The Vice President of Marketing and Communications (VP) reports to the Chief Operating Officer and serves as a key member of the Leadership Team. The VP will work in close alignment with his or her peers leading the branding and marketing communications surrounding the organization as a whole and United Way of the National Capital Area’s community impact programming and fundraising functions to:
- Drive the overall brand awareness of the organization and its mission;
- Increase visibility of the organization’s community work among various stakeholders;
- Create innovative ways to engage corporate and individual contributors;
- Attach contributors to programming that excites their interests and deepens their loyalties; and
- Build a culture where the marketing, development and programming functions collaborate and drive decisions informed by reliable market-tested data.
The successful candidate will be a seasoned professional with demonstrated success leading a marketing and communications team in the nonprofit and/or corporate sectors. S/he should believe in United Way’s mission, and is motivated to enhance one of the country’s best-known brands.
Strategic Leadership
The VP of Marketing and Communications plays a key strategic role in the organization’s programming and fundraising. This position is responsible for communicating the organization’s mission, vision and community work to various stakeholders and plays a creative and strategic role in shaping United Way NCA’s marketing strategy. Specifically, the VP will be expected to:
- Develop strategic marketing plans to support the organization's mission, goals and objectives, including positioning, and market and competitive analysis;
- Create and execute innovative marketing and public relations strategies, including both traditional and social media, to guide United Way NCA’s leadership in cultivating and enhancing relationships with the organization’s key audiences which include donors, key stakeholders, community leaders and partners, the media and the general public;
- Develop and implement an integrated marketing and communications plan to advance United Way NCA’s brand identity, broaden and increase the visibility of its programs and build a strong public voice;
- Partner with the Leadership Team to develop and implement an internal communications strategy across multiple channels;
- Oversee all aspects of marketing and communications, including branding, advertising, special events, collateral materials, direct mail, email, sponsorship and partner development, etc.;
- Lead and oversee the organization’s website development (design and content), online and social media initiatives; monitor analytics and usage;
- Oversee all aspects of public relations, including media relations and community relations;
- Plan and execute media campaigns and advertising buys. Ensure consistency of key messages and brand identity. Track return on investment of media buys;
- Manage United Way’s brand across all internal departments to ensure continuity;
- Act as Staff Liaison to the Board’s Marketing and Communications Committee; and
- Prepare monthly statistical and descriptive reports on the Department’s goals and performance.
Team Leadership
The VP of Marketing and Communications actively manages, recruits and develops staff (e.g. writers, graphic designers, production managers, and digital marketing professionals) as well as vendors to support and further extend the resource of the Marketing and Communications Department. The VP will be expected to judiciously source and manage the use of external vendors and contractors when required.
- Specifically, the VP will be expected to:
- Recruit and manage a marketing and communications team that supports the development and implementation of the marketing and communications strategic plan;
- Build organizational capability by identifying skills needed in the Department and recruiting and developing staff in alignment with strategic priorities;
- Build talent by establishing and communicating performance standards and developing staff to meet those standards;
- Facilitate effective cross-functional teamwork with members of United Way NCA’s programs and fundraising functions; and
- Source and manage the use of external resources (e.g., public relations firms, advertising and marketing agencies, photographers, printers, digital media experts, graphic designers, among others).
Department Operations and Results Leadership
The VP will be responsible for all marketing and communications work generated by the Department. The VP will also be expected to create and manage Department budgets and interface with United Way NCA’s internal finance and IT functions to effectively manage the Department’s administrative processes. Specifically, the VP will be expected to:
- Be responsible for the effective operations of the marketing and communications function, including budgeting and planning;
- Manage and supervise Department staff, including writing annual performance evaluations and ensuring staff training and development, and;
- Direct market research activities to keep abreast of changing demographics and other relevant factors and to monitor emerging issues.
- Minimum of ten years of experience in a senior management role, holding progressively responsible positions in marketing and communications for nonprofit, corporate, and/or agency organizations;
- A strong communicator able to interface with a variety of audiences, both internal and external;
- Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills and the credibility and poise to present to a wide range of stakeholders;
- Proven success at developing and implementing digital marketing and social media strategies to enhance visibility, engagement and loyalty;
- Extensive experience developing, implementing, and analyzing both traditional and social media metrics;
- Innovative thinker, with a track record for translating strategic thinking into action plans and results;
- Experience building, leading and mentoring a team of marketing and communications specialists;
- Superior management skills, including the ability to advocate for and manage to budget priorities;
- Presence and confidence to project credibility to staff, senior leaders, Board of Directors, media, and stakeholders;
- Self-reliant, problem solver and results oriented;
- Demonstrated ability to multi-task, handle pressure and meet deadlines;
- Proficient with Microsoft Office applications (e.g. Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook) with solid understanding of key marketing and communication tools (e.g. Web Content Management Systems, email systems, Google Analytics and other web metrics, Adobe Creative Suite, among others); and
- A passion for United Way NCA’s mission, vision and accomplishments.