consultancies and other related vendors
• Serve as executive editor of the organization’s website and social media presence
• Along with all NYC Kids RISE employees, maintain, and support other staff and volunteers to maintain strict adherence to NYC Kids RISE data security and privacy policies; remaining vigilant on the ways in which NYC Kids RISE can continue to protect Confidential Information (including Student and Family Data); identify vulnerabilities, and proactively problem solve to improve controls and practices; and
• Along with all NYC Kids RISE employees, participate and share in the organization’s work to advance racial equity and anti-oppression in the organization’s and program’s operations and practices; proactively identify opportunities to advance the development of an anti-racist organization; share and solicit ongoing feedback and conversations to advance this work.

The Senior Director will report to the organization’s Chief of Strategy and Policy, but will work with all teams at NYC Kids RISE in the execution of key responsibilities. 

Qualifications include:

• Minimum 10 years of experience in communications, marketing, creative direction, public relations, journalism or related field
• Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills, including the ability to effectively interface with diverse stakeholders
• Ability to work effectively under tight deadlines, self-reliant, good problem solver, results-oriented, and capable of making decisions in a dynamic environment while anticipating future needs
• Proven experience in using communications and marketing to empower communities; understanding and experience in co-creating initiatives or campaigns with communities, track record in developing and managing communications and marketing to drive consumer action; 
• Experience with a variety of email marketing tools, and other online database, communication, and campaign tools;
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop, and InDesign preferred;
• Graphic design sensibility or strong familiarity with the use of graphic design as a key communications element preferred; 
• Willingness to work evenings, and some weekends, as needed
• Proven ability to work with people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences
• Knowledge of, and demonstrated interest in increasing educational opportunities and long-term financial security for low-income New York City families; 
• Familiarity with and/or desire to learn New York City neighborhoods and systems (schools, community-based organizations, social services, etc.)
• Advanced degree in journalism, communications, public policy, or related field preferred, but extensive related experience is equally valued; experience working with government agencies also preferred; 
• Fluency in one of the following languages preferred: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian, Spanish and Urdu

To apply, a cover letter and resume is required. Please list the name of the position “Senior Director of Communications & Marketing" in your cover letter. Salary based on experience.

NYC Kids Rise is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate in employment on the basis of basis of gender, religion, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, marital status, caregiver status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, military status, unemployed status, or any other characteristic protected by law.