Sr. Manager of Communications

POSITION PROFILE: Senior Manager of Communications – Project Success

kpCompanies is leading the search for the next Senior Manager of Communications for Project Success. This candidate will be leading and managing Project Success' communications and marketing initiatives. They will oversee website and social media activities, program promotions, and develop streamlined processes for effective communication. They will work closely with the brand partner and senior leadership to execute the organization's communication strategy, ensuring brand consistency and engaging students, families, and the community.

THE ORGANIZATION: Project Success

Project Success is a youth development nonprofit organization that helps students connect their purpose. We work with more than 15,000 6^th-12^th grade students and their families in the Minneapolis School District and have more than 200,000 alumni around the world. Learn more at projectsuccess.org. 

POSITION:

The Senior Manager of Communications is responsible for being the lead project manager for Project Success communications and marketing, website and social media, and program promotions efforts – with a goal of developing effective and streamlined processes for communications activities that result in greater engagement from students, families, and community, and awareness of Project Success impact and outcomes. The Senior Manager of Communications will be an internal champion of the Project Success brand and communications strategy by coordinating with our brand partner and senior leadership to understand the vision and communications strategy for the organization. They will then execute on the communications plan and move the strategies and tactics into action with the communications team. They will prioritize workflow, timelines, and deadlines for the communications team.

Our ideal candidate is a strong project manager with a successful track record of managing communications including promotions, print and digital campaigns, brand management, web and social, and marketing. They should have excellent oral and written communications skills, including copywriting and ensuring brand tone in communications. They must approach communications and messaging with a deep understanding of the importance of integrating equity, inclusion, diversity, and accessibility into each area of this work. They should be an experienced people manager, with the ability to manage, support, and evaluate the efforts of the Communications team. They must be trustworthy with a high sense of integrity, with the ability to build and nurture relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders. 

This role will report to the Director of Administration. They will have two direct reports - a Communications Manager and Communications Associate.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Organizational Communications

• Execute strategic communications and marketing plan, developed by brand partner and senior leadership team, including: brand management, direct and indirect marketing, print materials, digital channels and social media, internal and external communication, outreach initiatives, and fundraising efforts

• Oversee the development and timeline for content for the Project Success website and social media channels, e-newsletters, print and online communications, annual reports, online organizational profiles, etc.
• Oversee and cultivate relationships with contractors and vendors needed for communications work, including translations, print, website, etc.

• Oversee and manage the content for the e-newsletter, providing consistent, compelling, and up to date news and information about PS to stakeholders

• Develop and execute communications plans to support Project Success fundraising events, speaking engagements, etc.
• Support the Director of Administration on internal communications, as assigned
• Other duties as assigned

Program Promotions

• Execute annual program promotions strategy, utilizing communications channels (both print and digital) to promote program opportunities to encourage program registrations and increase engagement with our students, families, and schools
• Work with Programs Team to balance both annual and long-term promotion plans and delivery of last-minute promotion needs
• Lead efforts to track, analyze, and report on data from program communications tactics to utilize for ongoing development of program communications strategies and plans 
• Lead efforts to provide communications tools and content to staff for program promotions
• Work closely with Programs Team to understand content needed to cultivate school/district relationships and coordinate projects with Communications Team

Brand Management

• Ensure consistent use of branding, messaging, formatting, and style policies in externally distributed materials with the highest standards of quality control
• Coordinate and provide onboarding communications training for all new hires, along with regular communications training for staff and volunteers to ensure consistent messaging
• Ensure all work with students and families to tell the Project Success story is conducted with the best interests of students and families as top priority, allowing for them to authentically share their story and the impact of Project Success programming from their lens
• Play a role in ensuring that all students and families feel a part of Project Success through communications that are thoughtful, culturally responsive, and available in languages needed by students and families

Communications Team Leadership

• Lead, manage, inspire, and evaluate the efforts of the Communications team, including direct management of the Communications Manager and Communications Associate 
• Lead the employee review process for each position, provide opportunities for professional development and training, and oversee resource support
• Lead ongoing management of communications physical and digital files, ensuring data retention policies are followed

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Below are some typical requirements for a Senior Communications Manager. We recognize that skill sets can be a complex combination of experiences. If your background does not precisely match these requirements, but you have a passion for our work, we would love to hear from you, and we recognize the value of transferable skills.

• Bachelor’s degree or 4+ years of similar experience (or a combination of training, education, and experiences that provides the required knowledge and abilities)
• 6+ years of communications/marketing experience, non-profit experience preferred
• 2+ years of people management experience with demonstrated experience developing and supervising high-performing direct reports
• Experience in brand management and writing/editing to fit brand
• Experience in the design and production process of print and digital materials
• Experience in website content management systems, especially WordPress, with experience in website editing tools  
• Proficiency in creative, design, and publishing tools, including preferred experience with Adobe Creative Cloud InDesign, Lightroom, and Canva
• Excellent project management skills, rooted in understanding of how to effectively work collaboratively across teams
• Excellent oral and written communications skills, including writing and editing skills
• Tech-savvy and proficient with Microsoft 365 – PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Outlook
• Demonstrated ability to lead accessible and effective communication to diverse audiences with deep commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Accessibility, and Inclusion
• Demonstrated strategic mindset and resourcefulness in setting priorities, proposing new ways of creating efficiencies, and guiding investment in people and system
• Ability to work effectively under time constraints, meet short deadlines, and adapt to emerging priorities with unexpected timelines
• Must have a valid driver’s license and auto insurance
• Ability to sit and/or stand for prolonged periods, including movement up and down stairs and throughout office environment and at events
• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at times and 50 pounds on occasion
• Must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or be granted an accommodation prior to beginning employment

Equity & Salary Disclosure

We believe in practices that create real equity and pay parity regardless of background or identity. We freely discuss compensation with all qualified candidates the first time we interview them. Saving the salary discussion for the first conversation allows us to fully understand the needs of each candidate and to ensure that qualified candidates, even those who’ve historically been overlooked and/or underpaid, don’t self-select out of the processes based on salary alone, as our experience and research suggest. In addition to those who opt out because they fear the salary may be out of reach for them, we equally don’t want to miss out on conversations with candidates who are slightly over the range when in some cases, the total compensation, including factors such as bonuses, flexibility, and better health benefits, etc. may exceed expectations. Finally, as a search firm – we are always looking for top-notch talent to introduce to our clients. Should the salary or any other requirement not be a fit, there is often a chance that someone on our team is working on another position you may be a better fit for. If you would like to discuss your qualifications for this role and salary and compensation - just give us a call, and we’d be happy to discuss.