Sr. Manager, Communications

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Manager, Communications is responsible for implementing communications initiatives involving the association and its mission to advance excellence in legal education. Responsibilities include writing and editing executive communications and reports, authoring content for print and online publications, and managing a digest of current news articles and blog posts about legal education. The position will also serve as a secondary contact for media relations and responses to law school deans and faculty.                     

POSITION DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develops written communication materials for regular emails to law school deans, reports to allied organizations, web content and publications.
• Acts as the secondary contact for AALS with the press, law faculty/deans, and the public.  Assists with the handling incoming media inquiries and working with appropriate staff to respond to and to create messages for the media.
• Supports the development of communications materials related to the association’s annual meeting and media outreach.
• Monitors emerging technologies and trends and makes recommendations for incorporating them as appropriate into the communications strategy.
• Serves on cross-departmental working groups related to strategic communications, publications, and other areas.
• Assists with other department functions including writing, editing, social media, online research, and message dissemination.
• Supervises work of Communications Coordinator for news and blogs digests.

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree with 5 years of experience working in communications, journalism, public relations or marketing preferred. Experience in higher education or associations also preferred.
• Demonstrated proficiency in grammar, editing, and proofreading for content and consistency in style.
• Requires ability to effectively communicate both orally and in writing.
• Must have exemplary organizational, time and project management skills including the ability to independently manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Must be able to think strategically while being willing to put into action any plans developed, seeing them through and administering them on an ongoing basis.
• Must be a self-starter with strong initiative. Must be a highly-skilled, detail-oriented and flexible individual with a positive attitude.
• Willingness to pitch-in on areas outside of purview at anytime.
• Excellent interpersonal skills required including the ability to work with others and to be flexible in making changes taking into consideration the goals of the organization and its processes.
• Must be able to exercise good judgment and possess well-honed problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work in a team collaborative environment, keeping team members up-to-date on progress and changes as they occur.
• Ability to write and synthesize complex material into compelling content for a variety of formats and outlets.  Ability to translate technical language and ideas into language that is easily comprehensible to the general public.

ADA SPECIFICATIONS

This position is currently operating remotely due to COVID-19, with an eventual transition to in-office at the Association’s Washington, DC-based offices when operations resume. There may be an opportunity for telecommuting at that time. The position will also have once-a-year overnight travel with long-hours at the Association’s Annual Conference. The position may require some bending and lifting.