Careers

Communications Manager

Job title: Communications Manager

Reports to: Deputy Director

Job type: Full time

Salary: $52,000-$55,000/year

Apply here: https://forms.office.com/r/x33bV6jFTs

The mission of The Advocates for Human Rights is to implement international human rights standards to promote civil society and reinforce the rule of law. By involving volunteers in research, education, and advocacy, we build broad constituencies in the United States and select global communities.

Position Summary

The Communications Manager will inform and implement the strategy for all communications, public relations messages, and collateral to consistently articulate and advance The Advocates for Human Rights' mission. The Communications Manager will ensure that The Advocates for Human Rights is viewed as the primary source, disseminator, and conduit of information within its diverse network and constituent base. 

The Communications Manager collaborates closely with the Deputy Director and works with other organizational leadership and throughout the organization as the communications partner on a variety of strategic initiatives. 

This position is currently hybrid, with 2-3 days/week in our downtown Minneapolis office. This position is not eligible for fully remote work.

Relationships:

This position reports to the Deputy Director and works closely with other Communications staff. Critical relationships include the Development team, Program Directors, internal and external stakeholders. 

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Inform, implement, and evaluate the annual communications plan across the organization's discrete audiences under the direction of the Deputy Director and in collaboration with the Communications team and content stakeholders throughout the organization. 
• Collaborate with the Communications, Development, Advocacy, and Program teams to maintain and execute an editorial calendar based on events, program work, legislative activity, news events, and issues priorities, to inform communications within the organization and with local, national, and international audiences.
• Build and maintain organizational media presence and visibility, proactively seeking out and securing earned media coverage. Identify priority media outlets for advancing The Advocates' communications goals and objectives. Manage all media contacts, ensure organization's spokespeople are trained and prepared for media interviews and appearances, draft media releases, schedule and execute media availabilities/press conferences. Monitor and report media hits and prepare reports for senior leadership.
• Put communications vehicles in place to create momentum and awareness of the organization's priorities and brand as well as to test and evaluate the effectiveness of communications activities. Understand and respond strategically to changing needs of audiences using appropriate forms and channels of communications, including print, e-communications, digital/social media, video, direct mail, promotions, etc. 
• Leverage mission-aligned topical issues to increase visibility and audience engagement. Strategically build the base of people who are aware of and involved with The Advocates' programs through engaging and impactful content. Track and measure the level of engagement with audiences over time.
• Develop strategy and content direction for advocacy, education, and fundraising campaigns including email, print, and social. Work closely with Communications, Development, Advocacy, and Program teams to identify who, where, and when to disseminate.  
• Produce annual print magazine. Work with Communications, Development, Advocacy, and Program teams to develop editorial content. Write and edit content. Develop editorial design, including graphics and layout. Work with vendors to print and mail.
• Ensure print and digital collateral including, but not limited to, monthly e-newsletters, brochures, social media, and website, are current and meet brand standards. Ensure publications, including print and digital reports, 1-pagers, and presentations, meet brand standards and that staff have appropriate resources to create content. 
• Develop and execute tactical plans for key projects, events, and campaigns. Support programmatic and fundraising events to ensure they are on-brand, on-message, and effectively promoted.
• Mentor team members responsible for website administration, social media, and content creation/editing. Collaborate with outside volunteers to execute projects. Select and supervise interns. Manage relationships with vendors.
• Participate in creating a positive and collaborative workplace.
• Other duties as required.

Qualifications

The Advocates for Human Rights is seeking an accomplished Communications Manager who has at least 7 years of communications experience, ideally within a complex (number and variety of issues and constituents) nonprofit entity, and covering areas such as media relations, issue campaigns, and donor communications. The ability to take knowledge and transform it into exciting and useful messages and disseminate it to the right audiences through the best distribution channels is critical. Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience is required; journalism, communications or related focus preferred; Master's degree in related field is preferred.

The ideal candidate is or brings:

• Driven by and committed to human rights. 
• Highly collaborative adept at taking and applying feedback. 
• A strong track record as an implementer who thrives on managing a variety of key initiatives concurrently.
• Highly organized, able to work in a fast-paced environment and handle multiple issues, inputs, and tasks at the same time; strong sense of urgency. 
• Sincere commitment to work collaboratively with all constituent groups, including staff, board members, volunteers, partners, donors, program participants, community members, and other supporters. 
• Self-starter, able to work independently, and entrepreneurial; enjoys creating and implementing new initiatives. 
• Passionate about creative, visual storytelling that translates complex human rights issues into simple yet compelling narratives. 
• High energy, maturity, and leadership with the ability to serve as a unifying force and to position communications discussions at both the strategic and tactical levels. 

Specific skills include:

• Excellent English-language writing/editing and verbal communication skills, including AP copy writing; other languages a plus. 
• Experience working with reporters, media outlets, editorial boards, etc.
• Experience developing and implementing communications strategies, with proven abilities in strategy creation, problem-solving, and analytics. 
• Skilled in Adobe Creative Suite, including InDesign; experience with Microsoft Office applications and with Blackbaud NXT or similar constituent relationship management systems.  

Compensation

Compensation is commensurate with experience and is consistent with similarly sized nonprofits in the Twin Cities Area. Our generous benefit package includes vacation, medical, dental, long- term disability/AD+D/life insurance, and pre-tax retirement plan.

To Apply

Please use the following link to submit your application, letter of interest, and resume: https://forms.office.com/r/x33bV6jFTs

No phone calls or e-mail inquiries, please.

Application Deadline: September 19, 2022

The Advocates for Human Rights is an equal opportunity employer. The Advocates is committed to cultural diversity and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability or any other legally protected status.

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