Department: Strategy & Development Reports To: Senior Manager, Communications & Strategic Partnerships About Civic Builders: Civic Builders is the nation's leading nonprofit lender and developer, bringing high-quality education to under-resourced communities through the development of public charter schools. Since 2002, Civic has supported the growth of 84 schools nationwide educating more than 43,220 students annually with a 90% graduation rate. Civic offers school facility development services, access to low-cost capital, and strategic advisory services to public charter schools. Our portfolio represents over $1.5 billion invested into economically distressed communities to ensure access to safe, positive, and student-centered learning environments. About the Position: As the Marketing and Communications Associate you will support the expansion of the organization's impact through the telling of compelling stories that leverage data and insights. Working directly with Civic Builders' Senior Manager, Communications & Strategic Partnerships, and as a key member of the Strategy & Development Department, this individual will support the planning and execution of a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy. This work will help establish and maintain a strong pipeline of school partners, expand Civic's audience, and grow our national brand reputation. Responsibilities:
- Steward the development of messaging and communications collateral including the Annual Report, press releases, one-pagers, collateral, and regular e-communications.
- Support executive communications and relevant board engagement efforts, assisting with developing talking points and refining presentations, as well as media prep when needed.
- Research and develop relationships with relevant journalists and media outlets on behalf of the organization. Develop pitch angles and targeted plans. Draft appropriate responses and monitor media coverage on an ongoing basis.
- Analyze and leverage data, insights, best practices, and industry knowledge to tell a clear and inspirational story to our stakeholders.
- Grow Civic's funder, supporter, and partner audiences through a variety of outreach strategies including digital marketing, social media, targeted media outreach, press opportunities, product launches, and events.
- Partner with the internal team and website developer to maintain the Civic website on an ongoing basis.
- Collaborate with Civic's fundraising and product teams to achieve objectives, including supporting ad hoc events, presentations, awards submissions, milestones, and promotional activities.
- Develop a deep understanding of the NYC and national public charter school sector and identify tactics to grow the market presence of Civic.
- Become a Civic expert and brand ambassador. Develop a deep knowledge of our story, core activities, and approaches to achieve our mission. Tell that story to bring funders, partners, and publicity opportunities to the organization.
- Recommend new marketing and communications approaches to support Civic's mission and organizational goals.
Qualifications:
- At least four (4) years of relevant marketing and communications experience.
- Proficient with paid, owned, and earned media across a variety of marketing and communications channels.
- Experience managing projects, relationships, and partnerships, on time and within budget.
- Skilled at digital publishing platforms and email marketing tools such as LinkedIn and Mailchimp.
- Familiarity with tools like WordPress (website management), Monday.com (project management), Salesforce (CRM), Adobe Creative Suite (design), and Canva (photo editing) is preferred.
Who You Are:
- You are proactive and organized. You plan ahead, own project plans and manage deadlines within and across teams, and track/share progress and results. You have demonstrated success in managing multiple projects and competing priorities to meet deadlines.
- You will maintain a steady flow of updates/communication with your manager and other team members, including keeping a content calendar updated daily (and providing visibility to others about what is upcoming).
- You have excellent attention to detail. You build in time for final proofing by another team member for all substantive external-facing projects, materials, and content (written or visual).
- You are a storyteller. You are a great writer, editor, and communicator, and the ability to distill complex topics for different audiences and create engaging written and visual content independently or with the support of vendors/partners.
- You are comfortable with data and analytics. You use these tools, along with comprehensive research skills, to inform your decisions and enhance your storytelling.
- You have a growth mindset. You are eager to learn new things and view challenges as opportunities. You ask questions and proactively recommend solutions when challenges arise.
- You have a passion for Civic's mission of ensuring all children have access to a high-quality public education.
Work Environment, Compensation and Benefits:
- Civic Builders is located in New York City and has a hybrid, collaborative work environment. Local team members, and the Marketing & Communications Associate, work at least two days (Tuesdays and Wednesdays) in our NYC office with telework the rest of the week. We will consider remote work for someone with sufficient Marketing & Communications experience. Travel for attendance at in-office meetings, relevant events, school visits, and/or conferences is required.
- Civic offers a competitive salary commensurate with relevant work experience, and may be adjusted for cost of living based on location. The salary range for this role is $70,000 - $90,000. Actual salaries may be based on several factors including, but not limited to, a candidate's skill set, experience, education, work location and other qualifications.
- We want you to be well and thrive. Our excellent benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision coverage, up to 4% employer match 401(k), and generous PTO.
- Additional benefits and perks include flexible spending accounts (FSA) and health savings accounts (HSA), short-term & long-term disability insurances, group term life insurance, commuter benefits program, 12 weeks paid parental/family leave, cell phone plan reimbursement and equipment replacement, professional development reimbursement, home office setup, and social and educational outings.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Civic Builders believes that diversity, in all its forms, enriches society and our organization. Because we support students in the highest-need neighborhoods, we have a particular charge to understand our schools and their communities. When our staff, board, and partners reflect, value and embrace the voices and perspectives of those most impacted by what we do, we have a deeper understanding and connection to their needs and more effectively achieve our aspiration of improving lives, revitalizing communities, and helping children receive the education they deserve. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer: Civic Builders is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Civic provides employees with a safe and welcoming environment free of discrimination and harassment. As an equal opportunity employer, we prohibit any unlawful discrimination against a job applicant on the basis of their race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, family or parental status, disability, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. To Apply: We encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the job description; we will consider people from a variety of backgrounds and career experiences. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications by no later than November 20, 2024 for consideration. If advancing through the process, applicants will be required to submit work samples.