Reporting to the V.P. of Operations, the Director of Communications is the leader of the Communications team, which delivers against a wide range of Chapter and National goals and objectives. This is the most senior communications and marketing leader, charged with developing, enhancing and vigorously maintaining the Association’s full-mission branding, image, and messaging within the community and to the media, government, prospective funders and others. Additionally, this person oversees the Chapter’s presence on the Web and on Social Media channels.
This position is responsible for the development and implementation of organization-wide messaging, communications, Public Relations, advertising and Social Media policies and programs that contribute to its overall success in close collaboration with the resources of the national Communications team based in Chicago. As a volunteer driven organization, all staff are expected to recruit, cultivate, support and manage volunteer relationships to advance the mission of the Alzheimer's Association. Occasional evening and weekend work is required, as is the ability to travel throughout the two-state chapter.
- Manage Chapter-wide media and public relations activities, including:
- Developing key messaging and ensuring "brand integrity" on behalf of the organization, as well as coordinating with nationwide media and public relations efforts
- Ensuring staff and volunteers are prepared, equipped and empowered when appropriate to represent the Association with a clear mission narrative
- Coordinating engagements and scripting of spokespersons of the organization within the community, to government, prospective funders and others when needed
- Representing the organization to the community, government and media to publicize its programs and needs
- Seeking and developing opportunities to enhance the image of the organization within the community in response to advances in research/science and changes in government policy
- Managing media buys to maximize exposure across channels
- Managing media crisis response and communication
- Market and promote the organization's goals and objectives in order to advertise programming and services, as well as develop grass-roots support within the community, including:
- Planning and producing print and other advertising materials to support promotional efforts, publicity and marketing initiatives
- Managing the Communications department budget as well as acting as the Chapter’s agent for media buys, printing, mass mailings, media production so as to maximize impact at favorable rates
- Producing the annual Year-in-Review and other significant communication and marketing pieces, as well as video/film to support major events and ongoing awareness
- Overseeing Cause Marketing, art displays and other targeted initiatives that expand awareness of the cause, the disease or the work of the Association
- Providing speech writing support to the leaders and event managers of the Chapter, as well as presenters who participate in major events
- Provide direct support to other New England chapters to support attainment of their Communications goals.
- Oversee all Web properties and leveraging of Social Media presence
- Manage a three to four person staff responsible for communications and marketing efforts, including performance management and professional development
- Ten years’ experience in communications and public relations
- Five years’ experience working with Web-based and Social Media communications
- Five years’ management level experience
- Demonstrated success managing volunteer-led programs, with experience in recruitment, training, engagement, supervision and evaluation of volunteers.
Key Professional Attributes
- An awareness and sensitivity to branding and key messaging within a mission-based organization
- Superior motivator (written and verbal) with the ability to encourage others to maximize potential and achieve challenging organization goals
- Seasoned negotiating and media buying skills
- Strategic decision making skills, demonstrating effective cost/benefit (trade-off) analysis and reflecting process oriented solutions
- Creative and imaginative in developing and executing new messaging and new approaches to maximizing our reach and visibility
- Goal and outcome focused, reflecting a clear appreciation of both the needs of diverse client populations and the organization’s operational limits
- Demonstrated management skills, including the ability set clear goals, organize projects, establish and manage budgets, develop work processes and supervise professionals
- Innovative, with the requisite skills to implement organization change
- Strong awareness of the social, economic, political environment in which the Association operates, since part of its effectiveness is in partnering in the larger community